Top 5 3D Printing Trends 2021

3D printing has been changing the world for nearly 40 years, making impressive progress in the last decade. The industry never stops growing, and even the COVID-19 crisis could not affect this industry as much as it affected others. It is time to look at the 3D printing trends in 2021 to understand how the market can push its boundaries of creativity in the year of the Ox.

According to the Materialise NV, the primary key trends of 2021 are quick solutions, rethinking manufacturing and personalization of both products and 3D printers.

3D printing trends 2021

3D Printing Trends 2021

The additive manufacturing (shortened as AM) has a significant impact on our lives. Its influence on various industries will continue in the year of the Ox. The 3D printing future trends and possibilities focus on what is vital to manufacturers and end-users and what allows creating unique things that cannot be manufactured via other methods rather than AM.

2021 should be a year with flexible solutions, vital initiatives, less waste and more customization options. More people will learn about the opportunities additive manufacturing offers, and more people will fall in love with 3D printing. It means that more businesses could do things differently via the power of a 3D printer.

#1 3D Printing Trend: Fresh Start

The COVID-19 crisis gives the whole world a chance to begin from a fresh start and rethink the approach to fixing global problems in economics and industries. The new approach to developing solutions can be a great answer to the challenges we all face.

Different companies can apply AM technology to turn their innovative concepts into real projects. The variety of 3D printers makes it possible to create new designs, radically change the approach to industrial processes, introduce revolutionary solutions and fix nearly every problem.

3D printed DeLorean car with lights. Maker: Carlos Díaz

The 3D printing trends 2021 should make AM the instrument for implementing just any design into a product. Companies that use 3D printers are not limited to traditional technologies and can go beyond design boundaries. It means that designers and engineers can pay all their attention to the solution and not the product.

A fresh start can give a new chance to AM technology. It can offer full freedom to our imagination to enjoy 3D printer future possibilities without boundaries.

#2 3D Printing Trend: Full Customization

Many people are now used to personalized products. But it is still one of the 3D printing trends 2021 that could change the lives of many of us. Offering full customization and personalization is something AM is capable of doing.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that you should push the Start button to turn any idea into a finished product. But it does mean that you can play with the printer parameters and find the best settings for whatever you wish to produce. It also means that you should not limit yourself to using only the pre-installed parameters a 3D printer has.

Testing 3D printed Serenity model with lights. Maker: Gary Hendricks

AM technology boasts so many ways of application that every person and every company can deploy its best features to improve mass production, offer full customization and flexible solutions to end customers.

It takes time and practice, but it is exciting to explore the potential powers AM has to offer and find the most optimal procedure that suits a specific product. This way, the 3D printer future possibilities will give more value to each of us.

#3 3D Printing Trend: AM Guiding

Does 3D printing have a future? Absolutely! But it also takes time to learn the AM technology, explore its features and implement in your reality.

Companies that have been using 3D printing technologies for years are quickly adapting to the new circumstances. Even when many industries face shortages during the COVID-19 situation, these companies can print goods and products for masses and solve various problems on-the-go.

But many companies do not invest in AM technologies. If they consider 3D printing trends 2021 and see the advantages in quick digitization, they would still need time to learn how to use AM in their work. It is when AM guiding comes handy.

3D printing future trends 2021 Tifa figurine
3D printed Tifa figurine. Maker: Nathaniel Turner

Workshops and consultancy services that will guide companies through the 3D printing trends 2021 can help them master the AM technology quicker. And this technology can help businesses deliver short-term ROI at lower cost and risks, improve their manufacturing processes and save on investments.

Future of 3D printing trends 2021 Voltron (1984)
3D printed Voltron (1984) model. Maker: Jaime Duran

We all know how risky it could be to invest in something that you do not know well. But suppose you learn all the curves and adopt the technology while being guided by someone who already knows what it can and can’t do. In that case, you can see the advantages for yourself and invest smartly, implementing what suits your needs the best.

#4 3D Printing Trend: More Diversity

The 3D printing trends 2021 keep offering more diversity to satisfy the needs of every user. The industry is growing. More companies enter the market to provide their AM technologies, new 3D printing materials, and eco-friendly solutions.

We will see more impressive start-ups and ideas that could boost the 3D printing industry in 2021. We are no longer surprised to hear about silicone additive manufacturing, affordable 3D printers for home-usage, electrophotographic processes and engineering-grade thermoplastics that boost the 3D printing speeds up to 50 times.

3D printing trends 2021 giant Serenity model
Giant 3D printed Serenity model. Maker: R James Ashton

New technologies are being developed all the time. Small businesses and home-users can 3D print with metal, wood, recycled plastic and other materials without paying as much for them as it used to be.

The 3D printing trends 2021 promise us the growing number of manufacturers who develop 3D printers, focus on innovation and low-cost solutions and implement the most fantastic ideas into life.

#5 3D Printing Trend: DIY Hobby

2021 will drive more and more consumers from retail to online shopping. It is safer to buy using a smartphone, computer, tablet devices. It is interesting to discover new brands from your home’s comfort and follow the influencers via social accounts. And with a 3D printer at home, it becomes simpler to 3D print various goods instead of buying a ready-to-use product.

The 3D printing trends 2021 promise the increasing number of hobbyists who rely on a 3D printer in making unique vases, fasteners, home accessories and, of course, collectable figurines and models.

Isn’t it fantastic to be able to print your favourite character from a computer game, comics story or movie? The 3D printing trends 2021 free us from the limits set by toy manufacturers.

3D printing trends 2021 Mandalorian Baby Yoda figurines
3D printed Mandalorian with Baby Yoda figurines. Maker: Sebastian Abramowski

For example, you do not have to wait for Baby Yoda or Din Djarin toy release because you can 3D print nearly any figurine yourself. Use Mandalorian models STL files and an affordable 3D printer under $300, and you can create a collectable piece of art.

The number of 3D artists who model and sculpt highly-detailed 3D printing projects from the latest TV series, films and cartoons is continually growing. These artists give anyone a chance to make figures, paint them and display on a shelf.

The 3D printing communities share tips and tricks on 3D printing settings, best support usage, painting techniques and step-by-step guides for newbies.

For example, you can join Gambody 3D Printing Community on Facebook to dive into the world of collectables made on a 3D printer. You can explore the masterpieces shared by other hobbyists, ask them questions, learn their 3D printing tips and painting techniques and choose fantastic models to make in 2021.


3D printing possibilities are endless. Explore the 3D printing trends 2021 and start befriending the AM technology now. Do not waste your time while others are already enjoying the opportunities offered by 3D printers because the world is changing every moment. It is up to each of us to follow these changes, become a part of them, learn to be flexible and customize our lives to enjoy a better future.

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