A 2020 View of Metal Additive Manufacturing
Yes, the title is ironic. No view of the future is 20/20, especially ours, although John has been eyeing some 3D printed custom Titanium frames to help sharpen the outlook. In this blog post, we will cast an eye into the future with as many visionary puns as we can frame. In our eyes, 2019 was a pivotal year for AM. AM gained legitimacy in 2017 as a real manufacturing technology, continued to see strong, but likely over-stated valuation and investment in 2018, and 2019 will be remembered as the year businesses decided to treat it as, well, a business. 2020 will be a time to make money with AM. Keep a sharp eye out for continued consolidation as the vast investment in AM has outpaced demand. Finally, we will see a marked change in business needs from people who are seen as “AM evangelists” to true AM practitioners.