5 Biggest 3D Printing Companies

The use of 3D printing in industrial applications typically refers to additive manufacturing (AM). With the aid of software and a 3-dimensional printer, 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a method that involves the layer-by-layer addition of material to create an object that jointly forms a 3-dimensional object. 3D printing has traditionally been a specialized industry approach for multiple benefits, dominated by just a few leading enterprises worldwide.

Most of the largest businesses in the world have switched to 3D printing for manufacturing and quick prototyping. The potential of 3D printers has increased in the current situation to include the ability to print utilizing new materials, such as organics and metals, as well as speed advancements that shorten print times. When compared to conventional manufacturing techniques, 3D printing offers the distinct advantage of being able to produce intricate parts with greater accuracy and at a far cheaper cost. The need for 3D printers is therefore anticipated to increase significantly in the next years.

The discovery of novel industrial-grade 3D printing materials, the simplicity of creating bespoke goods, the decreases in production costs and process downtime, and government expenditures in 3D printing projects are all contributing to the industry's expansion. The market's 3D printers are built using a variety of technologies, including inkjet printing, poly jet/multi-jet printing (MJP), digital light processing (DLP), direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), stereolithography (SLA), laser metal deposition (LMD), and electron beam melting (EBM). The most popular 3D printing technologies are DMLS, SLS, and FDM.

The most well-known and significant 3D printing companies in the world are listed below in this article:

Key Market Participants/ Companies

Based on annual sales and market capitalization, the top additive manufacturing businesses in the world are HP, Protolabs, Materialize, Stratasys, and 3D Systems Corp. Let us discuss each in more detail:

1) HP

• Created in 1939 (as Hewlett-Packard)
• US-based company
• Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) is the primary 3D printing process.

The top 3D printing companies in the world are usually ranked by annual revenue, and HP is at the top of the list with over $27.24 billion in revenue. With its main office in Palo Alto, California, HP has been extending its reach into the 3D printing industry by introducing HP Jet Fusion 3D printers, which can print plastic parts in full colour and at various scales. To create parts, this kind of 3D printer uses Laser Jet binding. The corporation is the world's leading supplier of image and printing goods, personal computing and other access devices, as well as associated technology, solutions, and services. The Americas, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia-Pacific are where HP Inc. is geographically most prevalent.

2) Protolabs

• Created in 1999
• US-based company
• DMLS is a primary 3D printing technology

Protolabs, which generates around $3.94 billion in annual revenue, is in second place. Protolabs, a manufacturer of 3D printers that make use of additive manufacturing techniques like DMLS, SLS, and stereo lithography, has its headquarters in Maple Plain, Minnesota. The company's main commercial services, besides 3D printing, include sheet metal fabrication and injection moulding. Protolabs is regarded as being the fastest source for bespoke prototypes and customized production parts, in addition to being an expert in rapid prototyping. The business has declared that it is now able to use DMLS to 3D print cobalt chrome materials for the aerospace industry. Protolabs is mainly operating in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions.

3) Materialize

• Founded in 1990
• Belgian-based business
• Stereolithography is the primary 3D printing technology.

Our third-placed company is Materialize, with yearly sales of $2.36 billion. Materialize, a company with its main office in Leuven, Belgium, focuses on creating software for 3D printing and on-demand 3D printing services. Instead of making its own 3D printers, the company mainly concentrates on software and services, mostly for clients in the healthcare sector. The business began using 3D printing for anatomical models in both dental and hearing aid goods. It also manufactures goods for automobiles and eyewear. The company primarily uses SLS, FDM, DMLS, stereo lithography, polyjet, and MJF as internal processes. Geographically, Materialise is present in the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Africa.

4) Stratasys

• Founded in 1989
• US-based company
• FDM is the main 3D printing technology

Stratasys, with its corporate headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is in the 4^th position in the list of well-known 3D printing companies. It brings in around $813.89 million a year as its total revenue. The company typically produces stereo lithography-based 3D printers. The business also manufactures 3D printers for the dental sector. Among the company's most important patents are patents used for 3D printing technologies, including FDM, Polyjet and WDM.

Stratasys uses 3D computer-aided design files and other 3D content to produce prototypes and goods. The company has two divisions, products and services. The goods segment sells 3D printers, filament, and other items, while the services division offers installation, maintenance, and training for its systems, as well as bespoke 3D printing by Stratasys. Germany, Brazil, China, Israel, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, the U.S. and the U.K. are among the countries where Stratasys maintains a physical presence.

5) 3D Systems Corp.

• Started in 1986
• US-based company
• Stereolithography is the primary 3D printing technology.

3D Systems Corp, which generates around $808.0 million as its annual revenue, is the last 3D printing on this list. The 3D Systems Corp., with its headquarters in Rock Hill, South Carolina, creates 3D printers that can print both plastic and metal objects. Other printer kinds made by 3D Systems Corp. include dental, full colour, and metal casting.

The company sells a range of goods, including digital design tools, print materials, and 3D printers. It provides its 3D printing services to a variety of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, and 3D scanning. The organization is divided into three main business divisions: products, materials, and services. It is geographically present in the APAC (Asia Pacific), EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), and many popular Americas areas.

The Bottom Line

It's fascinating to observe how 3D printing technology is playing an ever-increasing role in the manufacturing and business sectors. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are constantly developing and broadening in scope, and there are many 3D printer options available for usage in both industrial and consumer industries. As costs continue to fall and new users find this approach effective, 3D printers will play an ever-increasing role in the manufacturing and industry projects in the future.