The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt setbacks for plastics processing, and created a few opportunities too. And one of the latter that’s received outsized attention is in 3D printing.

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Especially in the early days of the crisis, shortages of medical devices and protective equipment led medical workers and manufacturers around the world to turn to 3D printing to fill the void. But in this case the pandemic simply accelerated a trend, as more and more plastics processors have for years now been interested in printing parts for a variety of reasons and functions.

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All of which makes the question of whether or not to buy a 3D printer – as opposed to outsourcing the technology – timelier than ever.

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The process by which digital 3D design data is used to build up a component in layers by depositing material, 3D printing – also called additive manufacturing and, […]

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