Why is 3D printing no longer called 3D printing?
What is the difference between "3D printing" and "Additive Manufacturing"?
At the turn of November and December 2023, Joris Peels and Alex Huckstepp caused quite a stir with their critical articles about the condition of the 3D printing industry. Peels — long associated with one of the world’s largest 3D printing portals — 3DPrint.com , tried to be somewhat restrained in his assessments, but Huckstepp laid it all out on the table, uncompromisingly dealing with all the pathologies and myths shrouding the industry in a fluffy blanket of false comfort.
The articles sparked a major discussion, and most commentators confirmed the theses of both authors.
However, there were also voices sugarcoating the current situation. In an article published on December 12, 2023, in 3DPrint.com titled “RIP 3D Printing. Long Live AM!”, its authors John E. Barnes and Timothy Simpson defend the 3D printing industry, claiming among other things that one should not confuse concepts and not equate “3D printing” with “additive manufacturing” as they are two completely different issues.
That 3D printing is a small and consequently disappointing thing, while AM is the future and a kind of “Champions League” of the industry.
I have a slightly different view on this issue. It doesn’t matter what we call it — at the end of the day, we’re still talking about the same thing.
However, what is interesting is where the need to change the prevailing name came from? How is „AM” better than „3D printing”?
In the world of ecology, we deal with the concept of “greenwashing” — a form of advertising in ecology which is deceptively used to persuade the public that a company or a product are environmentally friendly, although in reality they are far from it.
In the world of 3D printing, we are dealing with something similar, but in a completely different context. I call it “forced industrialization”.