3D Printing Predictions for 2025: Software

Many new software startups are emerging, while big players aim to make their platform products indispensable. Authoring, platform, workflow, and slicing are converging as standalone packages vie for attention and investment. Software now delivers tangible economic benefits in manufacturing, reducing build costs, optimizing processes, and lowering scrap rates to improve profitability.

As larger implementations and series production spur growth, losing major deals will become increasingly impactful. While venture capital funding is down, agile startups persist, striving to become essential tools. What do the experts forecast for 3D printing software in 2025?

Materialise CEO Brigitte de Vet-Veithen emphasizes the shift in focus required for the industry to thrive:

“The AM industry used to be all about technology, but we must realize that a user wants a solution. What we empower is the customer and the application. We have to learn now not only about the technology but also about our customers and their applications—this is where the value is. And sometimes additive is not the main actor in the movie that you’re writing. Helping to create great products that make a difference requires you to take a much more holistic view.

“We’re creating systems, end-to-end, and for that, we need partnerships; we need to work together as an industry much more than we have been. We need to change our mindset and work more together than against each other. We should make the prize bigger and then all get a larger share, rather than focus on a small slice of a small pie. That is why we started the Leading Minds Initiative: to change the mindset and rally around discussions about making the pie bigger, for everyone.”

Her comments underscore the need for collaboration across the AM landscape. By integrating systems and aligning stakeholders, firms can drive greater innovation and efficiency. Siemens Vice President of Additive Manufacturing and Head of Advanced Manufacturing Karsten Heuser builds on this idea, forecasting a transformative role for AI and other technologies in shaping the future of AM:

“AM is set for significant trends by 2025, with major cost reductions and increased production volume, getting more closely connected to other production technologies like casting, molding, or milling. Geographically, China will probably continue to lead in growth, while Europe and the US will see increased applications and market maturation. Specialized production companies utilizing open but integrated workflow tools can operate at better costs and quality assurance levels.

“Industrial AI has the potential to significantly accelerate design and engineering workflows, making them faster and more automated. Here, AM will follow the AI leverage of classical technologies. For newcomers in AM design, it will simplify complex tasks in design and simulation as a co-pilot, which will lead to more economically useful applications. For us at Siemens, it will be an exciting year following last year’s announcement of the intent to acquire Altair Engineering, resulting in further benefits for our customers through enhanced digital twin capabilities in AM design, engineering, and simulation.”

Karsten’s emphasis on faster workflows and copilot functionality appears to capture the current potential of AI in additive manufacturing. His advocacy for open workflows resonates with Brigitte’s perspective, highlighting a shared vision. Meanwhile, Develop 3D’s Editor Stephen Holmes observes that,

“The problem with AI is that nobody ever talks about it… The reality is that true generative AI is still a way off for parametric 3D modeling, despite some early examples expected to emerge from Stealth in 2025. However, our standard CAD software will benefit from AI co-pilots that predict and highlight tools for faster modeling, as well as make upgrading and adopting more complex software easier.

“2025 should also see simulation software come to the fore, including in the additive space. Start-up PanOptimization catches the eye, while Hexagon’s expensively assembled arsenal is finally starting to showcase what it can do cohesively as an end-to-end process. It all bodes well for reducing reliance on expensive physical test builds—and giving companies more confidence to tackle challenging parts and systems.”

The rise of startups like PanOptimization signals a shift toward specialization in the AM software space. Founder Pan Michaleris shares his expectations for the coming year:

“[My] expectations for 2025 in AM software include more offerings in process and design optimization. This will be our focus at PanOptimization for next year, and we also expect others to do the same. I anticipate both AI- and physics-based approaches.”

Pan’s vision aligns with a broader trend toward leveraging advanced technologies to address persistent challenges. Omar Fergani, CEO of 1000 Kelvin, offers a more critical perspective on the state of the industry and its reliance on outdated systems:

“The AM industry faces persistent challenges: high costs, inconsistent part quality, and scalability barriers. A critical but often overlooked issue is its outdated software stack, which was designed for prototyping and is incapable of managing the complexities of modern AM processes such as design optimization, build preparation, and MES adaptation.

“Compounding these issues, the industry is losing talent to other sectors, creating a clear expertise gap. AI offers a solution by automating expertise and enabling scalability. AI-driven tools are already delivering cost savings, improved reliability, and operational efficiency.

“AI’s rapid progress is addressing core AM challenges directly. Tools now optimize designs, refine build preparation, and streamline scheduling, effectively tackling inefficiencies and enhancing precision.

“AI is reshaping the competitive landscape. Companies like Freeform and VulcanForms claim to harness AI to revolutionize software, hardware, and manufacturing. The trend of AI-focused firms entering part production underscores AI’s potential to dominate AM workflows.

“AI isn’t optional—it’s essential. It addresses systemic limitations, solves the talent gap, and unlocks the scalability required for AM’s future growth and success.”

Finally, Autodesk’s Alexander Oster examines the intersection of market dynamics, commoditization, and the evolving role of OEMs in the AM ecosystem:

“The current state of software—along with hardware and services—is very mixed. Profitable, established players are severely undervalued, while many cash-burning startups lack the revenue and product-market fit to survive long term. It will be a very tough year for the latter, with likely significant consolidation and changes in the product landscape. In my opinion, innovative and value-adding players will find their place, while less substantiated, story-driven enterprises will simply vanish.

“What people still underestimate is the power of open-source developments. These have already turned the FDM market upside down over the last decade, and there are signs this will happen in many industrial verticals as well. Printing and process technology are becoming radically commoditized, with real differentiation increasingly found in deep technologies like AI surrogate models and real-time control hardware—less so in the standard methods of additive part manufacturing.

“We’re seeing more and more software functionality move up the stack into CAD systems, while hardware is becoming increasingly available as off-the-shelf components. Machine OEMs may struggle to adapt to this transformation, shifting from full-solution providers to becoming true system integrators tailored to customer applications. However, this shift is inevitable and a healthy sign of a maturing industry.”

Alex’s subtle remarks hint at a potential industry upheaval, shifting control from OEMs to users—a change that, while long overdue, could fundamentally alter printer operations and drive commoditization. Open source, too, seems poised for a more prominent role. Omar’s insights on outdated software are often overlooked but are critical, particularly in large organizations where such inefficiencies stifle progress.

AI-enabled firms might outperform traditional machine vendors, though established players could leverage AI to optimize their installed bases, delaying new machine purchases, curbing startup growth, and benefiting customers. Stephen and Karsten’s emphasis on co-pilots as practical AI applications offers a balanced perspective, contrasting with possibly inflated expectations for broader AI penetration.

Pan’s assertion that AI isn’t the solution to everything resonates, as new processes and optimization products are poised to emerge. His focus on Hexagon underscores the company’s need for significant moves in additive manufacturing to deliver value and drive industry change.

Meanwhile, dominant players like Autodesk, Materialise, and Siemens are pursuing a collaborative, workflow-centric ecosystem. As cash-strapped startups face challenges, some promising ones may be acquired, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape.

Will the giants battle for dominance? It seems more likely they will focus on becoming indispensable connective tissue within firms, enhancing their ecosystems to attract and retain an expanding subscriber base. The shift to Subscribernomics is reshaping the software landscape, with the full impact of cloud adoption still unfolding. While MES companies once drew interest for their stickiness and ability to extend beyond CAD and PLM, today a cloud-based FEA add-on might hold greater appeal by driving upgrades or subscriptions.

The traditional logic of CAD and AM software—”what pays is the everyday”—centered on tools standardized on by users. In a subscription model, however, acquisitions might not bolster everyday tools but instead offer seldom-used add-ons that appeal to workflows spanning millions of customers. The key is what drives new subscriber counts or upgrades to higher tiers, which now significantly impact profitability.

Consider “text to 3D print,” an emerging category of tools that translate a few lines of text into wrapped geometry. This functionality can attract new users who will also store, repair, and print files, creating growth deltas that resonate deeply in Subscribernomics. Preciously big CAD players would have ignored this trend since it will not be immediately used in the making of aircraft, but now they will be more inclined to chase subscriber growth and in so doing such new tools.

This shift signals an exciting time for 3D printing software. As more users turn to software to maximize the potential of their 3D printing assets, opportunities for innovation and value creation will continue to expand.