Shenzhen Alu Rapid Prototype Precision Co., Ltd.

3D printing (also called additive manufacturing) has exploded in applications since the early 2000s. Here’s a broad overview of what it’s actually being used for today in 2025:

1.Everyday & Consumer Uses

2.Medical & Dental

3.Aerospace & Automotive

4.Food

5.Fashion & Luxury

6.Education & Research

7.Industrial & Tooling

Materials Available Today (2025)

a.Plastics: PLA, PETG, ABS, Nylon, TPU, PC, resin (SLA/DLP)

b.Composites: carbon-fiber filled, glass-filled, woodfill, metal-filled

c.Metals: Titanium, Inconel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, gold, platinum (DMLS/SLM)

d.Ceramics, concrete, hydrogels, chocolate, living cells

In short: 

almost anything that used to be injection-molded, machined, or cast in low-to-medium volumes is now a candidate for 3D printing—and the list keeps growing as multi-material, high-speed, and metal printers get cheaper and better. The main limits today are size (for most affordable printers), material properties compared to traditional processes, and post-processing time for high-end finishes.