Additive Manufacturing is more than just a technological advancement; it plays a crucial role in Germany's economic and industrial future. AM enables sustainable production, industrial digital transformation, and innovative healthcare delivery. However, significant challenges remain, including the need for process standardization, scalability, and enhanced competitiveness.

Political support is essential in addressing these challenges and developing a national strategy for AM. By supporting this position paper, you can contribute to shaping the future of Germany's industry and ensuring its continued leadership in innovation.

We deeply appreciate your support in signing this petition. Please note that we are only seeking signatures for this initiative—no donations are required or requested. Your signature alone is invaluable in helping us achieve our goal.

Thank you for standing with us in boosting AM forward!

 

Position Paper for a Competitive German Additive Manufacturing Industry

What is Additive Manufacturing and why does it matter?

Additive Manufacturing is an advanced manufacturing process that creates objects layer by layer from digital models. AM enables unprecedented design flexibility, rapid prototyping, and cost-effective production of complex, customized components.

AM has been identified as a strategic technology by the EU (Art 23 Critical Raw Material Act). It has transformative implications across industries, fostering innovation, developing individually tailored solutions, reducing material use or waste, and allowing for decentralized manufacturing, ultimately reshaping manufacturing landscape. Therefore, AM can directly contribute to achieve the national objectives for a resilient, green and digital industry.

What are the challenges?

Growing international competition

• While Europe continues to be a major player in the global AM market, competitors from North America and BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are also making significant strides, supported by national policy strategy and larger share of public and private investments.

Paradigm shift in product development and limited understanding about the technology

• Adopting AM technologies entails changes in how products are developed and realized. These changes are not yet fully understood across various industries. This lack of understanding has led to reluctance at the decision-making level, impeding the widespread adoption and effective deployment of AM technology, especially within SMEs.

Finding qualified personnel

• There is a shortage of qualified and experienced personnel, including designers, mechanics, and engineers, available in the market to meet the demand.

Technical barriers

• A few areas of AM technologies and application need further investigation (eg part quality consistency, materials, post-processing) in order to become a competitive solution for more industrial ecosystems.

Regulatory Framework

• The regulatory landscape for pharmaceuticals and medical devices produced using AM technologies is still evolving. There is a lack of comprehensive EU and nationwide regulations that foster innovation while ensuring the safety and efficacy of 3D-printed medical equipment and devices.

 

How is AM contributing to achieve political goals?

• Green transition and sustainable manufacturing

The EU strongly focuses on sustainability and the circular economy. AM can contribute to these goals by reducing waste, optimizing material usage, and enabling localized production. With AM, products can be made on-demand and closer to the point of consumption, minimizing transportation and associated carbon emissions as well as tied-up capital. Additionally, the ability to repair and lower the amount of material used with AM can help reduce resource consumption and promote a more sustainable manufacturing ecosystem. For example, according to a recent ERA[1] study, AM has a high circularity potential and can support the transition of the construction sector. This would correctly align also with the new circular economy strategy proposed by the German environment ministry to help meet climate goals and boost growth, jobs, and competitiveness. The strategy aims to reduce per capita raw material consumption from 15 to 8 tonnes by 2045, double the use of circular materials by 2030, align with the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act, and cut per capita waste by 10 percent by 2030 and 20 percent by 2045. These measures are also expected to enhance the country's resilience.

• Industrial Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0

AM is an integral part of the digital transformation and the concept of Industry 4.0. It relies on digital design files and computer-controlled processes and can be integrated with other strategic technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and IoT devices to achieve a higher level of precision, repeatability, efficiency and speed. By adopting AM, politics can further drive the digitalization of its manufacturing sector, fostering connectivity, automation, and data-driven decision-making.

• re-shoring

AM enables localized production, which can contribute to re-shoring manufacturing activities. By adopting AM technologies, companies' production facilities are closer to their target markets. This localization allows for faster response times, lower transportation costs, and greater control over the production process.

• Reduce international dependencies

AM can help companies increase their resilience and autonomy over their production processes. By leveraging AM technologies, businesses can have more control and freedom over the entire manufacturing cycle, from design to production. This autonomy allows for greater flexibility, customization, and responsiveness to changing market demands and reducing the reliance on overseas suppliers and mitigating risks associated with long and complex supply chains.

• Improved and Efficient Healthcare Delivery 

AM contributes to the national goal of ensuring access to high-quality healthcare for all citizens, with tailored healthcare solutions, which also meet the needs of Europe's aging population. AM supports the objective of proving healthcare system efficiency by enabling on-demand production of medicines, medical supplies and equipment, reinforcing supply chains, and improving access to healthcare, even in remote or underserved areas – thus strengthening health systems and enabling resilience.

• Boosting industrial innovation 

AM provides a more sustainable and innovative production process centered on lightweight, complex and customizable production of parts. Firstly, it allows for the production of lighter parts through optimized designs and lattice structures, particularly beneficial in the aerospace and automotive industries, with parts up to 94% lighter and 50% cheaper. Secondly, it enables the production of parts with intricate shapes and internal structures that are difficult or impossible to manufacture using traditional methods. Additionally, its flexibility in design offers easy adjustment and personalization of products without additional tooling costs, as well as the integration of multiple functions or components into a single part, reducing assembly time and costs.

 

Our vision for the German Additive Manufacturing sector – Europe/Germany Makes

Germany holds a leading position in Additive Manufacturing, supported by its technical universities and research institutions that drive innovation and develop skilled professionals. Effective collaborations between industry and academia facilitates the transfer of technology to practical applications. Many enterprises have established themselves in the industry and especially in the economy, providing a path to follow. However, still many European SMEs are slow to adopt these technologies, which may limit their competitiveness in the market. Addressing this issue could further enhance Europe's role in Additive Manufacturing and in the manufacturing industry in general.

 

4 Recommendations on how political decision makers can support our vision

1. Launch a European AM strategy – Europe Makes

Support the launch of an AM strategy that assesses the status of the AM sector (identifying opportunities and challenges) with a roadmap and concrete actions to keep this sector competitive. 

2. Support the development of an AM ecosystem and R&D

A dynamic promotion of R&D, particularly in technology transfer initiatives, is vital to enable German-wide implementation of AM. For instance, a German AM hub should be established (via a PPP or industrial alliance) to address barriers in AM, support technology adoption, and act as a one-stop policy, investment, and R&D focused on this technology and its applications.

3. Prepare the workforce

Invest in an AM workforce, following the EU-funded project SAM – Sector Skills Strategy in Additive Manufacturing (SAM) recommendations and the qualification system developed by the International Additive Manufacturing Qualification System (IAMQS). We aim to promote the potential of AM in education at the national level to create an environment of innovation and advancement.

4. Maximize the impact of public investments at national levels

Several AM solutions, results and activities have been funded by the EU and Member States in the past 5 -10 years and could still be used to improve the AM sector. By building on these existing resources (eg, the AM Motion roadmap) in its next R&I program, Germany could avoid duplication of efforts and accelerate the implementation of new projects relevant to many industrial ecosystems and the AM sector's competitiveness.

 

Dear Politicians

Additive Manufacturing holds significant potential to contribute to Germany's objectives in green transition, industrial digitalization, and global competitiveness. To fully realize these benefits, a strategic approach is necessary to fosters innovation, strengthens the German industrial economy and the AM ecosystem, and supports workforce development.

Therefore, we kindly ask policymakers to consider the development of a strategy for the German Additive Manufacturing sector, with the active involvement of relevant industry stakeholders.

 The content provided in this position paper can serve as a basis for a national strategy and a collaborative research agenda. Establishing a dedicated coordinating contact point at the federal level would further support Germany's leadership in this technology.

The time for action is now to secure Germany's position in the evolving global manufacturing landscape.