Charles R. Goulding and Valentina Alzate have some thoughts about what might transpire in the world of 3D printing in 2023.
On December 31st, 2022, Fabbaloo published our 2022 3D printing review. We expect many of the successes from 2022 to carry over to 2023. Here are our 2023 3D printing predictions.
3D Printing and Supply Chain Issues
In recent years, many businesses have experienced significant supply chain issues. To address these challenges, 3D printing has become a major solution for satisfying increased demand and supply imbalances. We predict this trend will continue as supply chain concerns continue into 2023.
3D Printing for Drones
Several companies have leveraged drone technology to facilitate production processes. We previously discussed how companies like CO2 Revolution have combined drone technology with data analysis to aid the reforestation efforts. We predict that 3D printing technology will see greater influence in the production of drone components.
3D Printing in the Aerospace Industry
The aerospace industry continues to be a strong 3D printing market. Innovations in both metal and polymer 3D printing, such as Markforged’s FX20 printer, have allowed for the usage of 3D printing in heavily regulated markets like the aerospace industry. We believe that these new developments will make 2023 a strong year for 3D printing in the aerospace field.
3D Printing in Construction
Given the recent innovations in 3D printing with concrete, there’s a high probability that 2023 will see a significant expansion of 3D printed homes & buildings, as well as further innovation in the application of 3D printing for construction.
3D Printing for the Military
Given the ongoing war in the Ukraine, as well as escalating tensions with China, there has been an increased need for innovation in military efforts for many nations. 3D printing has already played a role in military combat, and will continue to play a role in 2023, particularly as weapons suppliers fire up their factories.
3D Printing in the Medical Sphere
2022 introduced several applications of 3D printing within the medical sphere. 2023 should showcase a continued application of these technologies, and hopefully an expanded use of 3D printed medical components.
3D Printing Software Advancements
We believe that design software, such as Canva’s comprehensive software platform, will play a large role in the 3D printing industry moving forward. Acquisitions, such as Adobe’s acquisition of the Figma design platform, will allow for the expanded usage of these technologies for 3D printing in 2023.
The Intersection Between the Metaverse and 3D Printing
The metaverse has continued to become a force of innovation among several large industries. There’s an opportunity for increased exploration of hybrid virtual and physical experiences. The 3D industry is poised to become a key player in the continued growth of these experiences. In fact, while this article was going to press, Meta acquired a 3D printing company, Luxexcel, which produces lenses for AR glasses.
3D Printing and R&D
As discussed in our 2022 overview, research and development has been a core focus for several leading 3D printing companies. R&D will continue to form a large part of the 3D printing industry’s efforts to ensure continued innovation, improved accuracy and greater reach.
The Research & Development Tax Credit
The now permanent Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit is available for companies developing new or improved products, processes and/or software.
3D printing can help boost a company’s R&D Tax Credits. Wages for technical employees creating, testing and revising 3D printed prototypes can be included as a percentage of eligible time spent for the R&D Tax Credit. Similarly, when used as a method of improving a process, time spent integrating 3D printing hardware and software counts as an eligible activity. Lastly, when used for modeling and preproduction, the costs of filaments consumed during the development process may also be recovered.
Whether it is used for creating and testing prototypes or for final production, 3D printing is a great indicator that R&D Credit eligible activities are taking place. Companies implementing this technology at any point should consider taking advantage of R&D Tax Credits.
Conclusion
We believe we have a lot to look forward to in 2023, including the possibility for significant innovation and application of 3D printing technologies. Let’s see whether our 2023 predictions are correct going into 2024.
