3D printing bridges the gap between emerging and established economies

Emerging economies that integrate 3D printing technologies (3DP) into their industrial production demonstrate export performances comparable to those of nations with established economies. This has been determined through research by the Utrecht-based human geographers Nicola Cortinovis and Joric Donnet. According to the authors, the use of 3DP in production chains can compensate for a lack of historical specialisation. This enables smaller economies to catch up with global powerhouses more quickly.

3D printing is often described as a technique able to ‘produce (almost) anything from anywhere’. Cortinovis and Donnet noted, however, that the impact of 3D printing on the geographical distribution of economies has so far been little studied, even though this technique offers various, sometimes unexpected, benefits. ‘During the COVID crisis, many industries worldwide came to a standstill. In the future, the introduction of 3DP could, in some cases, mitigate the economic effects of such a shockwave by spreading production,’ says Cortinovis.

Key advantages

As a field constantly evolving, 3DP offers key advantages over traditional methods, including the ability to manufacture multiple product types with a single machine and greater precision and design freedom. For products such as prosthetics or hearing aids, small production runs and rapid prototype development can be cost-effective. In these cases, 3D printing reduces a company’s reliance on economies of scale, making it easier to decentralise production. However, this does require significant investment in new machinery and a reorganisation of production and management systems, factors that can initially pose challenges for smaller economies.

Rapid growth

Cortinovis and Donnet analysed international trade registers from 2012 (the year 3D printing began to be imported on a large scale) to 2023 to map the relationship between 3D printing import and export performance. They show that 16% of countries worldwide have a relatively high level of 3DP production. Although this mainly concerns Western countries, a strong rise is evident in Asian countries (such as China, India, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand) and in Brazil. 

Differences

The researchers did identify certain differences between trade regions. Countries that use 3D printing in their production processes and possess specialist expertise achieve the highest export figures; however, in countries that were not previously specialised in the manufacture of certain goods, the introduction of 3D printing ultimately leads to a greater increase in current exports. Trade regions that do not make use of these new techniques experience the least improvement in export performance, although established industry expertise may still enable them to remain serious contenders. 

Production location

Furthermore, the study shows that the impact of 3DP varies significantly across sectors. For example, American car manufacturer Ford extensively uses 3D printing for tooling and some of its components, products that can be manufactured without relying on local expertise. This reduces the dependence of production on locally concentrated skills and supplier networks. In other sectors, such as aviation, the production location remains important. Beehive Industries, a manufacturer of jet engines and a ‘multimodal 3D printing partner for the US defence, aerospace and aviation sectors’, utilises the latest 3DP technologies, but also relies on existing location-specific assets. Based in Clermont County, Ohio, the company benefits from its proximity to universities and air bases, which provide markets, talent and workspace.

Article

Nicola Cortinovis and Joric Donnet, ‘ 3D printing and the geography of production’, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2026.124658