{"id":10841,"date":"2026-10-05T13:40:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T11:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brain4industry.cz\/?post_type=blog&p=10841"},"modified":"2026-10-05T13:41:33","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T11:41:33","slug":"future-additive-manufacturing","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/brain4industry.cz\/en\/blog\/future-additive-manufacturing\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview: The Future of Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) \u2013 What Could the World Look Like in 20 Years?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Additive manufacturing is experiencing rapid growth across industries. By 2029, the global market is expected to reach nearly EUR 20 billion, with metal additive manufacturing alone accounting for approximately EUR 8\u201310 billion. Material consumption is also increasing significantly, along with investment in process automation and optimization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The defence sector, where spending is expected to double by 2029, confirms that additive manufacturing is becoming a fully viable manufacturing alternative. At the same time, polymer additive manufacturing is moving beyond prototyping towards production applications, with the potential to reduce costs, shorten lead times and make manufacturing more sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These developments raise an important question: how will additive manufacturing shape our world over the next twenty years? Its impact could range from local production of spare parts and emergency logistics to customized products, electronics, construction and medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marek Havel<\/a>, R&D Manager at Brain4Industry, discusses the key trends, opportunities and technological outlook with Adelaine Rozinkov\u00e1<\/a>, PR and Marketing Specialist at Brain4Industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A World Where Products Are Printed Instead of Shipped<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What might a world look like where products are printed locally rather than shipped from elsewhere?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spare parts are a good example. The \u201cright to repair\u201d movement is gaining momentum, alongside a broader push to design products with repairability in mind. Additive manufacturing could play an important role in supporting this shift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the necessary design data for spare parts were available, even at a basic level, parts could be produced additively and equipment could remain repairable years after it was originally manufactured. Some automotive companies are already using additive manufacturing to produce replacement parts for older models and keep them in service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For complex products such as cars, aircraft and electronics, additive manufacturing also creates opportunities to reduce part count and overall weight. Multiple components can potentially be consolidated into a single part, while at the same time simplifying future maintenance and servicing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another important application is emergency logistics. During armed conflicts or major supply chain disruptions, access to replacement parts can become critical. Containerized solutions combining additive manufacturing equipment with service facilities already exist and can be deployed wherever they are needed. The same principle could also prove valuable for naval operations or future space missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Customization is another area with significant potential, from human\u2013machine interfaces and sports equipment to footwear. High-end running shoes already incorporate additively manufactured elements to achieve lower weight and a better fit for the individual user. Twenty years from now, I can imagine this level of personalization becoming far more common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electronics and multi-material printing offer another interesting direction. Combining conductive and non-conductive materials makes it possible to print structures that incorporate electronic functionality, including PCBs. These circuits no longer need to be limited to flat surfaces; they can become three-dimensional and be integrated directly into the structure of a product. Imagine a drone with additively manufactured arms that also contain integrated electronics or sensors. This approach has considerable potential wherever miniaturization, low weight and customization are important \u2013 for example in drones, wearable electronics and robotics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electronics more broadly is a particularly interesting field, and the same applies to smart materials. Small-series production is another area where additive manufacturing could evolve significantly. Today, the technology can make economic sense for production volumes ranging from tens to hundreds of units. In twenty years, that threshold could potentially shift to thousands or even tens of thousands. Additive manufacturing is particularly well suited to innovative products where development itself represents a significant investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Future of Medical Applications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How do you see the future of additive manufacturing in medical applications?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In medicine, I can see much broader use of patient-specific implants, bone reinforcement structures and solutions designed to support the healing process. These applications are not entirely new, but their use could become far more widespread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Future of 3D Food Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Could food printing realistically change the way we prepare or personalize food in the future?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food printing gets a lot of media attention, but at this stage, I do not see it having a major impact on conventional food preparation. Robotics makes more sense to me in that context. A robotic arm can dispense ingredients, cook food and even serve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where printing technologies could become more interesting is in processing new types of food, such as products based on algae or lab-grown cells. These materials often come in the form of pastes or gels. Multi-material printing could potentially combine different structures, fat components and fibres to create a texture and structure resembling meat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developing these kinds of biomaterials already requires substantial investment. In that context, using printing technologies to turn them into an appropriate, edible structure could also make economic sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additive Technologies in Construction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Is it realistic to expect that, in the future, houses will be built using additive technologies rather than traditional construction methods?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additive manufacturing of buildings already exists today and is being actively explored. It is already possible to print the structure of a house directly on site using concrete-based materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Very few people today want to train as bricklayers. In the future, we may reach a point where there are simply not enough workers to build houses using traditional methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From a technical perspective, one of the main challenges in building a house is the sheer volume of material required. But that in itself is not an obstacle. Additive manufacturing can optimize material use, although for conventional family houses I do not see this as its main benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I see greater potential in applications that require complex architectural or structural elements \u2013 in other words, where the design calls for a specific structure or geometry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will the World Look Like Science Fiction in 20 Years?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

People often talk about flying cars and futuristic cities like those we see in science-fiction films. Do you think the world will look like that in twenty years?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I do not think the world in twenty years will look like science-fiction films such as The Fifth Element<\/em>, with streams of cars flying through the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, there are technologies that have caught my attention. In small aircraft, for example, systems already exist that allow a passenger to press a button if the pilot becomes medically incapacitated, after which the aircraft can autonomously return to an airport. I find that a very interesting safety feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Technology Reshaping the Way We Manufacture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

3D printing is moving beyond prototyping and becoming a viable production technology with applications across industry, healthcare and the future of manufacturing. New materials, patient-specific implants, locally produced spare parts and increasing levels of customization all point to the same conclusion: the greatest value comes from matching the technology to the right application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain4Industry turns technological innovation into practical solutions \u2013 from development and testing to real-world implementation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Could additive manufacturing bring new possibilities to your projects? Brain4Industry can help you identify the right approach and turn it into a practical solution.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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