According to a recent survey published in the 2018 edition of Sculpteo’s The State of 3D printing, those surveyed are using this technology to:

–Accelerate product development (39%). (In 2017, this figure was 28%, yet still the number one reason for using 3D printing.)

–Offer custom products and limited series (25%) of products. (In 2017, this figure was 16%.)

–Increase production flexibility (19%). (In 2017, this figure was 13%. )

Of course there are other reasons engineers use 3D printing/additive manufacturing. This technology is the best technology to use to create objects with complex geometries, parts with cooling channels, and it makes custom, one-of-a-kind parts affordable to make.