Adoption of additive manufacturing is growing across the industrial sector, but there are certain markets that have been slower to implement this technology. The tool and die making industry in particular has yet to consistently incorporate additive manufacturing into production processes. Though there are tool manufacturers who use this technology, these companies aren’t taking advantage of the full capabilities of additive.
The additive manufacturing market for tool and die making has significant potential, with opportunities for tool manufacturers to build more sustainable production models and create new value streams. However, there are barriers to wider adoption of additive manufacturing in this sector. Bridging the gap between how the technology is currently used and what is possible in the industry requires a mindset shift from tool and die makers.
Additive Manufacturing in the Tool and Die Making Market
Thomas Eberius, senior consultant at the Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing (ACAM) in Germany, has conducted extensive research on the integration of additive manufacturing in the tool and die industry. This has led Eberius to uncover how the industry currently uses additive technologies and the barriers to greater adoption.
“I’ve found that many tool manufacturers know about the abilities of additive manufacturing, but they’ve yet to fully adopt it because of how different the production style is compared to conventional technologies,” says Eberius.
He adds that currently additive is primarily used for prototyping in the tool and die industry, but as the technology advances it will be easier for tool manufacturers to adopt it for production. Additive manufacturing already has proven use cases in new tool fabrication, tool inserts, and tooling maintenance and repair.
Eberius believes that lack of strategy and adaptability are holding tool and die makers back from further adoption of additive manufacturing technologies. “The advantages are obvious, but it is a new technology that tool manufacturers are still getting familiar with,” Eberius explains. “Once they have the right strategy to approach additive manufacturing, adoption rates will grow exponentially.”
As tool manufacturers increase implementation of additive manufacturing, Eberius estimates this technology could easily penetrate 50% to 60% of the market. His assessment is specific to Germany, but he observes similarities in other countries in Europe, Asia, and North America that could result in a similar market share.
Integrating Additive Manufacturing into Production
Effectively implementing additive manufacturing into production requires tool manufacturers to undergo a process change away from conventional technologies. These new processes help create a whole new business model for companies.
Eberius expands on this: “As a tool maker, additive manufacturing allows you to provide more value to a series production, enabling you to expand your business model to get more profit out of the tool. If a customer needs a spare part or tool repair, you can simply stream the part data from your facility to an on-site 3D printer. Instead of seeing tooling as a single sale product, you can integrate yourself in the value creation of your own custom tooling with additive manufacturing.”
This value creation opportunity gives manufacturers who have integrated additive into their production a significant advantage. They’re now able to create unique value for customers by offering rapidly changeable inserts or remote tool maintenance.
In addition to the added value, additive manufacturing also enables tool and die makers to create tools that perform better compared to their conventionally manufactured counterparts. This improved performance leads to better cycle times, enabling manufacturers to produce parts faster when using 3D printed tooling components.
Challenges to Adopting Additive in the Tool and Die Market
In his research, Eberius has identified three main challenges tool manufacturers and die makers face when it comes to adopting additive manufacturing. The first goes back to having a strategy in place. All the tool and die makers Eberius has interviewed said they had no defined target for using additive manufacturing and have taken a trial and error approach with the technology. This approach can be costly and wasteful, so it’s important for manufacturers to determine what they want to achieve with additive before they implement it.
The second challenge is that manufacturers tool components aren’t built for additive manufacturing. This has led tool and die makers to manufacture parts usually built with conventional manufacturing techniques with additive manufacturing instead, without any design changes. This method is much more expensive compared to designing specifically for additive. Eberius recommends manufacturers assess their component spectrum to see if additive manufacturing makes sense for them before trying to create parts with this technology.
Lastly, tool manufacturers currently lack the skills required to successfully adopt additive manufacturing. Eberius explains, “Manufacturers need to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of all different kinds of additive, from laser powder bed fusion to binder jetting to selective laser techniques. It’s important to employ an additive mindset when designing parts. If there’s barriers to making a part conventionally, manufacturers need to be able to pivot to thinking about how to create a part with additive instead.”
When overcoming these challenges, manufacturers must consider the whole life cycle of the tool. Tool and die makers need to determine if integrating additive manufacturing helps add value throughout the tool life cycle, rather than just implementing new technologies for the sake of it.
Growing Additive Manufacturing in Tool and Die Making
Additive manufacturing is still seen as cutting-edge in the tool and die market, and this industry is learning how to fully take advantage of the technology. As educational opportunities increase, and additive manufacturing is added to more curriculums, manufacturers and designers will start to approach part creation with more of an additive mindset.
Greater understanding of the technology will help drive tool and die makers to more effectively consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) of additive manufacturing. Currently, tool makers believe additive manufacturing will be easier to adopt once machine costs decrease, because that leads to more affordable end-use parts. But focusing instead on what benefits additive manufacturing can provide will likely have a greater impact on adoption.
“Additive manufacturing leads to improved cycle times and decreased energy use of the machines, helping manufacturers increase production volume and get products to market faster,” Eberius explains. “These benefits help justify spending more upfront, because the TCO of an additively manufactured tool part will be less overall compared to sticking with conventional technologies.”
Once additve knowledge increases and the cost component is figured out, adoption of additive manufacturing will grow in the tool and die market. Eberius recommends tool manufacturers move away from conventional manufacturing by doing a functional anlaysis of their part spectrum and deteming what is offered in the additve manufacturing market that would meet their needs.
“Additive manufactruring has the opportunitty to make a real difference in tooling in the next five to 10 years,” predicts Eberius. “It’s a good strategy for manufacturers to differentiate themselves in the market, and additve technologies have the potential to make better tools and increase customer value.”
If you’re in the tool and die indsutry and want to learn more about additive manufacturing’s impact and how it can change tooling, you should explore attending RAPID + TCT’s North American Tour. The next stop for North America’s largest additive manufacturing and industrial 3D printing event is in Boston from April 14-16, 2026.
Biography:
Thomas Eberius
Senior Consultant
ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing GmbH
Thomas Eberius is a consultant in both tool and die making and additive manufacturing. During his studies, he was employed in a technology consultancy that was concerned with trend scouting in the additive manufacturing industry. After his studies, he joined the WZL of RWTH Aachen University for his PhD and work as a consultant at the ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing GmbH. Since 2022, he has been working on a variety of topics within tooling and additive manufacturing. While his industry projects focus on market-related topics, his doctoral research focuses on the introduction and sustainable implementation of additive manufacturing in the tool and die making industry.