United Kingdom (UK) 3D Printing Market Overview, 2028

In the United Kingdom, the implementation of artificial intelligence in 3D printing technology is regarded as a major driving factor for the growth of the 3D printer market. 3D printing technology has grown in popularity in recent years because it allows for rapid and flexible design with minimal effort. Such factors that benefit large-scale industries are driving market growth. The increased use of 3D printing technology in the healthcare sector during complex replacement surgeries is viewed as a key driver of market growth. For instance, Dr. Adrian Bowyer, a British inventor who founded the RepRap project, an open-source 3D printing initiative, filed the first 3D printing patent in 1987. Furthermore, the British government invested in 3D printing research in the 1990s, which resulted in the creation of the first 3D, printed human organ models in 1999 at University College London. Furthermore, in 2005, a group of engineers at the University of Bath created the first 3D printed metal parts in the world. Furthermore, in 2008, EADS Innovations Works (now known as Airbus Innovations) unveiled the first functional 3D printed aircraft part, a titanium bracket. Furthermore, with the opening of a 3D printing store called iMakr in London in 2013, 3D printing entered the mainstream in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, Renishaw, a UK-based company, developed a 3D printed titanium hip implant in 2015, which was used in a patient for the first time. Furthermore, using a large-scale 3D printer, the UK's first 3D printed house was built in just 24 hours in 2016. Furthermore, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the UK's 3D printing community banded together to create thousands of face shields for healthcare workers using 3D printers. In addition, the first 3D printed gun in the world was created in the UK in 2013. The gun, called "The Liberator," was printed by a company called Defense Distributed, but a UK man named James Patrick was able to create a similar design.

According to the research report "United Kingdom 3D Printing Market Overview, 2028," published by Bonafide Research, the United Kingdom 3D printing market is expected to add USD 1.61 Billion by 2028. The 3D printing market in the United Kingdom is expanding as more industries use additive manufacturing, more money is spent on printers with higher capacities, technology improves, and government policies improve. Furthermore, from jigs and fixtures to final tooling, industrial 3D printers are upending the long-established manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom. Companies can now build specialized, low-volume equipment and fixtures at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods, allowing designers and engineers to focus on more profitable projects. Large, international manufacturers can now benefit from professional 3D printers in the same way that small manufacturers in a mall can. This improves and speeds up operations while reducing downtime. Furthermore, the automotive industry has pioneered additive manufacturing, with well-known companies such as Audi employing 3D printers. Not only do the Audis of the world use 3D printers, but so do race teams and original equipment manufacturers from every automaker. The first 3D printing application for vehicle manufacturers was to create fixtures and tools to aid in manufacturing. Fixtures, cradles, and prototypes are the most commonly printed parts in the vehicle industry. These items must be strong, long-lasting, and durable.

The market is divided into two major printer types, according to the research report desktop 3D printers and industrial 3D printers. Industrial 3D printers will lead the market in 2022, with a larger market share. Industrial 3D printers are used in a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and defence, to produce more complex and customized parts and components than traditional manufacturing methods. Furthermore, industrial 3D printers can use a variety of materials, including metals, ceramics, and plastics, allowing manufacturers to select the best material for their application. 3D printers are expected to grow at a faster CAGR than industrial 3D printers due to their being more affordable, accessible, and simple to use. However, based on the offerings, the market is divided into printers, materials, services, and software segments. Printer has the largest market share during the forecast period. Due to the printers are the most important component of any 3D printing system, they have the highest market share in the United Kingdom 3D printing market based on offering. It is not possible to create 3D objects using additive manufacturing technology without a printer. Materials have the highest CAGR because they are an essential component of the 3D printing process. The market has been further segmented based on application into prototyping, tooling, and functional parts manufacturing. Due to the widespread adoption of the prototyping process across multiple industry verticals, the prototyping segment held the largest share in 2022. Prototyping is especially useful in the automotive, aerospace, and defence industries for precisely designing and developing parts, components, and complex systems. In response to rising demand for designing and manufacturing functional parts, the functional parts manufacturing segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR between 2023 and 2028.

According to the UK Department for Business, in the last year, there were more than 5 million private sector enterprises in the United Kingdom, with the majority of them being construction businesses and others being professional, scientific, and technological businesses. Many companies would create an opportunity for industrial 3D printing players to develop new products to capture market share. There are several 3D printer manufacturers based in the United Kingdom. Some of the notable ones include CEL, a UK-based company that designs and manufactures 3D printers, including the Robox 3D printer, which is known for its innovative dual extrusion technology. Furthermore, Ultimaker is a Netherlands-based company, but they have a strong presence in the UK and sell their 3D printers through local resellers. Their printers are known for their high-quality prints and ease of use. Moreover, Photocentric is a UK-based company that specializes in producing resin-based 3D printers. Their printers use a unique LCD-based technology that allows for high-speed printing and precision. Moreover, RPS is a UK-based company that produces industrial-grade 3D printers, including the NEO800, which is capable of printing large-scale parts with high precision. In addition, Robox is a UK-based company that produces the Robox 3D printer, which features a unique dual extrusion system and a range of advanced features for professional use. In the United Kingdom, there are numerous 3D printing services available, including iMakr, 3DPRINTUK, Sculpteo, Hobs Studio, Makelab, and many more. There are several 3D printing resellers in the United Kingdom include Technology Outlet, GoPrint3D, Printers2Go, 3DGBIRE, J-supplied 3D and many more.

In the United Kingdom, the most significant impediment to the implementation of this technology is its high initial costs. Employee training, materials, certification, and education in additive manufacturing are all part of this investment. Spending on hardware, software, and other components is also included. Setting up a 3D system necessitates a significant capital outlay and more resources than traditional printing techniques. However, now that the professional desktop 3D printer is available, the manufacturers are assisting end users in lowering the significant upfront costs. Desktop printers are less expensive and more convenient than 3D systems.



Considered in this report
• Geography: United Kingdom
• Historic year: 2017
• Base year: 2022
• Estimated year: 2023
• Forecast year: 2028

Aspects covered in this report
• United Kingdom 3D Printing market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Offerings:
• Printers
• Materials
• Services
• Software

By Printer Type:
• Desktop 3D Printer
• Industrial 3D Printer

By Application Type:
• Prototyping
• Functional Part Manufacturing
• Tooling

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary and secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and list out the companies that are present in it. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual reports of companies, government-generated reports, and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources, primary research was conducted by making telephone interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducting trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this; we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting them in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us, we can start verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations and organizations related to the 3D printing industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing and presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.