Quick Summary
Additional Context
After years of overpromising, the next phase of AM growth will be won by companies that consistently deliver what they say.
When I entered additive manufacturing in 2014, after 15 years in the plastics industry, I heard repeatedly that AM was on a path to replacing injection moulding. I did not believe it then, and 12 years later, I still don’t believe it now.
What I did see, though, was a credible business opportunity and real potential for this niche industry to grow quickly. Key patents were expiring, creating room for more competition and lower costs, helping drive the technology forward. I saw a production method that could grow and earn its place alongside injection moulding, machining and extrusion.
That opportunity is even stronger today. But if we are to capture it, we must con