
CONTEXT
Global 3D printer shipments by price class (note different scales).
Industrial ($100,000+) and mid-range ($20,000–$100,000) 3D printing system shipments dropped by 24% and 8% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2024, according to market insights firm CONTEXT.
CONTEXT's latest report noted how this downturn in 3D printer shipments was compounded by weak financial results, layoffs, leadership changes, CEO turn-over, operational scale-backs and contentious M&A. Though the company did note Eplus3D and Nikon SLM Solutions were two of the OEMs to 'enjoy success' in the industrial segment with their 'super-advanced, multi-laser, high build-volume metal powder bed fusion (PBF) machines.'
Growth of entry-level (under $2,500) 3D printer shipments continued in Q3 2024 at a rate of 28% year-on-year, but slowed from its previous 'super-accelerated pace.' Sales in the professional ($2,500–$20,000) price class, meanwhile, were only marginally down on the previous year (−1%).
Industrial systems

CONTEXT
Industrial metal PBF 3D printer shipments and growth by vendor region.
For polymer industrial systems, Vat Photopolymerisation system shipments were the worst affected 3D printing process in Q3-24, with a 30% YoY decline in shipments. On a TTM basis, total Industrial polymer printer shipments dropped 29% and polymer Vat Photopolymerisation were down 42%. Per CONTEXT, two global leaders in this space – UnionTech (mostly shipping domestically into China) and 3D Systems (mostly shipping to the West) – have seen shipments of this type of system fall sharply. Both are said to cite reduced demand in the dental market as the biggest reason for the decline. Other industrial polymer technologies were also challenged in the period, with YoY shipment declines for Power Bed Fusion systems down 15%, Material Extrusion down 15% and Material Jetting shipments down 43%.
On the metal side, shipments had been 'holding up better' than polymer systems until the second quarter of last year when both saw YoY falls. In Q3-24, CONTEXT says Binder Jetting system sales were flat but shipments of printers using all other technologies once again declined. Powder Bed Fusion systems accounted for 74% of new Industrial metals systems in this period but shipments of these were down 24% on the previous year. There was also a drop of 18% in sales of Directed Energy Deposition printers, the second-largest category in the segment.
Eplus3D was the global leader in terms of units shipped in Q3-24 with shipments up 41% from a year ago. CONTEXT reports that TRUMPF and Renishaw were the only other companies in the top fifteen to see YoY shipment increases for the quarter. From a revenue standpoint, EOS was again the market leader with Nikon SLM Solutions, Eplus3D and Renishaw among other companies seeing YoY revenue growth.
Significant regional differences diminished in Q3-24 as both Chinese and Western vendors saw sales fall, particularly in the Industrial metal PBF sector. In this Industrial metal PBF sub-segment, overall shipments from Chinese vendors, which are mainly to the domestic market, were down 26% on the previous year but there were significant variations: over the quarter, Eplus3D shipped more printers YoY, whereas most other Chinese companies saw significant YoY drop-offs. The highlight for Eplus3D was the shipment of one of the largest known ‘metre-tall’ laser PBF machines. Similarly, shipments for Nikon SLM Solutions’ large-format multi-laser NXG series machines continued to accelerate and the company 'continues to enjoy the top spot in terms of global market share in this sub-category.'
Midrange systems
According to CONTEXT, reduced spending in the industrial price class continued to trickle down into the mid-range market and contributed to an −8% YoY drop in shipments in Q3-24. Stratasys kept hold of its market-share lead but saw weak sales of some lines, especially Material Extrusion printers. 3D Systems, CONTEXT reports, is 'getting smaller each quarter' and dropped to sixth place in this price class. Chinese vendors including UnionTech, ZRapid Tech and Flashforge are said to have fared better than Western vendors: aggregate shipments from Chinese vendors were up 46% YoY while those of all others were down 24%. Flashforge had a particularly strong quarter thanks to growing sales of its WaxJet material jetting printers to the jewellery market.
Professional systems
The bounce-back in the professional price class was driven almost completely by Formlabs, per CONTEXT. Although overall shipments for Q3-24 were still down 1% YoY, and 20% on a TTM basis, the super-successful roll-out of Formlabs’ new LFD Vat Photopolymerisation platform led to the shipment of 26% more Vat Photo printers than in the same period of 2023. Meanwhile, sales of Material Extrusion machines in this price class continued to be pinched by similarly featured, lower-priced entry-level products resulting in 28% fewer Professional FDM/FFF printer shipments in the quarter.
Entry-level systems
Entry-level printer shipments were up 28% YoY in Q3-24 and a 'whopping 43%' on a TTM basis. Growth slowed for Creality and, although it continued to lead the price class, there were market-share gains for companies such as start-up Bambu Lab and long-time player Flashforge.
Outlook
In summarising, CONTEXT recognises the widespread upheaval at management and board level across many AM companies, but notes that high interest rates have had more of an impact on purchasing decisions.
“While this chaos had significant impacts, newly updated analyses show that 2024 as a whole was even more heavily affected by high interest rates and subsequently muted CapEx spending,” said Chris Connery, VP of global analysis at CONTEXT. “It therefore seems that full-year figures are likely to be close to the lows seen during the height of pandemic lockdowns in 2020 with at least −12% fewer industrial printers shipped worldwide in 2024 than in 2023.”
CONTEXT also notes that global mid-range printer shipments are on track to be −8% down over the full year, while the entry-level segment will finish 2024 with a 30% YoY increase in annual global shipments. The lowering of interest rates is set to continue through 2025, which should lead to an increase in CapEx spending by H2 2025 and, CONTEXT projects, a full-year growth of 14% in industrial printer system shipments in 2025. Follow-on mid-range printer shipments are now forecast to rise 12% in 2025 and professional system shipments are set to rise 6%.
Looking further ahead, CONTEXT's current forecast for 2026 is of more consistent and stronger double-digit YoY growth in all sectors with YoY growth rates upwards of 30%−40% over a 5-year horizon.
“To put this in context, note that the market bounced back strongly coming out of Covid as vendors delivered against pent-up demand: between 2020 and 2021, industrial 3D printer shipments were up 30% and those of mid-range systems increased by 26%,” said Connery. “However, the impact of a change in US government is yet to be determined: while the new administration is generally focused on accelerating business potential, sticky inflation and unknown import restrictions are tempering optimism.”
* Price classes: Personal <$2,500; Professional $2,500–$20,000; Mid-range $20,000–$100,000; Industrial $100,000+