Continuing to grow
The additive manufacturing industry is riding a wave of success in 2021. The ongoing pandemic has not slowed activity in this industry, just shifted it. New product development is being outpaced by mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships among additive vendors.
A number of these business moves are being funded by Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs), a way to go public through mergers rather than Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). As many industry analysts are claiming, the pandemic has highlighted the usefulness of AM. Thus, these SPACs see the potential for strong future growth in AM.
The involvement by SPACs indicates confidence in this technology’s growing cost-competitiveness and advances. There’s a lot of buzz around the potential for AM to facilitate digitization. Many industry watchers see AM as an “interface technology” between digital designs and real products.
But it should be remembered that additive manufacturing is a long-term growth industry. It will take its place as both a prototyping technology and a manufacturing technology.
This issue of the handbook focuses more on how specific industries are applying additive technology, including semiconductor, medical, and sports. Materials are playing a larger role in the additive industry this year as well. The people we spoke with offer a number of excellent tips and suggestions in applying additive to the various industries.
The pandemic certainly put additive technology in an excellent spotlight, proving that it is a useful way to solve problems fast. As can be seen by all the mergers and partnerships, executives and other potential users see the industry differently now, and are taking a closer look at how additive technology can aid their design and production efforts.
We hope you enjoy these stories as well as take a look at the latest products from the additive industry.
Leslie Langnau | Managing Editor
llangnau@wtwhmedia.com
On Twitter @ DW_3Dprinting
Filed Under: Make Parts Fast, DIGITAL ISSUES
