Additive manufacturing: technologies, applications and market assessment

The industrial reality that we all know is constantly evolving, increasingly digital and automated technologies are being developed to make companies’ production systems of more and more efficient. Among the innovative industrial production processes, it is mandatory to consider 3D printing as one of the most important and widespread technologies of the last few decades, which plays a driving role in industry 4.0, the current new industrial revolution.
Also defined as additive manufacturing, it is a process that, starting from a digital model (in 3D in fact), allows for producing models by superimposing layers of material, hence creating solids with the most disparate shapes and characteristics.
The substantial difference, which makes additive manufacturing technology so cutting-edge, relies on the use of the material itself: while in the past it was customary to act through a process by subtraction, in this case we proceed by superimposing material layer by layer, however providing the finished product whit surface characteristics and a precision that in most cases are easily comparable to a product coming from traditional processes. It is, therefore, a technology that would seem to lead to a definitive renewal of the whole sector, which includes manufacturing production on a global level.
Further, it doesn't just stop within the industrial sector, it is a technology that allows anyone to create what they want, even in their living room. It can be used in any sector: medical, aerospace, automotive, and design, among others. It ensures rapid production of ready-to-use parts, significantly reducing labor times and costs.
This thesis aims to describe the characteristics of the main techniques and main fields of application of additive manufacturing, analyzing the impact that this new technology has unleashed on the global market and on traditional techniques.

The first chapter provides a general description of the technology, its history and its development. The second chapter describes the main techniques, divided by type of materials used. The third chapter deals with some of the main widespread applications of the technology. Finally, the fourth chapter presents a brief analysis of the current AM market, focusing, in particular, on the replacement of traditional processes and on the costs related to the technology.
The development of this technology has already reached such maturity that it can be used in various industrial sectors, and it is expected that its evolution will continue in the future, allowing it to spread even further.