Identifying current and future application areas, existing industrial value chains and missing competences in the EU, in the area of additive manufacturing (3D-printing) : final report

Additive Manufacturing (AM) or 3D-Printing consists in the "process of joining materials to make objects from 3D model data, usually layer upon layer, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing methodologies". It is a technology that falls under the category of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies. It is therefore part of the group of Key Enablling Technologies which are crucial for the industrial renewal of Europe. This report synthesizes the results of a study aimed at: 1) Identifying key current and emerging (including future) application areas in the field of AM; 2) Reconstructing the underlying value chains at the regional level by identifying and positioning relevant European players; 3) Identifying missing competences with regard to applications with a promising potential as well as collaboration opportunities to overcome the current and upcoming barriers to AM deployment in their respect. This research was led by an international research consortium under the coordination of IDEA Consult. The research team called upon a broad range of research techniques, including: 1. A review of the literature based on the desk research 2. Quantitative analyses which covered: a. Patent data analysis; b. Analysis of FP-funded projects; c. Bibliometric analysis; d. Resulting Sectors-Applications Matrix. 3. Application-driven case studies oriented toward the analysis of 10 main Additive Manufacturing value chain which covered: (1) Surgical planning (2) Plastic-based car interior components (3) Metallic structural parts for airplane (4) Inert and hard implants (5) Metal AM for injection Molding (6) Spare parts for machines (7) Lighting and other home decoration products (8) 3D-printed textiles (9) Affordable houses (10) 3D-printed confectionery.