For the last few years, the additive manufacturing (AM) landscape has felt a bit like a rollercoaster. We’ve seen incredible hype, followed by necessary market corrections and sobering reality checks.
But according to a recent industry survey by Carpenter Technology highlighted in 3D Printing Industry, the atmosphere has shifted decidedly. The data shows that the "trough of disillusionment" is in the rearview mirror. Executive confidence is back, and it’s pointing toward significant growth leading into 2026.
The most telling statistic? Nearly 80% of respondents expect their organizations to invest more in AM over the next two years
At Formlabs, this resurgence in confidence isn't surprising. It mirrors what we see daily with our customers: a move away from viewing 3D printing as just a prototyping novelty and toward integrating it as a critical production tool.
Here is our take on why optimism is returning to the market, and how businesses can overcome the lingering hurdles mentioned in the report.
The Catalyst: Moving Beyond the Prototype
The survey identifies the primary driver of this new optimism: the successful transition from prototyping to production. Companies are no longer just validating designs; they are looking to AM for mass customisation, creating complex geometries impossible with traditional molds, and bridging supply chain gaps.
This is the inflection point we have been building toward with our SLA and SLS ecosystems. The goal has always been to create machines that are accessible enough for the design lab but robust enough for the factory floor. When you can move from a Form 3+ prototype directly to a small production run on a Fuse 1+ 30W without changing your design file, the investment case for AM becomes undeniable.
The Hurdles: Materials, Cost, and Speed
Despite the optimism, the survey respondents were clear about the barriers that still exist. The top challenges cited for adopting AM for critical applications included:
- Material properties and availability.
- Cost of materials.
- Processing times.
These are valid concerns in the broader industrial AM market, where huge metal printers come with six-figure price tags and complex facility requirements.
However, this is exactly where Formlabs changes the equation.
- Tackling Material Properties: We know that a part is only as good as what it’s made of. That’s why our materials science team is relentlessly focused on functional performance. From our high-temp and flame-retardant resins to our glass-filled and carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon powders, we are closing the gap between printed parts and injection-molded thermoplastics.
- Addressing Cost and Speed: The traditional view is that AM is too slow and expensive for volume. We challenge that by decentralizing production. Instead of one massive, slow machine, an "additive factory" of multiple Form Series or Fuse Series printers offers redundancy, lower cost-per-part, and the ability to scale capacity up or down instantly. Add automation tools like Form Auto, and "processing time" is drastically reduced.
The Outlook for Polymers is Strong
While aerospace and defense are driving high-value metal applications, the survey noted a continued strong interest in polymers and composites across the board. This is the sweet spot for agile manufacturing.
The return of executive confidence signifies that the market is maturing. Companies are ready to spend money on AM, but they are smarter about how they spend it. They are looking for proven reliability, scalable workflows, and materials that perform in the real world.
The executives planning to increase their investment by 2026 aren't waiting for a future breakthrough; they are deploying the technology that works today to build a competitive advantage for tomorrow.