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Overview of 3D Printing

Release time:

2025-01-10 17:03

In recent years, 3D printing technology has developed rapidly and has gradually become an indispensable part of modern manufacturing. According to the latest data from Protolabs’ “2024 3D Printing Trends Report,” the global 3D printing market reached US$22.14 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to US$57.1 billion by 2028.

China’s 3D printing industry is also demonstrating strong growth momentum, showcasing tremendous market potential and broad application prospects. According to the “2024-2029 China 3D Printing Industry Market Competition Analysis and Development Prospects Forecast Report” released by the China Research & Development Institute for Industry, the Chinese 3D printing market is expected to reach a size of 41.5 billion yuan in 2024.

So, what is 3D printing?

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a technology that fabricates physical parts by sequentially adding material layer by layer based on three-dimensional CAD data. 3D printing is a general term encompassing a wide variety of 3D printing processes. Although these processes differ significantly from one another, their core procedures remain fundamentally the same. All 3D printing processes begin with the creation of a digital model using computer-aided design (CAD) software; thus, this technology is inherently digital. The completed three-dimensional model is then broken down into slices using slicing software, which guides the printer to build the part layer by layer.

3D printing technologies can be categorized based on the products they produce or the types of materials they use. According to the international standard ISO/ASTM 52900:2015, published in 2015 by ISO/TC261, the Technical Committee on Additive Manufacturing of the International Organization for Standardization, the principles underlying 3D printing processes can be divided into seven major categories: material extrusion, binder jetting, powder bed fusion, material jetting, sheet lamination, directed energy deposition, and stereolithography.

3D printing technology has already been widely adopted in numerous fields, including jewelry, footwear, industrial design, architecture, automotive, aerospace, dentistry and the medical industry, as well as education. In particular, in the medical field, 3D printing technology is being used to manufacture customized dental prosthetics, bone implants, and joint replacements, demonstrating tremendous potential. As the technology continues to mature and its application scenarios expand, 3D printing is poised to find even wider applications across more industries.

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The Seven Types of 3D Printing

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