Metal Additive Manufacturing Market
Metal 3D Printing: The Market for High-Value Metal Parts
Expenditure on high-value metal parts reached €115B in 2021, with Metal Additive Manufacturing accounting for a fraction of it. Those falling under this category have high-performance requirements, complex geometries, as well as the need for great structural integrity. The vast majority of these components are made using conventional manufacturing technologies such as casting, forging, machining/milling, and metal injection molding.
.jpg?width=1200&name=ADD22009-05%20Losse%20visual%20(2).jpg)
The Future of Metal 3D Printing
Metal AM is on the rise
This market is expanding at a rate of 26% each year.
Casting
process of pouring molten metal into a mold to achieve desired shape after cooling
Typical use cases
Cost effective process at scale with relatively high degree of variability (depending on cooling time, process and mold quality). Mostly used in automotive, construction and defence sectors
Substitutability with metal AM
Medium to high substitutability depending on part complexity, size and material
Machining and Milling
Cutting excess parts from a solid metal piece to achieve desired shape and geometry
Typical use cases
Relatively expensive vs. casting and forging with higher level of accuracy. Primarily utilised by aviation, space, electronics and medical industry
Substitutability with metal AM
Strong substitutability with most parts being high accuracy/ complexity
Forging
Forming/ shaping metal parts through hammering, pressing or rolling heated metal ingots
Typical use cases
Cost effective process at scale with relatively high degree of variability (depending on process efficiency). Mostly used in construction and general industry (tooling, jigs, etc.)
Substitutability with metal AM
Medium substitutability given most parts are relatively low complexity
Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF)
The most widely adopted technology is Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), with the latest MetalFABG2 series topping the list of large-size LPBF 3D printers optimized to attain productivity leadership. In many situations, LPBF is being used to replace traditional manufacturing technologies due to its capacity to produce strong, compliant, and incredibly complex industrial parts with no tooling and much quicker lead times.
Metal 3D printing for Aerospace
Increased component quality and performance is the primary driver of metal AM in aviation. Industry experts agree that weight reduction and increased turbine or hydraulic performance have a massive impact on performance. Once initial qualification efforts are concluded, metal AM can add value through significant cost reductions.
"With the integration of a MetalFAB AM printer at Safran, we want to meet the challenge of performing at the appropriate level of raw material quality and productivity for aluminum"
FX Foubert
CEO of Safran additive manufacturing campus
Metal 3D Printing for Automotive Parts
Metal AM is propelling growth within the automotive industry by increasing value through shorter time to market and applications in high-performance segments. The key driver of metal AM adoption in automotive is cost reduction, with car manufacturers continuing to seek high automation from metal AM systems with reproducible and predictable part qualities.
VW achieved a 650% cost reduction by manufacturing their Tiguan production tooling on the Additive Industries MetalFAB system, as well as a considerable decrease in lead time and the ability to swiftly iterate designs with improved performance.
Metal 3D Printing for High-Tech Parts
Metal AM's ability to handle refractory and other exotic materials that are expensive to process traditionally bolsters growth in the High Tech industry. When used in 3D metal additive manufacturing, these alloys provide substantially more functionality than their traditional counterparts. These industries are particularly interested in metal AM because of its potential to reduce lead times, optimize part quality, and maximize accuracy.
Metal 3D Printing in the Energy Sector
With the increasing adoption of metal AM and its capabilities in energy, oil, and gas markets, the Energy industry has the potential for significant growth. Quality, size and productivity are essential criteria for applications in this sector, which frequently necessitates larger multi-laser build platforms with effective calibration solutions. Specific material qualities are also strongly preferred to meet functional integrity criteria.
"We have found a partner in Additive Industries who not only understands what it takes to employ 3D metal printing in an industrial context, but who also shares our passion for digital technology in order to continuously improve the service we provide to our clients."
Egon Seegers
General Manager service parts - ABB
