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The potential outreach of 3D printing cannot be estimated. In the beginning it seemed to be a simple alternative to normal printing, however, it has now become essential in a range of areas and is spreading to others.

One of the greatest advantages of this type of printing is the reduction of time and cost. In traditional manufacturing, the process of completing an assembly line may take several days and it entails cost of management, raw materials and resources which can be lost due to failures or changes required in a product.

This does not occur with 3D printing, where prototypes can be created in the moment, timely changes can be applied and the desired assembly line can then be established. Shapes are no longer a limitation as any design can be printed and different materials can be used for greater applicability. From the automotive sector, construction, textiles, telecommunications to the great advances in the field of health, where dental parts and organs can be replicated. All that is done on demand, avoiding loss due to yield reduction.  

The outreach of additive manufacturing is so important that many estimate that the value of 3D printing on the market will reach 11 thousand million dollars by the year 2022, thus it is calculated that until then European expenditure will exceed 7000 million dollars.

Large companies are conscious of the benefits that a new manufacturing method would be for the supply chain. In fact, both Europe and Latin America are going towards this trend. Countries like Argentine, Columbia, Chile or Mexico, which have inaugurated their first Additive Manufacturing Consortium in Latin America, CONMAD.  

World estimations for 3D printing are quite high, meaning that there will be great opportunities for specialists in this area and those interested in learning and developing a manufacturing style adequate for industry 4.0. If you want to be one of those professionals don’t hesitate about pursuing an Expert’s or Master’s Degree in 3D Printing of our BISITE Research Group and the University of Salamanca.