Manufacturers are looking for more resilient and sustainable manufacturing methods. 3D printing has some serious tricks up its sleeve to make companies’ environmental ambitions a reality, as revealed in the 8e edition of the Sculpteo report, “The State of 3D Printing” for the year 2022.
In the study, 41% of respondents say additive manufacturing is part of their sustainability strategy.
Aficionados of additive manufacturing methods highlight the advantages offered by this technology to help them produce less, in a more localized way and from more sustainable materials, in sectors as diverse as health, electronics or even automotive. .
Local and recycled materials
In this growing market, 61% of users surveyed believe that the ability to produce parts “on demand” is the main advantage of 3D printing. This promise, coupled with more local production (some customers have their own in-house workshops), leads to a drop in CO2 emissions.
Additive manufacturing also seems conducive to the recycling of parts and materials. According to Sculpteo, 47% of respondents say they are making progress in reusing powder in technologies such as SLS (selective laser sintering). For example, Ford Motor and HP have found a way to turn excess powder into waste that can be recycled in traditional injection molding for automotive parts.
In the same vein, biosourced materials have been appearing for several years. This responds to a real demand from users themselves. Just over half of respondents (59%) say they do indeed want to develop more sustainable materials, while 63% want more recycling options for 3D printed parts reaching end of life.