Additive Manufacturing Disruption in Manufacturing Sector—Spanish Evolution in the Last Triennium

Additive Manufacturing technology, also known as 3D printing, has become, in the last few years, the most disruptive technology for the whole manufacturing sector. Spain, which is a well-positioned country in manufacturing activities, mainly in what concerns to parts, automotive, aerospace, and defense sectors is, and would have to be in the future, trying to detect and react to the main impacts of this technology on the manufacturing industry. In this work, we seek to deepen the knowledge of how additive manufacturing (AM) is affecting and transforming the Spanish manufacturing industry, and how fast this process is going to continue from the current moment. The acquired knowledge and the obtained conclusion will enable us to better understand the main strategic axes that all the stakeholders should consider in the future. One of the main contributions of this research work is the fact that the relevant business and organizational conclusions have been obtained from a global survey including all the major stakeholders: machine tool manufacturers, machining and forming service providers, and AM expert organizations.