What Is Additive Manufacturing Technology, and How Does It Work for Your Business?

If you’re a business owner, engineer, or designer curious about modern manufacturing, you’ve probably heard of additive manufacturing technology (often called 3D printing). The question you’re asking yourself right now is likely: What exactly is additive manufacturing technology, and how can it solve my production or design problems?

Let’s cut to the chase: Additive manufacturing (AM) is a process that builds objects layer by layer from a digital 3D model, using materials like plastic, metal, or resin—instead of cutting, drilling, or molding material (which is called “subtractive” manufacturing). Unlike traditional methods that waste material and limit design flexibility, AM lets you create complex shapes (think hollow parts, lattice structures, or custom prototypes) quickly, with less waste. Whether you’re making 10 custom parts or 1,000 small components, AM can save you time, money, and hassle. In this article, we’ll break down how AM works, its most useful types, real-world applications, pros and cons, and how to start using it—so you can decide if it’s right for your work.

What Is Additive Manufacturing Technology, and How Does It Differ from Traditional Methods?

First, let’s get the basics straight: Additive manufacturing technology uses computer-aided design (CAD) files to deposit material one thin layer at a time (think of stacking sheets of paper to make a book) until a 3D object is complete. This is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing—where you start with a block of material (like a metal bar or plastic sheet) and cut away parts to get your desired shape.

To understand the difference, let’s take a simple example: making a plastic gear. With subtractive manufacturing (like CNC milling), you’d start with a solid plastic block, then use a machine to carve out the gear’s teeth and center hole. This process wastes about 50–70% of the plastic, and if you want a gear with a hollow center (to save weight), it’s hard to do without extra steps.

With additive manufacturing? You upload a 3D model of the gear to an AM machine, which prints it layer by layer—using only the plastic needed for the gear (no waste). If you want a hollow center or even a lattice pattern inside (to make it lighter but still strong), you just adjust the CAD file—no extra tools required.

Another key difference: Traditional manufacturing needs expensive molds or tooling to make parts. If you want to change a design (say, make the gear’s teeth slightly bigger), you have to pay for a new mold (which can cost $10,000+). With AM, you just update the digital file—no new tools needed. That’s why AM is a game-changer for small batches, custom parts, or rapid prototyping.

The 5 Most Common Types of Additive Manufacturing Technology (and When to Use Each)

Not all AM technology is the same—different types work best for different materials and projects. Here are the five most widely used AM methods, along with when to choose each one:

1. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM): The Most Affordable Option for Plastics

How it works: FDM machines melt a thermoplastic filament (like ABS or PLA) and extrude it through a small nozzle, moving the nozzle back and forth to build layers. It’s like a hot glue gun that follows a digital pattern.

Best for: Prototypes, low-strength parts (like plastic brackets or casings), or hobby projects.

Pros: Cheap (entry-level machines cost \(200–\)2,000), easy to use, and works with common plastics.

Cons: Parts are not super strong (not ideal for load-bearing parts), and the surface can be rough (you may need to sand it).

Real example: A small electronics company uses FDM to print prototypes of phone cases. They test 5–10 designs in a week (costing \(5–\)15 per case) before finalizing the design—saving them $5,000+ on mold costs for untested designs.

2. Stereolithography (SLA): High-Precision for Resins

How it works: SLA uses a laser to harden liquid resin (a plastic-like material) layer by layer. The laser draws the shape of each layer on the resin surface, and the build platform moves down to add the next layer.

Best for: Detailed parts (like jewelry, dental models, or small mechanical components) that need a smooth surface.

Pros: Extremely precise (can make parts with details as small as 0.1mm), and parts have a smooth, professional finish.

Cons: Resin is more expensive than FDM filament, and parts are brittle (not good for parts that need to bend).

Real example: A dental lab uses SLA to print custom crown models. Before SLA, they spent 2–3 hours carving models by hand; now they print 10 models in 1 hour, with better accuracy—reducing patient wait times by 50%.

3. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS): Strong Metal or Plastic Parts

How it works: SLS uses a laser to “sinter” (heat and fuse) small particles of material—either plastic (like nylon) or metal (like aluminum). The laser melts the particles together to form each layer, and un-sintered particles act as support for the part (so no extra support structures are needed).

Best for: Strong, durable parts (like gears, hinges, or metal brackets) that need to handle stress.

Pros: Parts are strong enough for industrial use, and you can print complex shapes (like internal channels) without supports.

Cons: More expensive than FDM/SLA (industrial machines cost \(50,000–\)500,000), and the surface is slightly rough.

Real example: A aerospace company uses SLS to print metal brackets for airplane seats. The brackets are 30% lighter than traditional metal brackets (saving fuel) and cost 20% less to make—since they don’t need machining.

4. Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS): Industrial-Grade Metal Parts

How it works: DMLS is similar to SLS, but it uses fully metal powders (like titanium, stainless steel, or cobalt-chrome) and a more powerful laser to melt the metal completely (not just sinter it). This makes parts as strong as traditionally cast or machined metal.

Best for: High-stress parts (like engine components, medical implants, or tooling).

Pros: Creates parts with the same strength and durability as forged metal, and can make complex shapes that are impossible with casting.

Cons: Very expensive (machines cost \(100,000–\)1 million), and the process is slow (a small metal part can take 8–12 hours to print).

Real example: A medical device company uses DMLS to print custom hip implants. Each implant is tailored to a patient’s bone structure (from a CT scan), which reduces recovery time by 30% compared to standard implants.

5. Binder Jetting: Fast, Low-Cost Metal or Ceramic Parts

How it works: Binder jetting sprays a liquid “binder” (like glue) onto a bed of metal or ceramic powder, bonding the powder into the shape of each layer. After printing, the part is “sintered” in an oven to make it strong (this step adds extra time but lowers cost).

Best for: Large batches of small metal parts (like fasteners or jewelry) or ceramic parts (like dental crowns).

Pros: Faster and cheaper than DMLS, and can print multiple parts at once (saving time).

Cons: Parts are slightly less strong than DMLS parts, and need post-processing (sintering) to be usable.

Real example: A jewelry manufacturer uses binder jetting to print 100+ metal rings at once. Before, they cast rings one at a time (taking 2 days per batch); now they print a batch in 4 hours, cutting production time by 80%.

Key Applications of Additive Manufacturing Technology Across Industries

AM isn’t just for prototyping—it’s used in nearly every industry to solve unique problems. Here are the most impactful use cases:

A 2024 report from Grand View Research found that the global additive manufacturing market is worth $25.1 billion—and it’s expected to grow 21.5% per year until 2030. This growth is driven by industries realizing AM isn’t just a “nice-to-have” but a way to cut costs and innovate.

What Are the Benefits of Additive Manufacturing Technology for Your Business?

If you’re on the fence about adopting AM, here are the top benefits that make it worth considering:

1. Faster Time-to-Market

Traditional manufacturing can take weeks (or months) to get from design to physical part—especially if you need molds. With AM, you can go from a CAD file to a part in hours (for small parts) or days (for larger ones). For example, a startup making a new kitchen gadget used AM to prototype 20 designs in 2 weeks—instead of the 3 months it would have taken with traditional tooling. They launched their product 6 months earlier than competitors.

2. Less Material Waste

Subtractive manufacturing wastes 50–70% of material (you cut away what you don’t need). AM uses 90%+ of the material (only what’s needed for the part). A furniture company switched to AM for plastic chair legs and reduced material waste by 75%—saving them $12,000 per year on plastic costs.

3. Design Freedom (No More “Can’t Do That”)

AM lets you create shapes that traditional methods can’t—like hollow parts with internal channels, lattice structures (for light weight), or parts with no seams (since they’re built in one piece). A bike manufacturer used AM to make a frame with a lattice interior: the frame is 40% lighter than a traditional aluminum frame but just as strong.

4. Cheaper Small Batches

If you need 1–100 parts, AM is almost always cheaper than traditional manufacturing. Why? Because you don’t need to pay for molds or tooling (which can cost \(5,000–\)50,000+). A small electronics company needed 50 custom battery holders: with AM, it cost \(750 total; with injection molding, it would have cost \)8,000 (including mold fees).

5. On-Demand Production (No More Inventory)

With AM, you can print parts when you need them—instead of storing hundreds (or thousands) of parts in a warehouse. A machine repair company used to store 200+ spare parts (costing $15,000 in inventory). Now they print parts on demand, cutting inventory costs by 90%.

What Challenges Should You Know About Additive Manufacturing Technology?

AM isn’t perfect—there are still hurdles to overcome, especially for large-scale production:

1. Speed: Too Slow for Mass Production

AM is fast for small batches, but it’s no match for traditional methods when you need 10,000+ parts. For example, an injection molding machine can make 1,000 plastic cups per hour; an FDM printer can make 10 cups per hour. This means AM is great for custom parts or prototypes, but not yet for high-volume products (like water bottles or toy cars).

2. Cost: Expensive Machines and Materials

Industrial AM machines (like DMLS or SLS) cost \(50,000–\)1 million—way out of reach for small businesses. Even materials are more expensive: 1kg of SLA resin costs \(50–\)100, while 1kg of traditional plastic pellets costs \(2–\)5. For large production runs, these costs add up quickly.

3. Material Limitations

Not all materials work with AM. For example, you can’t easily 3D print high-strength steel (used in construction) or certain rubbers (used in tires). Also, some AM materials have different properties than traditional ones: a 3D-printed plastic part might melt at a lower temperature than a molded plastic part. This means you need to test AM parts carefully before using them in critical applications.

4. Post-Processing: Extra Steps Needed

Most AM parts need post-processing to be usable. For example:

• FDM parts may need sanding to smooth the surface.
• SLA parts need to be washed in alcohol to remove excess resin.
• Metal AM parts need heat treatment (sintering) to make them strong.

These steps add time and cost. A company making metal brackets with DMLS found that post-processing added 4 hours per part—doubling the total production time.

The Future of Additive Manufacturing Technology (What’s Next?)

Despite the challenges, AM is evolving fast. Here are three trends that will change how businesses use AM in the next 5–10 years:

1. Faster, Cheaper Machines

Companies like HP and Formlabs are developing AM machines that are 5–10x faster than current models. For example, HP’s Multi Jet Fusion printer can print 100+ plastic parts per hour (compared to 10 per hour for standard FDM). These machines are also getting cheaper: entry-level SLA printers now cost \(300–\)500 (down from $1,000+ in 2018). By 2028, experts predict industrial AM machines will cost 30% less than they do today.

2. New Materials for Every Need

Scientists are creating AM materials that match (or beat) traditional materials. In 2023, a team at Stanford developed a 3D-printable plastic that’s as strong as aluminum but 50% lighter. Another company (Carbon) created a resin that’s flexible like rubber but can withstand high temperatures (up to 200°C)—perfect for gaskets or seals. By 2030, you’ll be able to 3D print nearly any material used in traditional manufacturing.

3. “Distributed” AM (Print Anywhere, Anytime)

Instead of central factories, businesses will use small AM hubs (located near customers) to print parts on demand. For example, a clothing brand could have AM hubs in major cities: when a customer orders a custom shoe, the hub prints it the same day (no shipping needed). Amazon is already testing this with a network of AM hubs for spare parts—cutting delivery times from 3 days to 12 hours.

Yigu Technology’s Perspective on Additive Manufacturing Technology

At Yigu Technology, we see additive manufacturing technology as a “democratizer” of manufacturing—it lets small businesses and startups compete with big companies by reducing upfront costs and design limits. From our work with clients, the biggest mistake businesses make is waiting too long to adopt AM: they think it’s only for “big players,” but we’ve helped small shops (with budgets under $10,000) use FDM or SLA to cut prototyping time by 70%.

We recommend starting small: use AM for prototypes or small-batch custom parts first, then scale up as you see results. For example, a client in the toy industry started with an FDM printer to test new toy designs (saving $3,000 on mold fees in the first month). Now they use SLS to make small batches of limited-edition toys—generating 20% more revenue from custom products.

AM isn’t a replacement for traditional manufacturing—it’s a complement. The most successful businesses use AM for what it does best (custom parts, prototypes) and traditional methods for high-volume production. By 2027, we believe every business (regardless of size) will use AM in some way—whether it’s for prototyping, spare parts, or custom products.

FAQ: Common Questions About Additive Manufacturing Technology

1. Do I need a CAD design to use additive manufacturing?

Yes—AM machines need a 3D CAD file to print parts. If you don’t have CAD skills, you can hire a freelance designer (on platforms like Upwork) to create a file for you (costing \(50–\)200 per design). Many AM companies also offer CAD design services.

2. How strong are 3D-printed parts compared to traditional parts?

It depends on the AM method and material. For example:

• FDM parts are weaker than molded plastic (good for prototypes, not load-bearing parts).
• SLS or DMLS parts are as strong as traditional metal or plastic parts (used in industrial applications).

Always test AM parts for strength before using them in critical roles (like supporting weight or withstanding heat).