AM Research to Unpack 3D Printing Market Trends at AM Investment Strategies

The global additive manufacturing (AM) market reached $3.9 billion in the second quarter of 2025, according to new data from Additive Manufacturing Research (AM Research). The results mark an 8.8% year-over-year increase, showing steady but selective growth in sectors such as defense, aerospace, and consumer products, where additive technologies are becoming more deeply embedded in production supply chains. The findings also come as the industry continues to navigate a cautious investment climate, with fewer, but larger, funding moves shaping its direction.

The firm’s Q2 2025 3DP/AM Market Data and Forecast reports, together with its companion Market Insights analysis, outline key shifts defining the next phase of AM expansion. Much of the momentum is coming from services and materials, which now make up more than half of total industry revenue. Polymers are also gaining ground as lower-cost systems deliver higher-quality parts, opening the door to wider adoption in both manufacturing and consumer applications.

In contrast, metal binder jetting is undergoing major change following Desktop Metal’s restructuring and its sale to Arc Impact Acquisition Corporation, a development AM Research says could reshape competition and technology adoption across the metal printing landscape. The report also notes that the firm is tracking the search for 3D printing’s next “killer application” — a breakthrough use case with the potential to drive widespread market adoption, similar to how suppressors once defined a key growth phase for the industry.

“It’s an exciting time for AM heading into 2026,” said Scott Dunham, Executive Vice President of Research at AM Research. “We aren’t projecting a massive surge in growth, but many of the pieces are falling into place for AM to reach the next level in the next few years.”

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Dunham will review these findings and their broader implications during the upcoming AM Investment Strategies 2025 webcast, hosted by 3DPrint.com, AM Research, and Cantor Fitzgerald, with support from Formnext. The free online roundtable takes place on November 13, 2025, at 2 PM EST, the week before Formnext kicks off in Frankfurt, Germany. It will bring together some of the industry’s top CEOs, including Marie Langer (EOS), Brigitte de Vet-Veithen (Materialise), Jeff Graves (3D Systems), and Arno Held (AM Ventures).

Now in its fifth year, AM Investment Strategies has become a key forum for connecting the additive manufacturing industry with the investment community. Past editions have featured discussions on market resilience, public company performance, and M&A trends, often setting the tone for conversations at Formnext the following week. This year’s one-hour session will examine the state of the 3D printing market, current growth patterns, and what’s ahead for 2026 and beyond.

At AM Investment Strategies, Dunham will unpack how these trends connect to the broader manufacturing economy. His session will explore how market data aligns with what CEOs and investors are seeing in real time, from renewed demand in aerospace and defense to ongoing shifts in materials and services.

Heading into Formnext, AM Investment Strategies will give the 3D printing community a chance to step back, look at AM Research’s latest data, and talk honestly about where the industry is growing and where it still needs to catch up.

To learn more about AM Research’s market data and insights, visit additivemanufacturingresearch.com/reports or explore its market data services.

To take part in the conversation, you can join the free AM Investment Strategies webcast on November 13, 2025; visit here to register.

Images courtesy of 3DPrint.com