Additive manufacturing processes, or 3D printing, have been fuelling the imagination regarding the future of goods production for several years now. Consequently, there is a wide range of views on the capabilities, potential applications and implications of additive manufacturing. TAB Working Paper No. 175 presents and evaluates developments in this field in a systematic and scientifically sound manner, with the aim, on the one hand, of providing a realistic assessment of the potential and identifying ways in which it might be better utilised, and, on the other hand, of allowing for a nuanced view of the possible societal and environmental impacts of this technology. This report adopts a broad-based approach. It addresses technological, economic and environmental issues and examines the technologies and processes in terms of potential health impacts as well as risks to internal and external security. Furthermore, the legal and regulatory framework (intellectual property protection, liability issues) is also discussed. Given the potentially enormous significance of additive manufacturing for the international competitiveness and innovative strength of the manufacturing sector in Germany, the TAB working paper places particular emphasis on foreseeable developments in industrial applications.