Forecasting on Additive Manufacturing in Spain: How 3D Printing Would Be in 2030

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is presented as a set of alternative technologies to conventional manufacture. AM can cause profound changes in the industry, the economy, and the society of the future. These changes will affect in different degrees, all aspects that make up the current manufacturing landscape. The Delphi method is a technique that allows collecting the opinion of a group of individuals (experts) using repeated inquiries. This method is used, among other cases, when attempting to have a vision about future events. The main objective of this work is to analyze the responses to a Delphi inquiry addressed to Spanish experts from the professional and university field committed to the manufacturing and engineering sector. The consensual answers to the issues this consultation raises can provide a horizon indicating what changes the Additive Manufacturing will bring to the manufacturing scene. The issues that arise revolve around groups of technologies to be established in the future, to the different business models that will be used, and the standards and regulations that will be required.