Survey on Advantages and Disadvantages of 3D Rapid Prototyping vs. Traditional Manufacturing Technologies

ABSTRACT

In the context of an increasingly dynamic and demanding industrial landscape, traditional manufacturing technologies such as plastic injection molding, extrusion or casting are progressively failing to align with the complex requirements of modern markets. The growing demand for product customization and flexibility, rapid development cycles and environment friendly production has pushed the transition toward more agile and sustainable alternatives. This paper aims to systematically evaluate three additive manufacturing technologies—Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) – in order to determine their suitability for various industrial applications, taking into account technological, economic and environmental parameters. Additive manufacturing presents an upgrade in production philosophy offering significant advantages over conventional subtractive or formative production methods. These include the reduction of material waste, the capacity of fabricating complex internal and external geometries without the need for specialized tooling, and enhanced responsiveness to design iterations. In contrast, traditional manufacturing methods retain their relevance in large‐scale production due to their low unit costs at high volumes. However, their inflexibility in accommodating rapid geometry iterations, coupled with notable costs and high tooling costs and environmental unfriendliness highlight their limitations in contemporary manufacturing ecosystems. This comparative analysis points that the selection of appropriate manufacturing method cannot be generalized but must instead be guided by specific requirements. The findings suggest that additive manufacturing should not be viewed as a complete replacement for traditional techniques, but rather as a complementary set of tools that enhance industrial adaptability, innovation potential and ecological sustainability.