Our 2016 edition of The State of 3D Printing is out. Almost 1000 participants responded and shared their experience and expectations about 3D printing bringing incomparable depth to this survey. You'll find the latest trends in the 3D printing industry and know how to gear up your 3D printing strategy for success.
Call for Papers - Educational Administration: Theory and Practice, E-ISSN: 21...
6 Key Takeaways for the State of 3D Printing - 2016
1. SIX KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM
The data you need to understand the 3D Printing world and build your 3D Printing strategy
MAY 2016
THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING
2. I am very pleased to announce the second edition of The
State of 3D Printing. The aim of our survey is simple: to
bring together most of 3D Printing’s users. We asked what
they do, why they do it, how they do it, and if it’s working.
For me, this second measure represents a very special
edition for several reasons.
First, the enthusiasm and the thousands of returns we’ve
had on the first edition have allowed us to validate the
interest of our approach. I would also like to thank each of
you for your support and your input.
Thanks to you, we have once again developed the biggest
statistical study on the uses and challenges of 3D Printing
in the professional world. Almost 1000 participants
responded and shared their experience and expectations.
They come from all professions in every industry, bringing
incomparable depth to this survey.
Finally,this 2nd
edition has allowed us to make a comparison
that I invite you to discover: there is much to learn about
the evolution of our industry from the users’ point of view
between 2015 and 2016.
As we know, 3D Printing is creating less enthusiasm in
the media than even 20 months ago. However, the survey
respondents are as convinced as we are. This technology
is not only promising for tomorrow, but it’s also wonderful
today because of the many economic benefits that users
get from it every day.
In addition to the 2015/2016 evolution, we have made
several changes to our report. In response to your remarks
we have:
• done a better job in distinguishing professional uses
from casual hobby uses. We have clearly focused our
analysis on the professional respondents to our study.
• granted a large portion to the best practices in 3D
Printing by devoting an entire chapter to the behavior of
power users.
• developed sector-specific analysis to give you a way to
better compare yourself to your peers.
Like last year, you’ll find 4 sections in the report:
• Trends for 2016 have been gathered from every
respondent and comprise the majority of the study
• Executing a 3D Printing strategy takes a detailed,
practical look at the habits of “power users”
• The evolution insights section compares and contrasts
the habits of users between 2015 and 2016
• The sector-specific insights allowyou to compare yourself
to others within your industry
All of these attempts to provide you with practical
information that will help you in your company’s
development.
If you would like to see how you stack up compared to
the panel, I invite you to visit our study at www.sculpteo.
com/en/state-of-3D-printing. The study will be open
throughout 2016. I hope you enjoy reading this new State
of 3D Printing!
FOREWORD
CLÉMENT MOREAU
CEO & FOUNDER
THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING - 2016 2
THE 6 TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING
3. AFRICA
0.9%
EUROPE
64%
AMERICA
30%
ASIA & OCEANIA
5.1%
1,000 RESPONDENTS
> $20M/y
≤ $20M/y
≤ $5M/y
≤ $1M/y
≤ $500K/y
≤ $100K/y
≤ $50K/y
pre-revenue
SAMPLE COMPOSITION
COMPANY SIZE
BY ANNUAL REVENUE
9%
10%
7%
11%
11%
18%
28%
The principal objective of Sculpteo’s 2016 State of 3D Printing report is to share the collection of data we received from our
participants in one global study. With that objective in mind we collected data across the 3D Printing Industry to make an
analysis on how businesses and individuals are using this cutting edge technology.
THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING - 2016 3
7%
THE 6 TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING
4. VERTICAL MARKETS
CONSUMER
GOODS
21%
AUTOMOTIVE
3%
INDUSTRIAL
GOODS
14%
SAMPLE COMPOSITION
It is worth noting that the majority of respondents consider themselves to be identified as Owners or
CEOs (28%) followed by Engineers (23%), these are followed by Freelancers (13%) and Designers (11%).
THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING - 2016 4
HIGH TECH
14%
SERVICES
8%
ELECTRONIC
& ELECTRIC
5%
HIGHER
EDUCATION
4%
ENTERTAINMENT
5%
HEALTHCARE
3%
AERONAUTIC
& AEROSPACE
3%
MECHANIC
& METAL
3%
CONSTRUCTION
2%
RETAIL
2%
MARITIME
1%
GARMENT
1%
ENERGY
1%
THE 6 TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING
5. SPENDING ON 3D PRINTING KEEPS INCREASING
THE 6 TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING
$6,132is the average budget for 2015
compared to $3,736 in 2014
THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING - 2016 5
+77%
of respondents affirmed
they would increase
their spending on
additive manufacturing
in 2017
+93%
consider 3D Printing as
a competitive advantage
in their strategy
+80%
of the respondents
were already
using 3D Printing
last year
6. 21%
27%
2%
50%
67%
55%
30%
41%
29%
25%
50%
24%
8% 11%
6% 12%
16%
12%
28%
30%
5%
11%
13%
6%
PROTOTYPE
PROOF OF CONCEPT
PRODUCTION
EDUCATION
M
ARKETING
SAM
PLE
HOBBY
ART
OTHER
6
SHIFT TO PRODUCTION DRIVES GROWTH
THE 6 TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING
2016 Professionals from 2016
Participants were asked to declare “the
purposes of their 3D prints”. It was possible
to choose multiple answers.
2015
Uses of 3D Printing
THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING - 2016
7. PLASTIC DOMINATES MATERIAL USAGE
THE 6 TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING
THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING - 2016 7
Plastics
73% 26% 23% 13% 8% 8% 4%
Resins
M
etals
M
ulticolore/
Sandstone
Ceram
ics
W
ax
Other
TOP 3D PRINTING MATERIALS
Plastic is still the leader when it comes to materials used in 3D Printing (73%). Resins and
metals, compared to plastic, rank far behind. Plastic parts are still the cheapest to produce, and
prototyping, which is mainly done in plastic, is one of the top applications of 3D Printing.
8. TECHNOLOGY DIVERSITY INDICATES
EVOLUTION TOWARD 3D PRINTING
THE 6 TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING
THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING - 2016 8
Selective
LaserSintering
(SLS)
38% 31% 14% 7%
3%
Fused
Deposition
M
odeling
Stereolithography(SLA)M
ultijet/Polyjet
DigitalLightProcessing
(DLP)
DirectM
etalLaserSintering
(DM
LS)
Selective
Deposition
Lam
ination
(SDL)
BinderJetting
Electron
Beam
M
elting
(EBM
)
Lam
inated
ObjectM
anufacturing
(LOM
)
2%
TOP 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGIES
1%1%
2%3%
The selective laser sintering (SLS) technology is an undeniable favorite among our
participants.Fused deposing modeling (FDM) and SLS both use plastics,which helps their
ranking.Stereolithography (SLA), which uses resins,is the next most common technology.
9. 3D PRINTING ADOPTION DRIVEN BY
MACHINE CONSISTENCY AND SUPPLY COSTS
THE 6 TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING
THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING - 2016 9
MATERIAL
& SUPPLY COST
MACHINE CONSISTENCY
& CAPABILITIES
58%
31%
11%
very important somewhat important not important
DETERMINING FACTORS IN THE
ADOPTION OF 3D PRINTING
70%
27%
4%
While focusing on the key factors for the professional in their
3D Printing activities,72% consider the machine capabilities
and consistency of the 3D Printing parts as very important.
Also 56% of our respondents consider supply costs and
material investment as determining factors.
10. THREE BIG IDEAS DRIVE 3D PRINTING
THE 6 TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING
THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING - 2016 10
Innovation: Respondents see new materials and new techniques
growing in importance.
Efficiency: Respondents separated efficiency into two distinct
dimensions. First, speed of the machinery such as fast SLA with
DLP, CLIP technology and other fast resin printers. Second, better
quality, with better resistance of materials and smooth surfaces,
are among the efficiency improvements sought by users.
Democratization: Respondents want to see democratization
continue toward simplistic software that makes 3D creation,
manipulating, and printing super easy for the average user, along
with better user interfaces.
23%
INNOVATION
19%
EFFICIENCY
19%
DEMOCRATIZATION
11. STATE OF 3D PRINTING 2016The data you need to understand the 3D Printing world and build your 3D Printing strategy
YOU CAN ACCESS THE ENTIRE
THE STATE OF 3D PRINTING - 2016 11
DIRECTLY FROM OUR WEBSITE
https://www.sculpteo.com/en/get/report/state_of_3D_printing_2016/
12. FRANCE
10 Rue Auguste Perret
94800 Villejuif - France
+33 1 83 64 11 22
U.S
169 11th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
+1-800-814-1270
www.sculpteo.com