As the Additive Manufacturing (AM) industry matures, the gap between technological possibility and industrial viability becomes ever more critical. The new VDMA whitepaper “AM in Mechanical and Plant Engineering: Know-how and Experience Determine Success” emphasizes precisely this: the most successful AM strategies are those rooted in deep domain expertise, rigorous process integration, and disciplined scaling.
VDMA’s Perspective: From Prototype to Production
VDMA’s core argument is that AM is not a standalone novelty: it is a strategic extension of mechanical and plant engineering. In their view, traditional strengths (materials science, process know-how, integration) must be augmented with digital agility and connectivity to unlock new value.
Some of the whitepaper’s key takeaways:
- AM as a horizontal technology: It’s not about replacing conventional methods entirely, but about augmenting them, applying AM where it adds unique value (complex geometries, weight savings, consolidation).
- Process maturity and experience matter: Success depends heavily on process control, quality assurance, and repeatability over many cycles.
- Scaling means integration: From materials to machines to post-processing to supply chain, the AM ecosystem must be tightly managed and orchestrated.
- Challenges remain: Cost drivers, material limitations, standardization, and economic justification continue to be barriers to entry.
Beyond the whitepaper, market signals reinforce this trajectory. According to VDMA's survey, despite macroeconomic uncertainties, a majority of AM companies remain cautiously optimistic about growth, with many citing new application domains and automation as key levers.
In short: AM's future lies where industrial competence meets digital robustness.
Where Wibu-Systems Enters the Equation: Security, Licensing & Monetization
VDMA’s narrative draws the strategic blueprint. But how do you operationalize that vision, especially in contexts where design files and digital assets are now just as valuable as physical components? That’s where Wibu-Systems and its flagship technology CodeMeter come in.
Our own whitepaper, Protection and Monetization of 3D-Printed Spare Parts, provides a hands-on complement to VDMA’s strategic framework. It centers on the concept that digital spare parts need protection, controlled distribution, and monetization models to make AM economically sustainable.
Key components of our approach:
- Encryption & license control: Design files and print jobs are cryptographically protected. Only authorized users and machines can decrypt and act upon them.
- Granular licensing models: From pre-processing to printing, each stage can carry its own license rules.
- Traceability & usage counters: Every printed component is logged, counted, and auditable.
- E-commerce / ERP integration: Seamless links to ordering, payments, and post-sale operations.
- Certified printer ecosystem: Printer manufacturers (e.g. Farsoon and 3D Systems) embed CodeMeter capabilities to ensure the integrity of the process chain.
One use case illustrates this clearly: a leading automotive OEM uses digital spare parts distribution in parallel with traditional warehousing, allowing service providers to print parts locally under strict license control. The result: Cost reduction, lower response times, and risk mitigation of grey-market copying.
By merging VDMA’s high-level view with CodeMeter’s implementation layer, manufacturers can achieve three objectives simultaneously:
- Trust – secure the intellectual property and production routes
- Flexibility – enable distributed, on-demand manufacturing
- Profitability – capture revenue and avoid leakage or piracy
Framing the Future: Trends, Risks & Opportunities
To put this in context, here are some macro trends shaping the landscape:
- Economic pressure & investment cycles – Many engineering firms are tightening capital investments. New AM projects must show ROI clearly and early.
- Global competition & cost dynamics – Players from regions with lower costs and aggressive AM strategies (e.g., China) are increasing competitive pressure.
- Sustainability and carbon constraints – Localized production, reduction of transport, and lean inventories align well with net-zero goals.
- Standards and regulation – Certification, process validation, and cross-border compliance become more important as AM reaches scale.
- Digital ecosystems & data reliance – As AM becomes more data-driven, secure infrastructure (licenses, key management, audit logs) shifts from optional to core infrastructure.
In such a landscape, companies that treat digital parts as just another file risk undervaluing or exposing their IP. What elevates them is a protective layer that treats digital designs with the same rigor as physical hardware.
Let’s Dive Deeper at Formnext 2025
The VDMA whitepaper offers compelling direction. Wibu-Systems adds execution. But real insight happens in exchange. That’s why we invite you to meet us at Formnext 2025 (Hall 12.0, Booth B01C) to explore, debate, and strategize with peers who are forging the future of AM.