3D printing’s economic impact

AT Kearney’s “3D Printing and the Future of the US Economy” report looks at the number of manufacturing jobs that 3D printing (3DP) could help reshore for a wave of economic growth across industrial sectors.

Economy
$80+ trillion global economy

Traditional manufacturing: $12.8 trillion, 16% 
3DP: $8.8 billion, <1%
$26 BILLION 3DP FORECAST FOR 2021

In the next 10 years, 3DP could affect up to 42% of production in five sectors, with total economic value of 3DP-based on-shoring from $600 to $900 billion.

3D relevant sector                            Value
Industrials                                          $300 to $470
Automotive                                        $150 to $190
Consumer products                           $80 to $120
Healthcare & medical devices           $60 to $90
Aerospace                                         $10 billion to $30 billion

JOBS by 2027
3 million to 5 million

Potential for skilled job creation in the U.S.
Applicable industry                          Jobs
Industrials                                           6,557,000
Consumer products                            988,000
Automotive                                         918,000
Healthcare, medical devices              593,000
Aerospace                                          350,000

Potential job creation by category
Operations                      Engineering           Logistics
2017   5.3 million               0.8 million               0.9 million
↑ 42%                                ↑ 64%                     ↑ 21%
2027   7.6 million               1.3 million               1.1 million

Needed to accelerate realization of 3DP
Education – Federal, state, local support for digital technology programs at government-funded universities, vocational schools
R&D – Research grants to R&D tax credits; public-private R&D partnerships

Source: ATKearney – https://tinyurl.com/yb3er9v2

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