Europe and the United States are leading the global 3D printing innovation competition. The United States ranks first, with 39.8% of all IPFs related to additive manufacturing between 2001 and 2020. Europe (39 EPO member states) followed closely, with a share of 32.9%. These regions collectively account for nearly three-quarters of global 3D printing innovation. Japan accounts for 13.9% of all 3D printing IPFs, while China and South Korea account for 3.7% and 3.1% respectively. Within Europe, Germany has become a clear leader, accounting for 41% of the European market share, while France ranks second with 12%.

American, European, and Japanese companies all ranked in the top 20 in additive manufacturing patent applications, with the top three being General Electric, Raytheon Technology, and HP. Siemens, ranked fourth, is the strongest manufacturer in Europe with nearly 1000 IPFs. Although the list of top companies is mainly dominated by large engineering companies in multiple fields, the additive manufacturing innovation ecosystem is composed of multiple professional 3D printing companies and dynamic startups, as evidenced by various small entities in the European Patent Office statistics.

Universities and public research organizations (PROs) have also made significant contributions to 3D printing innovation. Approximately 12% of 3D printed IPFs are submitted by universities or PROs, which is almost twice their typical share (7%). Every three IPFs related to biomaterial development and every two IPFs used for 3D printing of organs and artificial tissues are from universities or PROs.

Among the top ten universities, professional research institutions, or hospitals, five are located in the United States. But the obvious leader is the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft in Germany, with 221 IPFs. Taiwan Institute of Technology is the only Asian organization to enter the top ten, including two French research institutions (CNRS and CEA) and TNO in the Netherlands.

Additive manufacturing eliminates traditional technological limitations in industrial production processes, reduces waste, and paves the way for mass customization. It is no longer a niche technology, but a manufacturing industry that is changing more industries. Since 2010, the fields of health, healthcare, and transportation have attracted the majority of 3D printing applications. However, with the development of 3D printing technology targeting an increasing number of materials such as plastics, metals, ceramics, and even organic batteries, additive manufacturing applications have also seen rapid growth in the fields of tools, energy, fashion, electronics, construction, and industry. Even in the food industry.

Approximately one fifth of all IPFs released between 2001 and 2020 belong to the health and healthcare sector (a total of 10000 IPFs). Additive manufacturing is particularly suitable for customizing implants and creating anatomical models for patients. The proportion of universities, PROs, and hospitals among patent applicants is higher than the average, mainly due to the advancement of 3D printing in medical applications. In the second largest industry, transportation, additive manufacturing can be used to improve product development and mass production, and the number of registered IPFs in the past decade has exceeded 7000.

The research by the European Patent Office provides preliminary insights into the potential future uses of 3D printing based on patent data. Since patents are submitted months or even years before the launch of any product, patent information can indicate the direction of technology development. This report demonstrates the importance of 3D printing in promoting innovation and sustainable development in various industries worldwide. Prior to this, the European Patent Office had already released its first report on patents and 3D printing in July 2020, which specifically focused on European patents.