3D printing and Additive manufacturing are the two terms referring to the same process of building a product by adding material, layer by layer, from a CAD (Computer-aided design) file. This is opposite to the traditional manufacturing process, like CNC machining, where the product is built by subtracting material from a sheet or block of material.
The IDC has listed 3D printing as one of six key innovation accelerators, which also include the Internet of Things (IoT), Cognitive Systems, Next Gen Security, Augmented & Virtual Reality and Robotics. These six points of innovation are expected to “fast-track digital transformation in the marketplace” and grow significantly, according the report by the International Data Corporation.
