The market for additive manufacturing (AM) hardware, materials and parts in the aerospace sector is forecast to be worth $20.5bn by 2033.
The research carried out by VoxelMatters reveals that AM products in aerospace (including hardware, materials, and parts) generated a total value of $1.58bn in 2023, representing a year-on-year growth of 23%. This market is expected to expand over the next ten years, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29%.
This new market study offers an in-depth analysis and forecast of metal, polymer, and technical ceramic AM in aerospace parts manufacturing, focusing on the hardware, materials, and services segments of the additive manufacturing market. Additionally, the report presents VoxelMatters' first-ever analysis of data on AM part production by vertical end-user companies in aerospace manufacturing, including OEMs, tier-1/tier-2 suppliers, organizations, and other contract manufacturers.
In 2023, civil aviation was the largest contributor to the market, accounting for 22.9% of the share, while military aviation contributed 20.3%. Overall, the aerospace AM market was largely driven by adopters, which made up 45.5% of total revenue at $718m. Hardware and services accounted for 23.5% ($370m) and 22.5% ($355m), respectively. Materials, the smallest subsegment, contributed 8.5% with revenues of $134m.
Metal AM products dominated the aerospace market, constituting 62% of revenues, followed by polymer AM products at 36.9%. Within the metal AM segment, adopters generated 50.3% of revenues, amounting to an estimated total of $492m (31.2% of the market). Parts for aviation (both civil and defense) generated the highest revenues, with hardware contributing $196m (12.4%) and services adding $214m (13.5%). Materials accounted for 7.8% of metal revenue, increasing by 35.9%.
Polymer AM had a significant impact in civil UAVs, contributing 56.5% of total sub-vertical AM-related revenue, while civil aviation generated $150m, accounting for 41.5% of polymer revenues. Although technical ceramic AM remains niche, it has seen substantial growth due to applications in civil space.
Metal hardware constituted the largest portion of the hardware subsegment, contributing 53.1% of total hardware revenue, which grew by 29%. Metal AM services led the services subsegment, comprising 60.2% of total revenue and growing by 20.7% to $214 million (13.5% of the market).
Civil and military aviation are leading the growth of polymer and metal AM, particularly in civil aviation. Civil unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have shown the strongest growth in both categories, indicating increased adoption of unmanned aircraft.
Metal AM products overall are expected to dominate the aerospace AM market, comprising 70.6% by 2033, driven by a 30.9% CAGR. This segment is anticipated to grow to $14.5bn by 2033, up from $978m in 2023, with the adopters subsegment contributing 39.5% of total revenue, growing at a 32.3% CAGR. Metal AM services will represent 15.3% of the market, while metal AM materials will account for 5.7%.
Polymer AM is projected to reach $5.7bn by 2033, up from $582m, also driven by the adopters subsegment, which will constitute 39.8% of revenue (with a 26.2% CAGR). Hardware will see 29.6% market share (26.2% CAGR), while services and materials will represent 22.1% and 8.5% of the total, respectively.
Although the smallest category, technical ceramic AM is expected to grow to $310m by 2033, driven by hardware sales that will make up 43.9% of the revenue.
The report includes a comprehensive dataset covering hardware, materials, and services. It features over 200 charts and data tables, offering an in-depth analysis of the use of metal, polymer/composites, and technical ceramics in AM hardware, AM materials, and AM services across both civil and defence aerospace segments. Additional analysis provides key insights into the value generated through internal additive manufacturing activities by end-user companies across various aerospace verticals.