Patents and Additive Manuafcturing

AM brings together different technologies, some of which have existed since the 1950s: computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), laser and electron energy beam technology, computer numerical control (CNC) machining and laser scanning. Applying these technologies to a variety of materials led to the start of a whole new industry at the end of the 1980s, generating a growing number of patent applications. The commercial use of AM emerged in 1987 with 3D Systems’ stereolithography (SLA), a process that solidifies thin layers of ultraviolet (UV) light-sensitive liquid polymer using a laser. The last 30 years have witnessed the growth of AM into a fully fledged industry.

 Initially, AM was almost exclusively used for producing prototypes, and it soon became well 

established in that field. It has since been deployed to make end-products, and this is where the sector reveals its strongest growth potential. AM can provide complex intermediate components and final products that in the past could only be made by hand or by several consecutive work steps. As almost any geometric form can be produced by AM, the technology is now used predominantly for small series of highly complex components. However, the shift from prototyping to end-product manufacturing requires further development in the sectors of hardware, e.g. printers and printing methods design and print software as well as materials used in printing.

Twenty-five companies accounted for about 30% of all AM patent applications filed with the EPO between 2000 and 2018. They include large companies from a range of sectors, including transportation, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, information technology, electronics, imaging and consumer goods, as well as pure 3D-printing specialists such as Stratasys, 3D Systems and EOS. The US and Europe dominate the ranking, with 11 US companies and eight European companies in the top 25 applicants. Of the top European applicants, five are German companies.

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