3D Printed Electronics Ready for Primetime: Use it to Mitigate Supply Chain Risk

The printing of electronic components using additive manufacturing techniques—colloquially known as 3D printing—has been possible for quite some time—but cost, speed, and the lack of infrastructure support largely relegated it to a few nice applications, such as the maintenance and repair (MRO) aftermarket. Now, however, the 3D printing market for electronics is exploding as its ability to print parts to support manufacturing and smooth out supply chain glitches is becoming truly possible.

3D printing enables the production of complex (functional) shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods. Further, 3D printing organizations are offering more materials (from robust plastics to metals), better printing technologies, and innovative delivery methods. Now, the potential markets are both broad and deep, including consumer, automotive, aerospace, medical/dental, and more.

Growing market

Although estimates differ, the analyst community is unanimous that 3D printing of electronics is a market that will grow quickly. For example, DataM Intelligence in July 2021 predicts an annual growth rate of nearly 40% between 2019 and 2026¹ (Figure 1).

Figure 1: 3D printing technology can help electronics manufacturers address short product life cycles and time-to-market concerns; it also addresses consumers’ desire for more product customization. (Image source: DataM Intelligence)

Meanwhile, SmarTech Analysis estimates that sales for additive hardware, materials, software, and outsourced services reached 18% (to $10.6B) for 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. The 3D metal printing market grew 16% to reach $3.9 billion, while the polymers market grew 13% to $5.9 billion.²

“Clarity and context are extremely important when considering 3D printing market data,” said Scott Dunham, SmarTech Analysis executive vice president of Research. “Our top-line numbers comprise additive hardware, materials, software, and outsourced services only.” The numbers don’t include ancillary equipment used in additive manufacturing production or service contract revenue from machines sold. “Even without these peripheral markets, the 3D printing industry’s core market data supports a very consistent historical upward trend,” he added.

Figure 2: The total market for additive manufacturing is likely to grow to $50.8 billion by 2030, according to SmarTech. (Image source: SmarTech)

3D in real manufacturing

The benefits of having the ability to 3D print parts are many. At a time when supply chain challenges and shortages are top of mind, the technology puts the supply at the point of manufacturing, thereby improving the flexibility and resilience of the supply chain. There’s even a sustainability argument: in addition to reducing the cost of inventory and shipping time, emissions associated with shipping are reduced.

The automotive industry has already started down this road. Last summer, Volkswagen announced that it was using 3D printers in car production.³ A process—known as binder jetting—is being used to manufacture components at the company’s main plant in Wolfsburg, Germany. The company explained it this way: Whereas conventional 3D printing uses a laser to build a component layer by layer from metallic powder, the binder jetting process uses an adhesive. The resulting metallic component is then heated and shaped. Using the binder jetting component reduces costs and increases productivity—and the components weigh only half as much as those made from sheet steel.

Figure 3: Two Volkswagen employees check the quality of structural parts produced using the binder jetting process for car production in front of the prototype of the special printer at the high-tech 3D printing center in Wolfsburg. (Image source: Volkswagen)

Meanwhile, 3D printing vendors are getting pretty clever about how to leverage 3D printing technology in intelligent ways. Roboze, for example, which develops 3D printing technology for super polymers and composites aimed at high-intensity vertical markets, is working toward creating a 3D parts network; manufacturers who have their own 3D printers can offer their unused downtime to other local companies who don’t have 3D printers onsite. Although this is still in the early stages, it struck me as the kind of out-of-the-box, win/win thinking that could push market growth of 3D printing even higher.

Today’s 3D printing (additive manufacturing) technologies are delivering precise and repeatable results that meet the standards of even high-performance applications, such as aerospace or defense. Further, printing in volume is increasingly possible and new thinking on how to make the best use of available 3D printing tools is adding to its potential ability to smooth supply chain wrinkles and support sustainability efforts.

Case in point, DigiKey now offers 3D Printing Services to its customer base in several technologies and materials, using a wide variety of file formats.

References:

1: https://www.datamintelligence.com/research-report/3d-printed-electronics-market

2: https://www.smartechanalysis.com/news/additive-manufacturing-industry-grew-18-percent-in-2021-to-10-6b-reports-smartech-analysis-projects-50-8b-by-2030/

3: https://www.volkswagen-newsroom.com/en/press-releases/volkswagen-plans-to-use-new-3d-printing-process-in-vehicle-production-in-the-years-ahead-7269