Top 5 3D Printing Companies in the World

In Industrial applications, the use of 3D printing usually refers to additive manufacturing (AM). 3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process that involves a layer-by-layer addition of material to form an object referring to a 3-dimensional file with the help of software and a 3-dimensional printer. With a few top 3D printing companies in the world-dominating the up-and-coming space, 3D printing has always been a niche market. A few of the world's biggest companies have shifted to 3D printing for manufacturing solutions and rapid prototyping. In the present scenario, the potential of 3D printers has improved to include the ability to print using more materials, such as organics and metals, and speed improvements which reduce print time. Compared to traditional manufacturing methods, 3D printing has the distinct benefits of being able to create highly-detailed parts at higher precision and much lower costs. As a result, the demand for 3D printers is expected to witness major growth in the upcoming years.

Factors such as a reduction in manufacturing cost and process downtime, development of novel industrial-grade 3D printing materials, ease in development of customized products, government investments in 3D printing projects are driving the growth of the 3D printing industry. The 3D printers available in the market are based on various technologies such as fused deposition modeling (FDM), direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), stereolithography (SLA), laser metal deposition (LMD), selective laser sintering (SLS), inkjet printing, polyet/multijet printing (MJP), digital light processing (DLP), and electron beam melting (EBM). Top 3D printer companies mostly use DMLS, SLS, and FDM 3D printing technologies.

Also read: A Comprehensive Guide to Rapid Prototyping Techniques

In this article, we have provided a list of the most well-known and largest 3D printing companies in the world.

Key Market Players:

The key market players of additive manufacturing companies in the world based on annual revenue and market capitalization include HP, Protolabs, Materialise, Stratasys, and 3D Systems Corp.

A) HP

Founded - 1939 (as Hewlett-Packard)
Company based - USA
Main 3D printing technology - Multi Jet Fusion (MJF)

HP leads the list with annual revenue of $27.24 billion on the list of top 3D printing companies in the world. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, HP has been expanding its presence into the 3D printing manufacturing space with HP Jet Fusion 3D printers to offer full color and scalable plastic part printing. This type of 3D printer utilizes Laser Jet binding to make parts. The company is a primary provider of imaging and printing products, personal computing and other access devices, and related technologies, solutions, and services worldwide. HP Inc has its geographic presence primarily in the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions.

B) Protolabs

Founded - 1999
Company based - USA
Main 3D printing technology - DMLS

At position 2 is Protolabs, with annual revenue of $3.94 billion. Headquartered in Maple Plain, Minnesota, Protolabs produces 3D printers that use a variety of additive manufacturing technology such as DMLS, SLS, and Stereolithography. Apart from 3D printing, the company's primary business services are injection molding, sheet metal fabrication. Besides, being a specialist in rapid prototyping, Protolabs is known to provide the fastest source for custom prototypes and customized production parts and is also a specialist in rapid prototyping. The company recently announced that it can now provide the aerospace industry with the ability to 3D print cobalt chrome materials using DMLS. Protolabs operates in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

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C) Materialise

Founded - 1990
Company based - Belgium
Main 3D printing technology - Stereolithography

Materialise is the company in position 3rd with annual revenue of $2.36 billion.
Headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, Materialise specializes in developing 3D printing software and on-demand 3D printing services. They don't manufacture their 3D printers, instead, they focus on software and services mainly for clients in the healthcare industry. Anatomical models in both hearing aid and dental products were the company's first 3D printing activities. It also produces automobile and eyewear products. Its in-house processes include SLS, FDM, DMLS, Stereolithography, PolyJet, and MJF. Materialise has its geographical presence in Europe and Africa, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific regions.

D) Stratasys

Founded - 1989
Company based - USA
Main 3D printing technology - FDM

Position 4 is held by Stratasys which is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. It holds an annual revenue of $813.89 million. The company manufactures 3D printers that utilize stereolithography. The company also produces 3D printers for the dental industry. FDM, PolyJet, and WDM 3D printing technologies are some of the key patents of the company. Stratasys creates prototypes and manufactured goods directly from 3D computer-aided design files and other 3D content. Operating in two categories i.e. products and services, the products division offers 3D printers, filament, and some others whereas the services division includes custom 3D printing performed by Stratasys and installation, maintenance, and training of its systems. Stratasys has its geographical presence in Germany, Brazil, China, Israel, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, the U.S, and the U.K.

Also Read: 3D Printing Revolution: Transforming Manufacturing Processes

E) 3D Systems Corp

Founded - 1986
Company based - USA
Main 3D printing technology - Stereolithography

Last on this list is 3D Systems Corp with annual revenue of $808.0 million.
Headquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina, 3D Systems Corp manufactures 3D printers for use with both plastic and metal materials. Metal Casting, Full Color, and Dental are the other types of printers produced by 3D Systems Corp. The company offers various products which include print materials, 3D printers, digital design tools, and others. It offers its 3D printing services across different industries which range from manufacturing, 3D scanning, and healthcare. The company has three primary business units - products, materials, and services. It has its geographic presence in the Americas, APAC, and EMEA regions.

Conclusion:

It's very appealing to see how 3D printing technology continues to play an increasingly larger role in the business and manufacturing fields. With a wide range of 3D printer options suitable for use across industrial and consumer markets, the additive manufacturing technologies are continuing to advance and expand in scope. The 3D printers will occupy an increasingly significant role in manufacturing and Industry 4.0 initiatives as costs reduce and new applications are discovered.

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