Gitnux/Report 2026

3D Printing Industry Statistics

Aerospace adoption hit 65% among large firms by 2023—see how materials, sectors, and market growth connect.
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November 10, 2026Updated
3D Printing Industry Statistics
Ryan TownsendWritten by Ryan Townsend·Edited by Maya Johansson·Fact-checked by Abigail Foster
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The 3d printing industry at a glance

Global additive-manufacturing revenue reached $24.2 billion in 2025, with services accounting for 48% of industry revenue as production adoption expanded beyond prototyping.

$24.2B[65]
Global market, 2025
10.9%[65]
Year-on-year growth, 2025
48%[65]
Services revenue share, 2025
32.8%[21]
North America market share, 2025
Market size
Wohlers Associates valued global additive-manufacturing revenue at $24.2 billion in 2025, including hardware, materials, services and software. A broader commercial-market estimate from Grand View Research placed the 2025 3D-printing market at $30.5 billion, illustrating how results vary with market definitions.[65][21]
Forecast & CAGR
Grand View Research forecasts the global 3D-printing market to increase from $37.6 billion in 2026 to $168.9 billion in 2033, representing a 23.9% CAGR from 2026 to 2033. A separate 2026 market forecast based on the Wohlers market definition projects $47.8 billion by 2031 at a 12.0% CAGR.[21][81]
Market share & regions
North America was the largest regional market in 2025, with 32.8% of global 3D-printing revenue according to Grand View Research. An alternative 2026 market assessment estimated North America’s share at 34% and identified Asia-Pacific as the fastest-growing region, with a projected 15.0% CAGR.[21][81]
Segmentation
In Wohlers’ 2025 breakdown, printing services represented 48% of revenue, system sales and servicing 26%, materials 20% and software 6%. Grand View Research reported that hardware represented 62.6% of its separately defined 2025 market, while prototyping accounted for 47.2% of application revenue and metal for 59.2% of material revenue.[65][21]
Key players & concentration
The competitive landscape includes 3D Systems, Stratasys, Materialise, EOS, HP, Voxeljet, Proto Labs and Nano Dimension, among others. Public market reports identify these companies as leading vendors, but no reliable public source located for this overview reports a comparable global concentration ratio such as CR4 or HHI.[21]
Pricing
CONTEXT segments printer systems into entry-level units priced at $2,500 or less, professional systems priced from $2,500 to $20,000, and higher-priced industrial systems. In its latest quarterly update, professional unit shipments fell 13% year on year and revenue declined 24%, while entry-level unit shipments rose 23% and revenue increased 36%.[82]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Services grew 15.5% in 2025, compared with 3.6% growth in system sales, indicating that utilization of installed capacity is becoming more important than new-machine expansion. Key demand drivers include aerospace, defense, healthcare, automotive and customized production, while qualification, process consistency, skilled-labor requirements and uneven regional demand remain constraints.[65][83]
Consumer behavior & competition
China accounted for nearly 95% of global entry-level printer shipments over the trailing twelve months reported by CONTEXT, making it the main supply hub for low-cost desktop systems. Competition is shifting toward automated workflows, multicolor printing, AI-enabled features and lower-cost machines, while industrial suppliers remain more regionally specialized.[82]
M&A
Stratasys agreed in May 2026 to acquire MarkForged from Nano Dimension for $42.5 million; MarkForged generated approximately $70 million in 2025 revenue, excluding the Metal Binder Jetting product line retained by Nano Dimension. EOS also acquired Austrian metal-powder specialist Metalpine in April 2026 to integrate materials, parameters and process expertise.[31][84]
Regulation
The FDA states that 3D-printed medical devices are generally subject to the same regulatory requirements as traditionally manufactured devices, including material controls, process validation and testing. California enacted AB 2047 on September 26, 2026, requiring future firearm-blocking technology for 3D printers sold or transferred in the state once applicable ASTM standards and state requirements are in place.[83][85]
Latest news
On October 27, 2026, Kratos purchased an EOS AMCM M 8K large-format metal additive-manufacturing system for its Indiana hypersonics facility, highlighting continuing defense investment in large-format metal printing. On November 2026, ISO/ASTM 52966:2026 was published as a framework for categorizing additive-manufacturing resources and process capabilities.[84][86]
report visual · Comparison

Share of global industrial additive manufacturing system installation base

North America holds the largest share at 34.9%.

North America34.9%
Europe30.7%
Asia/Pacific28.4%
Other6%
source-verifiedverband3ddruck.berlin

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the 3d Printing Industry

The leading companies in the 3d printing industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

Bambu Lab leads Gitnux's 2026 3d printing ranking with an Overall score of 9.1, with a connected ecosystem for consumer and prosumer desktop printing. Prusa Research is the runner-up at 9.0, backed by developing and manufacturing its own desktop 3D printers, electronics and software.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in consumer & prosumer desktop printers

    Bambu Lab

    CN

    Ranked #1 · 9.1 · Consumer & prosumer desktop printers

    Why we picked it: It focuses on consumer and prosumer desktop systems paired with a connected ecosystem.

    See in ranking ↓Visit bambulab.com ↗

  2. Leader in professional desktop & resin printing

    Formlabs

    US

    Ranked #3 · 8.9 · Professional desktop & resin printing

    Why we picked it: It supplies professional resin and selective laser sintering printers plus materials and accessories.

    See in ranking ↓Visit formlabs.com ↗

  3. Leader in industrial metal & polymer systems

    EOS

    DE

    Ranked #4 · 8.9 · Industrial metal & polymer systems

    Why we picked it: It targets industrial metal and polymer additive manufacturing.

    See in ranking ↓Visit eos.info ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the 3d printing industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Bambu Lab

Consumer & prosumer desktop printers · CN

9.1
2

Prusa Research

Consumer & prosumer desktop printers · CZ

9.0
3

Formlabs

Professional desktop & resin printing · US

8.9
4

EOS

Industrial metal & polymer systems · DE

8.9
5

Protolabs

On-demand digital manufacturing · US

8.7
6

Farsoon

Industrial polymer and metal 3D printers · CN

8.6
7

Materialise

Medical, software and manufacturing 3D printing · BE

8.6
8

Renishaw

Metal powder-bed fusion systems · GB

8.5
9

UnionTech

Industrial polymer and resin 3D printers · CN

8.4
10

UltiMaker

Professional desktop and industrial FFF printers · NL

8.4

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the 3d printing industry. In 3D Printing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/3d-printing-industry-statistics/#top-companies

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

AI discussions concentrate on slicer-level automation and print tuning. Protolabs Network respondents most often cited automated print tuning using computer vision and sensors (32.6%).

AI in the 3d printing industry

  • 14% of Protolabs Network survey respondents said AI would have its biggest impact through automated and accessible design-for-manufacturing at the slicer level, based on a 2024 global survey.[1]
  • 22.6% of Protolabs Network survey respondents said AI’s biggest impact would be developing new materials and printing techniques, based on a 2024 global survey.[1]
  • 5.8% of Protolabs Network survey respondents selected other effects as AI’s biggest impact on 3D printing, based on a 2024 global survey.[1]
  • 25% of Protolabs Network survey respondents said AI would have its biggest impact by improving slicer software for non-planar FDM printing, based on a 2024 global survey.[1]
  • 32.6% of Protolabs Network survey respondents said automated print tuning using computer vision and sensors would be AI’s biggest impact on 3D printing, based on a 2024 global survey.[1]

Automation in the 3d printing industry

  • 25% of surveyed US manufacturers reported using industrial automation in 2023, while 20% reported using additive manufacturing or 3D printing.[2]
  • 28% of companies in an Auburn University smart-manufacturing study identified 3D printing as a potential solution to business challenges, based on responses collected in 2023.[3]
  • 11% of surveyed US manufacturers reported using industrial robots in 2023, compared with 4% using collaborative robots.[2]

Digital Transformation in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • 76% of industrial-manufacturing firms across 26 countries reported that their workforce had an appetite to embrace cutting-edge technology in 2024.[4]
  • 34% of industrial-manufacturing organizations across 26 countries had achieved return on investment from multiple AI use cases in 2024.[4]
  • 32% of U.S. industrial-products respondents said their operations-technology investments had delivered expected results in 2024.[5]
  • 24% of companies across the European Industrial Ecosystem had a concrete digital-transformation strategy in 2024.[6]

Technology Adoption in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • 35% of industrial-manufacturing organizations were proactive in advancing data-and-analytics strategies in 2024.[7]
  • 37% of industrial-manufacturing organizations were proactive in advancing AI and automation strategies in 2024.[7]
  • 31% of industrial-manufacturing organizations were proactive in advancing modern-delivery technologies, including low-code and no-code, in 2024.[7]
  • 30% of industrial-manufacturing organizations were proactive in advancing edge-computing strategies in 2024.[7]

Cloud Computing in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • 39% of industrial-manufacturing organizations were proactive in advancing XaaS technologies, including public and multicloud, in 2024.[7]
  • 87% of Finnish manufacturing enterprises used cloud computing in 2023.[8]
  • 54% of EU manufacturing enterprises used paid cloud-computing services in 2025, up from approximately 45% in 2023.[9]
  • 87% of Australian manufacturing enterprises used cloud computing in 2022.[8]

Big Data in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • 60% of manufacturers surveyed could collect and normalize data from assets or equipment in 2024, across 461 decision makers in the United States, Germany and Malaysia.[10]
  • 70% of manufacturers still collected data manually in 2024, according to a Manufacturing Leadership Council survey reported by the National Association of Manufacturers.[11]
  • 44% of manufacturing leaders reported that the amount of data their organizations collected had at least doubled over the previous two years in 2024.[12]
  • 57% of manufacturers used some form of artificial intelligence to analyze collected manufacturing data in 2024.[13]
  • 28% of manufacturing survey respondents were implementing big-data processing in 2024, up 7 percentage points from 2023, according to an Auburn University study of 97 participants.[3]
  • 67% of manufacturers surveyed in the United States, Germany and Malaysia could collect and analyze data in near real time in 2024.[10]

IoT in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • 27.6% of businesses in the European Industrial Ecosystem used Internet of Things technologies in 2024.[6]
  • 11.1% of businesses in the European Industrial Ecosystem used Internet of Things technologies in 2023.[6]
  • 81% of manufacturing leaders surveyed identified data and analytics for process improvement as an important technology use case, while IoT for predictive maintenance ranked among the leading use cases in 2024.[14]
  • 35% of manufacturing companies in a Productivity Institute sample had adopted Internet of Things technology, with geography not specified by the source.[15]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Manufacturers report data fragmentation and quality gaps limiting adoption. In 2025, 51% said data was siloed across disparate tools and systems.

Business intelligence in the 3d printing industry

  • NIST’s AM-Bench 2022 work compiled high-speed thermographic layer data into digital twins of laser-powder-bed-fusion parts.[16]
  • Materialise’s additive-manufacturing analytics module provides more than 50 types of native reports.[17]
  • NIST’s 2019 framework identified quality, cost and on-time delivery as additive-manufacturing decision areas supported by data analytics.[16]

Data analytics in the 3d printing industry

  • Materialise provides more than 50 native reports for additive-manufacturing demand, resource use and quality analysis.[17]
  • NIST’s analytics framework was presented at IEEE Big Data 2019 in Los Angeles, United States.[16]
  • NIST published its additive-manufacturing data-analytics opportunity framework in 2019.[16]
  • NIST’s AM-Bench 2022 datasets include processed time-above-melt values from every layer of a laser-powder-bed-fusion build.[16]

Data Quality in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • 51% of manufacturers surveyed said their data was siloed across disparate tools and systems in 2025.[18]
  • 54% of manufacturers surveyed had duplicate data in several systems in 2025.[18]
  • 41% of manufacturers surveyed distrusted the data used for supply-chain operations in 2025.[18]
  • 44% of manufacturers surveyed reported that AI projects had failed because of poor data quality in 2025.[18]
  • 30% of manufacturers identified poor data quality as a technical barrier to improving processes in 2025.[19]
  • 61% of manufacturing leaders agreed that poor data quality limited adoption and optimization of emerging technologies in 2025.[19]

Data Governance in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • 15% of manufacturers surveyed said their data strategy was entirely aligned with their overall business strategy in 2024.[13]
  • 61% of manufacturers surveyed had a corporate-wide governance plan, strategy or formal data-management guidelines in 2024.[13]
  • 58% of manufacturers surveyed assigned primary data-governance responsibility to a C-suite or senior leader in 2024.[13]
  • 22% of manufacturers surveyed included data collection, management or analysis in executive incentives, KPIs or business imperatives in 2024.[13]

KPIs in the 3d printing industry

  • Stratasys reported a 53.4% service gross margin in the fourth quarter of 2024.[20]
  • Stratasys reported a 49.3% service gross margin in the third quarter of 2024.[20]
  • Stratasys reported a 49.6% service gross margin in the fourth quarter of 2025.[20]
  • Stratasys reported $380.3 million in product revenue in 2025, including systems and consumables.[20]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Forecasts point to faster expansion in Asia-Pacific alongside a larger hardware-driven market definition. Grand View Research projects $37.6 billion in 2026 with 23.9% CAGR to 2033.

Growth in the 3d printing industry

  • 62.6% was the global 3D-printing hardware segment’s revenue share in 2025.[21]
  • USD 30.5 billion was the estimated global 3D-printing market size in 2025.[21]
  • 59.2% was the global 3D-printing metal-material segment’s revenue share in 2025.[21]
  • USD 37.6 billion was the estimated global 3D-printing market size for 2026.[21]
  • 27.2% was the projected 2026–2033 CAGR for the Asia-Pacific 3D-printing market.[21]
  • 10.2% was the projected 2024–2029 CAGR for the global 3D-printing market in a BCC Research forecast.[22]

Differentiation in the 3d printing industry

  • 10.9% was the stereolithography segment’s share of global 3D-printing revenue in 2025.[21]
  • 9.1% of Creality’s revenue came from 3D scanners in 2024.[23]
  • 0.2% of Creality’s revenue came from 3D-printed products and services in 2024.[23]
  • 7.1% of Creality’s revenue came from laser engravers in 2024.[23]
  • 11.4% of Creality’s revenue came from 3D-printing consumables in 2024.[23]
  • 61.9% of Creality’s revenue came from 3D printers in 2024.[23]

Mergers and acquisitions in the 3d printing industry

  • USD 179.3 million was the reported closing value of Nano Dimension’s acquisition of Desktop Metal in 2025.[24]
  • USD 116 million was the reported value of Nano Dimension’s acquisition of Markforged in 2025.[25]
  • 1 acquisition agreement covered voxeljet AG in a 2024 proposal by Anzu Partners.[26]
  • EUR 79 million was the approximate purchase price Align Technology paid for Cubicure, subject to closing adjustments, in 2024.[27]
  • USD 11 million was the enterprise value of BICO’s acquisition of Allegro 3D, including a potential USD 5 million earnout.[28]
  • 1 acquisition was completed when Align Technology bought Cubicure on January 2, 2024.[27]

Strategic partnerships in the 3d printing industry

  • 1 strategic partnership linked Nikon SLM Solutions with Wipro 3D to expand metal additive manufacturing in India in 2024.[29]
  • 1 joint-development relationship preceded Align Technology’s acquisition of Cubicure in 2024.[27]
  • 1 strategic partnership integrated Create it REAL’s Programmable Foam technology into Qwadra’s Sona Edge and Sona Flex 3D printers in 2024.[30]
  • 4 to 12 3D-printing devices per year were planned under a supplier cooperation agreement covering 2025–2027.[31]
  • 1 partnership combined Ivoclar dental materials with SprintRay 3D-printing systems in 2024.[32]
  • 1 strategic investment partnership brought together 3DEO, the Development Bank of Japan and Seiko Epson in 2024.[33]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce signals stress adoption appetite alongside governance and change-management gaps. The data includes 76% of industrial-manufacturing firms reporting workforce appetite for cutting-edge technology in 2024.

Hiring in the 3d printing industry

  • More than 13,000 members participated in Women in 3D Printing across 100 chapters worldwide in 2025, representing an industry talent-network reach indicator.[34]
  • 60% of 3D Systems employees were located in the Americas as of December 31, 2025.[35]
  • 1,418 full-time and part-time employees worked at 3D Systems as of December 31, 2025.[35]

Employee retention in the 3d printing industry

  • 23% of women and 23% of men in a 2020 3D-printing workforce survey said they had strong career-advancement potential in the industry.[36]
  • 65% of women in a 2020 3D-printing workforce survey had more than three years of industry experience.[36]

Remote Work in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. manufacturing, 19% of workers worked remotely, including hybrid and fully remote arrangements, during October 2023–September 2024.[37]
  • Across U.S. manufacturing, teleworked hours represented 12.2% of total hours worked in 2025.[38]
  • Across U.S. manufacturing, 35.2% of surveyed workers reported remote work in the Chicago Fed Survey of Economic Conditions from July 2021 through March 2024.[39]
  • Across U.S. manufacturing, 36.9% of workers could work at home and 33.3% actually did so during 2024–2025.[38]

Hybrid Work in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across manufacturing employees, 80% believed office mandates reflected a lack of trust that employees would be productive at home in 2025.[40]
  • Across manufacturing employers, 67% identified productivity as a key factor driving pressure to return to the office in 2025.[40]
  • Across manufacturing companies, 79% operated a hybrid model for non-production employees in 2025.[41]
  • Across manufacturing companies, the average required office attendance reached 2.82 days per week in the second quarter of 2025.[41]
  • Across manufacturing companies, 17% were fully back in the office for non-production employees in 2025.[41]

Upskilling in the 3d printing industry

  • 41% of women in a 2020 3D-printing workforce survey had an engineering educational background.[36]
  • 51% of women in a 2020 3D-printing workforce survey had a master’s degree or higher.[36]
  • 40% of women in a 2020 3D-printing workforce survey said their knowledge developed as their job evolved to include 3D printing.[36]
  • 44% of women surveyed in a 2020 3D-printing workforce study said training and education were needed to grow the industry.[36]
  • 14% of women in a 2020 3D-printing workforce survey developed their current 3D-printing knowledge through a formal educational institution.[36]

Employee Engagement in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across manufacturing companies, 48% of respondents said most frontline workers were engaged in their jobs in 2023.[5]
  • Across manufacturing companies, 70% of respondents said most non-frontline employees were engaged in their jobs in 2023.[5]
  • Across manufacturing, distribution and storage organizations, the average employee-engagement score was 72.9% in 2026.[42]
  • Across manufacturing companies, 41% identified employee recognition as a high priority in 2024.[43]
  • Across manufacturing companies, 25% of respondents did not know whether their frontline workforce was engaged in 2023.[5]

DEI in the 3d printing industry

  • 13% of the additive-manufacturing and 3D-printing workforce was women in 2025, according to Women in 3D Printing research cited by ASME.[34]
  • 87% of respondents to the 2022 Additive Manufacturing Salary Survey identified as men, while 13% identified as women.[44]
  • 11% of businesses in the additive-manufacturing and 3D-printing industry were women-owned in 2025, according to research cited by ASME.[34]
  • 64% of women in a 2020 3D-printing workforce survey worked mainly in sales and marketing or research and development.[36]
  • 14.7% of professional respondents in a 3D-printing gender-distribution survey were female, according to Materialise’s summary of the survey.[17]

Change Management in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across organizations worldwide, 9% reported having no change-management approach in 2024.[45]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Demand patterns favor lead-time and outsourcing while usage scales beyond prototyping. Protolabs Network respondents selected shorter lead times as a main reason (47%) in 2024.

Customer experience in the 3d printing industry

  • 95% of surveyed manufacturing stakeholders reported increased customer requests for high-mix, low-volume 3D-printing production, globally in 2021.[46]
  • 40% of surveyed manufacturing stakeholders reported continual customer pressure for cost reductions in 3D printing, globally in 2021.[46]
  • 43% of surveyed manufacturing stakeholders reported increased customer demand for personalization and high customization in 3D printing, globally in 2021.[46]
  • 72% of surveyed manufacturing stakeholders were more likely to outsource low-volume production runs before committing to 3D-printing machines or technologies, globally in 2021.[46]
  • 53% of surveyed manufacturing stakeholders reported higher customer demands for quality from 3D printing over the previous three years, globally in 2021.[46]

Customer retention in the 3d printing industry

  • 78% of companies using 3D printing had prioritized the technology in their budgets, across surveyed manufacturers in the United States, Germany and Japan in 2023.[17]
  • 8% of planned 3D-printing expansion efforts over the following five years were focused on outsourced production, across surveyed manufacturers in 2023.[17]
  • 46% of 3D-printing users said their use of the technology would at least double during the next 12 months, across surveyed manufacturers in the United States, Germany and Japan in 2023.[17]
  • 71% of planned 3D-printing expansion efforts over the following five years were focused on in-house printing capabilities, across surveyed manufacturers in 2023.[17]
  • 78% of companies using 3D printing had management buy-in for the technology, across surveyed manufacturers in the United States, Germany and Japan in 2023.[17]

Customer acquisition in the 3d printing industry

  • 43% of Protolabs Network survey respondents selected easy access to 3D-printing technology as an important reason for adoption, globally in 2024.[1]
  • 82% of Protolabs Network survey respondents said 3D printing had saved substantial costs in their manufacturing pipeline, globally in 2024.[1]
  • 33% of Protolabs Network survey respondents selected price as the deciding factor for choosing 3D printing, globally in 2024.[1]
  • 47% of Protolabs Network survey respondents selected shorter lead times as the main reason for choosing 3D printing over other manufacturing methods, globally in 2024.[1]
  • 41% of Protolabs Network survey respondents selected geometric complexity as an important reason for choosing 3D printing, globally in 2024.[1]

Customer loyalty in the 3d printing industry

  • 11% of surveyed dental laboratories reported that their 3D printers averaged at least four days of downtime per month in the United States in 2019.[47]
  • 2.1 was the average Net Promoter Score for preferred 3D-printer brands among surveyed dental laboratories in the United States in 2019.[47]
  • 35 was Kulzer’s Net Promoter Score among surveyed dental laboratories using 3D printers in the United States in 2019.[47]
  • 89 was Carbon’s Net Promoter Score among surveyed dental laboratories using 3D printers in the United States in 2019.[47]
  • 17 was Stratasys’s Net Promoter Score among surveyed dental laboratories using 3D printers in the United States in 2019.[47]

Lead generation in the 3d printing industry

  • €69 was Ultimaker’s cost per sales-qualified lead in a LinkedIn campaign for its S3 desktop 3D printer, globally in the reported campaign period.[48]
  • €31 was Ultimaker’s cost per lead in a LinkedIn campaign targeting prospective 3D-printing customers, globally in the reported campaign period.[48]
  • 13.3% was the average click-through rate of Ultimaker’s LinkedIn campaign targeting prospective 3D-printing customers, globally in the reported campaign period.[48]
  • 4 times the target lead volume was generated by Ultimaker’s three-phase LinkedIn campaign for its S3 desktop 3D printer, globally in the reported campaign period.[48]
  • 5 times lower than previous campaigns was Ultimaker’s cost per lead in its reported LinkedIn campaign for the S3 desktop 3D printer.[48]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Brand and engagement figures show measurable audience activity rather than qualitative claims. One tracked dataset recorded 11.8 million engagements across eight networks from 2022 to 2026.

Marketing in the 3d printing industry

  • 40% of respondents to the 2018 SGIA manufacturer survey reported increasing their marketing budget as a current management or sales strategy, United States in 2018.[49]
  • 24.8% of respondents to the 2018 SGIA manufacturer survey listed increasing the marketing budget as a future management or sales strategy, United States in 2018.[49]
  • 60% of respondents to the 2018 SGIA manufacturer survey reported maximizing the value of current customers as a current management or sales strategy, United States in 2018.[49]
  • 53.8% of respondents to the 2018 SGIA manufacturer survey reported improving customer service as a current management or sales strategy, United States in 2018.[49]
  • 49% of respondents to the 2018 SGIA manufacturer survey reported geographic expansion as a current management or sales strategy, United States in 2018.[49]

Digital marketing in the 3d printing industry

  • 4 times the target lead volume was generated through Ultimaker’s three-phase LinkedIn digital-marketing campaign, globally in the reported campaign period.[48]
  • 13.3% was the average click-through rate achieved by Ultimaker’s LinkedIn digital-marketing campaign targeting engineers and small and medium-sized businesses, globally in the reported campaign period.[48]
  • 5 times lower than previous campaigns was Ultimaker’s cost per lead after applying LinkedIn interest, industry and job-function targeting, globally in the reported campaign period.[48]
  • €31 was the cost per lead achieved by Ultimaker’s LinkedIn digital-marketing campaign for the S3 desktop 3D printer, globally in the reported campaign period.[48]
  • €69 was the cost per sales-qualified lead achieved by Ultimaker’s LinkedIn digital-marketing campaign, globally in the reported campaign period.[48]

Branding in the 3d printing industry

  • 43% of MAKE survey respondents recognized 3D Systems as a 3D-printer brand, United States in 2013.[50]
  • 91% of MAKE survey respondents recognized MakerBot as a 3D-printer brand, United States in 2013.[50]
  • 50% of MAKE survey respondents recognized Printrbot as a 3D-printer brand, United States in 2013.[50]
  • 46% of MAKE survey respondents were considering purchasing a MakerBot 3D printer, United States in 2013.[50]
  • 41% of MAKE survey respondents recognized Formlabs as a 3D-printer brand, United States in 2013.[50]

Social media in the 3d printing industry

  • 153,069 combined followers and subscribers were reported by the 3D-printing media company 3D Musketeers across six platforms in 2026.[51]
  • 1.1 million TikTok followers were recorded for the 3D-printing creator Printsculptors in October 2026.[52]
  • 1.96 million YouTube followers were recorded for the 3D-printing creator Printsculptors in October 2026.[52]
  • 1.6% was Printsculptors’ TikTok engagement rate in October 2026.[52]
  • 11.8 million engagements were recorded for DataShake’s tracked 3D-printer social-media dataset covering eight networks from 2022 to 2026.[53]

Influencer Marketing in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across B2B companies, 29% of marketers planned to adopt influencer marketing within the following year in 2025; global survey scope.[54]
  • Across B2B companies, 76% of marketing leaders said creator collaboration helps build brand authenticity in 2025; global survey scope.[54]
  • Across B2B companies, 43% of marketers planned to increase influencer investment in the following year in 2025; global survey scope.[54]
  • Among manufacturing marketers using paid channels, 19% used influencer marketing in the 12 months covered by the 2025 outlook survey; global manufacturing, survey conducted June–August 2024.[55]
  • Across B2B companies, 55% of marketers used influencers in 2025, providing a benchmark applicable to industrial manufacturing marketers.[54]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Operational performance measures tie adoption economics to utilization and efficiency. Metal 3D-printing analysis associates 35–40% system efficiency with only 1–2% annual ROI.

Process optimization in the 3d printing industry

  • 50–60 mm/hour is the typical production speed for everyday items at medium quality, according to a 2024 industry analysis covering 3D printing.[56]
  • 47% of surveyed 3D-printing users selected lead time as the main reason for choosing 3D printing over other manufacturing methods in 2024.[1]
  • 29% of metal additive-manufacturing respondents used test coupons with the same design to assess product quality and process performance.[57]
  • 41% of surveyed 3D-printing users cited geometric complexity as a reason for choosing 3D printing in 2024.[1]
  • 43% of surveyed 3D-printing users cited easy access to technology as a reason for choosing 3D printing in 2024.[1]

Operational efficiency in the 3d printing industry

  • 2.5 times greater was the effect of machine utilization on individual-part price sensitivity than powder cost in a metal 3D-printing analysis.[58]
  • 35–40% system efficiency was associated with annual return on investment of only 1–2% in a metal 3D-printing profitability analysis.[58]
  • 68% was the measured system efficiency in a metal 3D-printing operational-excellence case after granular efficiency analysis.[58]
  • 82% of surveyed manufacturing users said 3D printing had saved substantial costs in their manufacturing pipeline in 2024.[1]

Quality management in the 3d printing industry

  • 26% of metal additive-manufacturing respondents used bulk cubes built alongside complex parts for quality assessment.[57]
  • 8.3% of surveyed metal additive-manufacturing professionals perceived typical defect or build-failure rates below 1%.[57]
  • 70.8% of surveyed metal additive-manufacturing professionals strongly agreed that a comprehensive quality strategy would reduce batch-production defects.[57]
  • 41.7% of surveyed metal additive-manufacturing professionals perceived typical defect or build-failure rates of 6–10%.[57]
  • 29% of metal additive-manufacturing respondents used same-design test coupons for quality assessment.[57]

Supply chain in the 3d printing industry

  • 19.9% of companies in North West England reported using 3D printing, according to regional adoption data cited in a 2025 UK review.[59]
  • 24% of European Union companies reported using 3D printing in 2024, according to a UK government review of comparative adoption data.[59]
  • 47% of surveyed users selected shorter lead time as the main supply-related advantage of 3D printing in 2024.[1]
  • 7% of companies in North East England or the East Midlands reported using 3D printing, according to regional adoption data cited in a 2025 UK review.[59]
  • 41.7% of surveyed metal additive-manufacturing professionals considered current defects or build failures to have a moderate effect on the overall supply chain.[57]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the industrial manufacturing sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across global manufacturing, executives expected offshore facilities to decline to 28% within three years of 2025, while onshore facilities rise to 48%.[60]
  • Across EU enterprises engaged in international sourcing during 2021–2023, 37% operated in manufacturing, the largest sector share among sourcing enterprises.[9]
  • Across global manufacturing, 73% of executives in 2025 believed friendshoring would represent a significant share of future sourcing and production.[60]
  • Across global manufacturing, 56% of executives in 2025 said their organization had invested in nearshoring or a combination of reshoring and nearshoring.[60]
  • Across global manufacturing, 37% of facilities were offshore in 2024, compared with 41% onshore and 22% nearshore.[60]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing and margin signals highlight the split between systems, consumables and services. Printing services made up 48% of industry revenue in 2025, while hardware was 62.6% in Grand View Research’s separate definition.

Pricing strategy in the 3d printing industry

  • More than $100 per kilogram was the cited material cost for specialized 3D-printing materials and composites in a 2024 industry analysis.[56]
  • 35.5% was Creality’s gross margin on 3D-printing consumables in 2025, according to its filing.[23]
  • 29% of surveyed 3D-printing users identified price as the deciding factor in the preceding survey year.[1]
  • 30.9% was Creality’s gross margin on 3D printers in 2023, according to its filing.[23]
  • 29.3% was Creality’s gross margin on 3D printers in 2024, according to its filing.[23]

Cost reduction in the 3d printing industry

  • $2.8 billion was the estimated value of U.S. goods produced using additive manufacturing in 2022, according to NIST’s 2024 manufacturing-economy report.[61]
  • 98.7% was the average marginal-cost reduction for open-source 3D-printed products compared with high retail prices in a prosumer study.[57]
  • 93.3% was the average marginal-cost reduction for open-source 3D-printed products compared with low retail prices in a prosumer study.[57]
  • 82% of surveyed 3D-printing users said the technology had saved substantial costs in their manufacturing pipeline in 2024.[1]
  • $1.4 billion was the estimated U.S. value added from goods produced using additive manufacturing in 2022.[61]

Profitability in the 3d printing industry

  • (5.1)% was Velo3D’s gross margin for 2024, according to its annual financial filing.[31]
  • 30.9% was Creality’s total gross margin across its businesses in 2023.[23]
  • 986% was the projected year-five return on investment for open-source 3D printing compared with high retail prices in a prosumer study.[57]
  • 31.0% was 3D Systems’ gross profit margin in the fourth quarter of 2024.[35]
  • 1–2% annual return on investment was estimated for metal manufacturers operating at 35–40% system efficiency.[58]

Financial planning in the 3d printing industry

  • 48–49% was Stratasys’s targeted 2024 gross-margin range in its financial outlook.[20]
  • $84.291 million was Protolabs’ 2023 3D-printing revenue, representing 16.7% of total revenue.[62]
  • $440.121 million was 3D Systems’ total revenue in 2024, according to its annual financial statements.[63]
  • $83.767 million was Protolabs’ 2024 3D-printing revenue, representing 16.7% of total revenue.[62]
  • $20–$25 million was Stratasys’s targeted capital-expenditure range for 2024 in its financial outlook.[20]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Applications remain weighted toward prototyping while production parts gain traction. Wohlers’ 2025 services share of 48% matches continued demand for production-oriented services.

Product development in the 3d printing industry

  • 21% of 712 global survey respondents identified end-use parts as their primary 3D-printing application in 2024.[62]
  • 59% of surveyed additive-manufacturing stakeholders worldwide used 3D printing for production parts in 2023.[64]
  • 97% of surveyed additive-manufacturing stakeholders worldwide used 3D printing for prototyping in 2023.[64]
  • 67% of 712 global engineers, designers and manufacturers surveyed in March 2024 identified prototyping as their primary 3D-printing application.[62]
  • 30% of robotics respondents used 3D printing primarily for end-use parts in the 2024 Protolabs survey.[62]

Product lifecycle in the 3d printing industry

  • 70% of global survey respondents printed more 3D-printed parts in 2023 than in 2022.[1]
  • 6.2% of respondents printed more than 1,000 parts in 2023, up from 4.7% in the prior survey year.[1]
  • 76% of respondents printed more than 10 parts in 2023, unchanged from 2022 in the Protolabs survey.[1]
  • 21% of global survey respondents printed the same quantity of 3D-printed parts in 2023 as in 2022.[1]
  • 9% of global survey respondents printed fewer 3D-printed parts in 2023 than in 2022.[1]

After-sales in the 3d printing industry

  • Stratasys reported $119.0 million in customer-support revenue in 2025.[20]
  • Stratasys customer-support revenue decreased 4.6% year over year in 2025.[20]
  • More than 500,000 Stratasys parts were flying worldwide as of the company’s 2024 filing.[31]
  • Stratasys customer-support revenue grew 0.4% year over year in 2024.[20]
  • Stratasys reported $124.7 million in customer-support revenue in 2024.[20]

Value proposition in the 3d printing industry

  • 3D printing industry revenue reached $24.2 billion globally in 2025, according to Wohlers Report 2026.[65]
  • Asia-Pacific additive-manufacturing companies reported average revenue growth of 19.8% in 2025.[65]
  • 21% of Protolabs survey respondents primarily used 3D printing for end-use parts in 2023, compared with 20% in 2022.[1]
  • Printing services accounted for 48% of global additive-manufacturing revenue in 2025.[65]
  • Global additive-manufacturing revenue grew 10.9% year over year in 2025.[65]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability findings emphasize lifecycle and energy differences. Stratasys PolyJet technology reported 25% fewer emissions than conventional injection molding in a life-cycle inventory.

Sustainability in the 3d printing industry

  • 61% of surveyed 3D-printing users identified on-demand manufacturing as a sustainability advantage in 2022 globally.[36]
  • 64.3% lower electricity use was reported for Stratasys PolyJet technology than conventional injection molding in a life-cycle inventory.[66]
  • 41% of surveyed 3D-printing users said additive manufacturing was helping them reach sustainability goals in 2022 globally.[36]
  • 94% of surveyed 3D-printing users considered additive manufacturing sustainable in 2022 globally.[36]
  • 25% fewer emissions were reported for Stratasys PolyJet technology than conventional injection molding in a life-cycle inventory.[66]

ESG in the 3d printing industry

  • More than 38,000 employee-training hours were provided by Stratasys in the reporting period covered by its 2024 ESG release.[67]
  • 18 hours of training per employee were reported by Stratasys in the reporting period covered by its 2024 ESG release.[67]
  • 73 was Stratasys’s all-time-high employee-engagement score cited in its 2024 ESG release.[67]
  • Stratasys extended ISO 14001 environmental certification to its EMEA headquarters and SMACS manufacturing site in 2024.[20]
  • 78% employee participation was recorded in Stratasys’s latest all-employee engagement survey cited in its 2024 ESG release.[67]

Ethics in the 3d printing industry

  • 100% of candidate slates for Stratasys manager-and-above positions were targeted to include diverse candidates under its 2022 diversity KPIs.[67]
  • 100% of new Stratasys suppliers in 2021 and 2022 signed the company’s Supplier Code of Conduct.[67]
  • Two years of ISO 14001 certification at Stratasys’s Israeli headquarters were reported in the company’s 2024 ESG release.[67]
  • 40% of Stratasys intern and student hires were targeted to reflect ethnic and gender diversity under the company’s 2022 diversity KPIs.[67]
  • More than 97% of Stratasys employees completed compliance training in the reporting period covered by its 2024 ESG release.[67]

CSR in the 3d printing industry

  • Two Stratasys locations—its EMEA headquarters and SMACS manufacturing site—received expanded ISO 45001 certification in 2024.[20]
  • Three social-impact areas—education, healthcare and disaster relief—were identified by Stratasys for expanded community initiatives in 2024.[20]
  • One confidential 24-hour Open Line is maintained by 3D Systems for stakeholders to report ethics or compliance concerns.[35]
  • 8 volunteer hours per year were allotted to each regular full-time and part-time 3D Systems employee under the company’s community program.[35]
  • One Customer First approach was used by Stratasys to frame customer and community impact initiatives in 2024.[20]

Circular economy in the 3d printing industry

  • 40% of surveyed 3D-printing users identified sustainable materials as a business sustainability advantage in 2022 globally.[36]
  • 47% of surveyed 3D-printing users wanted improved powder reusability for technologies such as SLS in 2022 globally.[36]
  • 100% reuse of PA12 powder is enabled by Stratasys’s ReLife solution for SAF printers.[66]
  • 38% of surveyed 3D-printing users wanted greater transparency of environmental data in 2022 globally.[36]
  • 38% of surveyed 3D-printing users identified spare-parts production as a sustainability advantage addressing planned obsolescence in 2022 globally.[36]

Carbon footprint in the 3d printing industry

  • 207 metric tons of CO2 emissions were reduced by solar panels at Stratasys’s Israeli facilities in the reporting period covered by its 2024 ESG release.[67]
  • 72.4% of Stratasys emissions from use of sold products were attributed to FDM printers in 2024.[66]
  • 92.7% of Stratasys’s total carbon footprint came from Scope 3 emissions in 2024.[66]
  • 24.2% of Stratasys’s Scope 3 emissions came from use of sold products in 2024.[66]
  • 45.4% of Stratasys’s Scope 3 emissions came from purchased goods and services in 2024.[66]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Regional supply and demand patterns show a clear Asia-Pacific center of gravity for installed capacity growth. Asia-Pacific held 28.4% of installed industrial additive-manufacturing systems in 2022.

Globalization in the 3d printing industry

  • 140 countries and regions were covered by Creality’s global sales network in 2025.[23]
  • Around 80 countries were served by 3D Systems in its global customer base in 2024.[25]
  • 95% of Meltio’s output was exported from its Linares, Spain production plant in 2025.[25]
  • China supplied around 30% of raw materials identified as relevant to the additive-manufacturing supply chain.[74]
  • 28.4% of installed industrial additive-manufacturing systems were located in Asia-Pacific in 2022.[75]

Supplier management in the 3d printing industry

  • 55% of processed-material suppliers in the additive-manufacturing value chain were located in Europe.[74]
  • 23% of industrial metal additive-manufacturing suppliers were located in China.[74]
  • 34% of industrial metal additive-manufacturing suppliers were located in Europe.[74]
  • 24% of industrial metal additive-manufacturing suppliers were located in the United States.[74]
  • 1 sole supplier, Ricoh, supplied printer heads for Stratasys PolyJet 3D-printing systems in 2025.[31]

Stakeholder management in the 3d printing industry

  • 18 feet was the height of the University of Maine’s largest 3D printer in 2024.[76]
  • 32 feet was the width of the University of Maine’s largest 3D printer in 2024.[76]
  • More than 350 3D-printed face shields per day were produced by Lowe’s associates for community donation during the COVID-19 response.[77]
  • 5.5 metres was the height of the University of Maine’s largest 3D printer in 2024.[76]
  • 96 feet was the length of the largest 3D printer at the University of Maine in 2024.[76]

Distribution channels in the 3d printing industry

  • 1 additional country, Norway, was already covered before Biesterfeld and Roboze expanded their distribution partnership in 2024.[78]
  • 81 online stores operated within Creality’s global sales network in 2025.[23]
  • 250 manufacturing partners formed Protolabs Network’s global on-demand manufacturing network.[25]
  • 2,422 distributors formed Creality’s worldwide distribution network in 2025.[79]
  • 74 online stores were reported in Creality’s earlier global distribution disclosure.[80]

Key questions about the 3D Printing Industry

What is the estimated global market size for 3D printing in 2025 and 2026?
Wohlers Associates valued global additive-manufacturing revenue at $24.2 billion in 2025. Grand View Research estimated the 3D-printing market at $30.5 billion in 2025 and forecasts $37.6 billion for 2026.
How fast is the market growing in 2025 and what do forecasts say for 2026–2033?
Global additive-manufacturing revenue grew 10.9% year over year in 2025. Grand View Research forecasts a 23.9% CAGR from 2026 to 2033.
Which companies lead the 3d printing industry?
Bambu Lab leads Gitnux's 2026 3d printing ranking with an Overall score of 9.1, with a connected ecosystem for consumer and prosumer desktop printing. Prusa Research is the runner-up at 9.0, backed by developing and manufacturing its own desktop 3D printers, electronics and software.
Where are technology shifts showing up most clearly in 2024–2025 survey data?
Protolabs Network respondents most often linked AI impact to automated print tuning using computer vision and sensors (32.6%) and to slicer software for non-planar FDM printing (25%).
What does the market structure look like by revenue share in 2025?
Wohlers’ 2025 breakdown shows printing services at 48% of revenue, with system sales and servicing at 26%, materials at 20%, and software at 6%.
What supply-chain and operations constraints show up in adoption surveys?
Constraints include qualification, process consistency, skilled-labor requirements and uneven regional demand. Data fragmentation also appears: 51% of manufacturers reported siloed data across disparate tools and systems in 2025.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). 3D Printing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/3d-printing-industry-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "3D Printing Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/3d-printing-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "3D Printing Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/3d-printing-industry-statistics.

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