In our recently published White Paper, 3DP/IP2025, we mentioned that according to a recentProtolabs Report, 87% of respondents in the agricultural industry said they had printed more parts in 2023 than the year before, a much higher figure than the cross-industry average of 70%.
When considering the need for easy access to spare parts, it is perhaps unsurprising that agriculture, along with the automotive industry, has been an early adopter of additive manufacturing. But a closer look reveals that the applications for 3D printing in farming actually go far beyond keeping machinery running.
A paper published by Smart Agricultural Technology looks at 3D printing applications in "smart farming" in detail. Obviously, on-demand manufacture of replacement machinery parts is first on the list, but it soon becomes clear that what drives the growth of additive technologies on the farm is the ability to produce customised, specialist equipment.
For example, custom irrigation parts - sprinkler heads designed for different chemicals, nozzles with specific geometries and spray rates, bespoke connectors - can be designed and produced with the farm's unique requirements in mind. 3D printed sensors, which monitor everything from crop health to soil moisture levels, can provide agriculturalists with real-time data, which feeds into resource management, often using AI solutions. Specialist crop handling tools, such as grippers, planting and cutting tools, and sorting mechanisms, can be developed and manufactured for individual crop varieties, leading to less damage and increased production. And of course autonomous vehicles, robots and drones can be fitted with GPS trackers, sensors and applicators using 3D printed mounts and holders.
Finally, the rapid prototyping afforded by additive manufacturing allows farmers to iteratively create and test their bespoke tool designs.
Major players in both the additive and agricultural industries already recognise the potential for market growth. Manufacturers such as Stratasys have products and solutions aimed directly at the agricultural sector, and agri-tech companies including AGCO, John Deere and Caterpillar are using additive technology to customise their machinery.
Described by some as a "transformative force" and a "revolutionary tool", 3D printing clearly has great potential in the agricultural sector - but there are barriers.
Commercial 3D printers can require significant financial investment, which may be out of the reach of some farmers. Perhaps more importantly, a degree of technical knowledge - including how to use scanning and/or modeling software, and how to deal with any technical issues that arise - is required. And although 3D printing enables rapid prototyping, in practice it can be slower than conventional manufacturing techniques.
Nevertheless, as the paper points out, 3D printing has the capacity to transform smart farming. As innovative applications and bespoke designs continue to be created in this sector, it is encouraging to see that the frameworks intended to protect intellectual property - including patents and industrial designs - are being revised and updated to encompass 3D printing, as noted in our recent White Paper.
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