Trends 2026

The additive manufacturing industry will continue to evolve significantly in 2026, transitioning to an increasingly mature industrial production method for batches of thousands of parts. This phenomenon is not new; it has been happening since AM was invented. Parts with thousands of batches were already produced on 3D Systems’ largest SLA machines well over a decade ago. What’s changing is that there are now hundreds of these applications on many more machines, using many more materials (including thermoplastics). Soon enough, there will be millions. It’s an unstoppable trend.

While many individual companies struggle, the market as a whole will continue to grow robustly. All segments are increasing, even as some are finally showing initial consolidation. The result is not good news for companies that go out of business or need to merge to stay afloat. But it is beneficial news for those who remain, because a smaller overall number of competitors means more clients for them—especially if some of those competitors were making promises they couldn’t keep.

Those who are still in AM next year should be able to reap some of the benefits of this consolidation.

Growth is currently centered on a few different segments: one is the increasingly widespread (as far as AM technologies go) use of large industrial 3D printers, such as multi-laser metal printers and large (LFAM) or high-speed and highly automated (MJF, DLS, SLS) polymer machines, which are now common in more and more advanced factories. Their focus is now on how many parts can be reliably and repeatedly printed.

This trend is now driving massive material consumption.

The increasingly deep integration of automation and AI helps to increase production capacity. Additive manufacturing processes continue to become smarter, with AI software improving how prints are made, controlling settings, and creating intricate, lightweight designs that can’t be made with old methods. From robotic powder handling and post-processing to real-time quality assurance using in-situ sensors, automation encompasses the entire workflow. This greatly enhances the reliability and consistency of qualified and certified AM parts.

Building on lessons from recent global disruptions, companies will increasingly leverage additive manufacturing for on-demand production closer to the point of use, effectively reducing inventory risk and transportation costs. This localized production model, often facilitated by 3D Printing as a Service (3DPaaS) networks, offers a dynamic response to supply chain volatility. Additionally, specialized and valuable uses, such as bioprinting in healthcare, will become more practical, focusing on improvements in tissue and organ creation, custom implants, and medical tools that can be printed remotely to improve patient care.

Ultimately, the industry will experience a blurring of boundaries between additive manufacturing and conventional techniques, as hybrid manufacturing systems integrate additive and subtractive or formative processes into a single platform or workflow. This blending allows manufacturers to leverage AM’s design freedom for complex internal geometries while achieving the tight tolerances and surface finishes of machining or the productivity of injection molding and die-casting. In 2026, a big emphasis on digital security to safeguard important design information will make additive manufacturing a crucial and essential part of the modern, adaptable, and quick-responding factory of the future.

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