Initially, the slide in the 3D printing (3DP) sector might look like a red flag. The growth rate dropped from its soaring clip of 20% per year to a reasonable 9% in 2024. So, the next natural question: is this the end of a tech phenomenon or a mere natural evolution of an industry that is ready for primetime?

A little digging into both data and context is required to determine that. Since 2021, the tailwind supporting 3D printing has clearly diminished. However, the anticipated results in 2025 suggest recovery. Industry predictions for 2025 signal growth at rates of 20%, rates familiar from earlier, more euphoric days. This could be a new beginning, rather than an ending.

While the international forecasts for 3DP may be softening, Smart Factory revenues seem to be growing in a steady way. That suggests that industrial changes are occurring, and that 3D printing is part of a bigger picture.

So, what happened after the initial optimism in 2020 when 3D printing was a key player in a new industrial age? A lot. Companies faced the hard realities of integrations, and had to look at a global supply chain—one still recovering from a pandemic—less an opt out of an entire revolution.