Inside Xometry’s 2026 Outlook: Why AM Is Turning into Important — and What’s Nonetheless Holding It Again – 3DPrint.com

Within the first a part of this collection, we spoke with Xometry’s Senior Vice President of Market Operations, Mike Cavalieri, about how producers are reshoring, diversifying their suppliers, and constructing extra resilient provide chains. Now, in Half Two, we return to our dialog with Cavalieri to discover how additive manufacturing (AM) is turning into one of many methods corporations reply to these pressures, not simply in prototyping, however all through their improvement cycles, and what nonetheless limits its wider adoption.

As designs mature, some clients preserve components in AM for area of interest, complicated, or light-weight elements. Others use it to check their designs earlier than shifting to conventional strategies. Sometimes, Cavalieri says they see clients transition from AM to injection molding as soon as the design is stabilized they usually need the lowest-cost resolution. However AM is what lets them get there sooner; they will take a look at, iterate, and study with out ready weeks for tooling.

This helps clarify why Xometry sees rising demand throughout all the AM spectrum, from aerospace and protection to shopper merchandise and, increasingly more, with the booming drone sector.

“We see vital uplift in drone functions. The expertise is cheaper, the software program is healthier, and the use circumstances (from medical provide supply to protection) are increasing quick.”

That spectrum is extremely large. On the excessive finish, Xometry is supporting components for house exploration and superior protection methods. On the on a regular basis aspect, it may be a easy shopper product or perhaps a residence gadget, like a window field for metropolis gardening. What connects these initiatives isn’t the business, however the want for sooner improvement and fewer publicity to supply-chain danger, he explains.

So what’s nonetheless holding 3D printing again?

Regardless of its momentum, AM nonetheless struggles with one main barrier: confidence.

“Materials traceability and certification are the most important hurdles. Clients need to understand how layers are bonded, how you can show the fabric matches the design, and how you can qualify it for zero-tolerance functions.”

For sectors like aerospace and automotive, the place a single failure is unacceptable,  this stays a deal-breaker. In reality, a few of Xometry’s clients are attempting to shut that hole themselves.

“We see extra clients embarking on their very own analysis to get assured with additive materials construction. They’re printing and testing materials coupons (small pattern items used to confirm properties) and dealing with OEMs to higher perceive how these components behave in real-world circumstances. The core advantages, like decrease weight, much less materials waste, and the power to print geometries which can be inconceivable with CNC or molding, are just too worthwhile to disregard.”

“Any time you’re fascinated about lowest value, much less materials utilization, and lighter components, additive has unimaginable benefits,” he added. “The query now could be how shortly certification and requirements can catch up so extra of these components can transfer into actually important functions.”

Cavalieri in contrast it to CNC machining, noting that with this, customers can order billet aluminum, get their certification from the mill, and know precisely what properties to anticipate. However AM doesn’t have that very same consolation stage. This hole has slowed the usage of AM for end-use manufacturing, at the same time as advances in course of monitoring and materials science proceed.

Xometry’s Gaithersburg, Maryland website. Picture courtesy of Xometry.

AI is accelerating AM adoption

One space the place AM has a pure head begin is digital quotability. As a result of each half begins as a 3D file, AI-powered quoting and matching are notably correct, Cavalieri said.

“Our AI can analyze the 3D mannequin, calculate the toolpath, estimate the fabric, and immediately generate the price. That velocity is a significant motive clients transfer shortly in additive. This additionally allows corporations to scale prototyping far past what an inner print lab can deal with. If you would like a bigger pattern dimension for early manufacturing or testing, Xometry can quickly spool that up.”

AI additionally helps clients resolve when AM is the fitting reply and when it isn’t. And since every part begins from a 3D mannequin, Xometry’s quote engine can very transparently calculate what it is going to take to print an element and evaluate that with CNC or molding. Meaning engineers don’t should guess. They will see when AM is the quickest path, when it’s the most cost effective, and when it is smart to change applied sciences. This mixture of AI-powered quoting and robust AM capability is why Cavalieri sees the tech as a long-lasting a part of manufacturing, not a short-term pattern.

{The marketplace} technique

Cavalieri stored coming again to how Xometry sees its position: a clear market that provides clients extra decisions and provides suppliers a gentle stream of labor.

“We’re not uncovered to any single geography. If a disruption occurs, we are able to shortly discover one other location to fabricate. This issues simply as a lot for small AM retailers because it does for giant machine homes. Companions come to us as a result of they know we’re a dependable supply of demand. They will preserve their retailers working at full capability utilizing our platform.”

Internally, Xometry is increasing quickly as nicely; the corporate now has 1,500 staff.

Xometry’s Gaithersburg, Maryland website. Picture courtesy of Xometry.

When reflecting on Xometry’s day-to-day work with clients, Cavalieri highlighted two issues. First, the number of additive functions that corporations deliver to the platform continues to broaden. Second, clients proceed to face sturdy value pressures, and Xometry is working carefully with its manufacturing companions to push prices down whereas serving to clients exceed expectations.

Even with that stress, the momentum is simple. AM is not a distinct segment expertise; it’s turning into a regular a part of the manufacturing toolbox, particularly for corporations in search of resilience, velocity, and design freedom.

Cavalieri stated Xometry plans to proceed increasing its expertise portfolio, every part from extra CNC capabilities to new AM processes, all aimed toward lowering value and lead time and centered on the model’s “mission to broaden the menu of merchandise it brings to clients, proving to be less expensive and sooner than anybody else.”

The corporate’s 2026 Manufacturing Outlook Report affords an in depth view of the forces shaping the approaching yr, and Xometry expects to share extra additive-specific knowledge because it turns into obtainable.

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