3D printing in engineering allows creating of prototypes, models, and products out of materials such as plastics and metals. The automotive and aerospace industries are hugely benefiting with shorter lead times compared to the obsolete engineering methods such as casting or machining, allowing for much faster development and testing of components.

3D printing also gives certain flexibility to the engineers to quickly and cheaply test concepts and establish project parameters, rather than depending fully on methods of outsourced fabrication, which were slower and more costly.