3D printing: unexpected ecological benefits for industrials

Of all emerging technologies, 3D Printing (or additive manufacturing) certainly made the top list of those that were predicted to “change the world”. Yet, nearly 40 years after is conception and 10 years after the 3D printing ‘hype’, it is hard to find situations where 3D printing has had a radical impact, aside from a few specific niches such as prosthetics and the aerospace industry.

Among the predicted benefits of 3D printing was its positive impact on sustainability, by allegedly offering “waste-free manufacturing”. The promise was that only the quantity of material needed in production are actually used. As such, products can be manufactured on demand with only raw materials being transported and so on. Yet, so far, this promise has also struggled to materialise. However, there may be light at the end of the tunnel. As the study presented in this article indicates, where 3D printing has been implemented in industry, it would seem to be a driver of sustainability – particular as a circular economy enabler.
- Thierry Rayna, Tech4Change Chair