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come. 3D printing manufacturing has also been struggling with repeatability, accuracy, part
strength and limited materials. As long as traditional mass production is more cost effi-
cient than 3D printing there are slim chances that the current manufacturing model will go
through a total makeover.
3D printing has gained a foothold in industries where its advantages outcompete traditional
manufacturing, such as production of some airplane parts, personalized dental products,
personalized hearing aids, orthopedic implants, prototypes in all kinds of sectors and spe-
cialized uses where personalized or specially designed products are crucial. It is very likely
that 3D printing will advance in more sectors and 3D printing definitely has development
potential in the future, but the areas of production it is suitable for are currently still limited.
A significant breakthrough was made in the first half of the 10s when the transformation
from mainly prototyping to manufacturing started to pick up pace. The future of 3D print-
ing will depend on how well this transformation will be implemented.
