With almost unlimited freedom of design, additive manufacturing technologies open up new perspectives to achieve individual solutions. These types of manufacturing techniques barely set any limits to the spirit of innovation. Due to this fact additive manufacturing techniques follow the trend towards customized products and will allow for serial production in the future.

Despite the high potential of additive processing of polymers, the step into serial production of highly individualized products was yet not realized. Nevertheless the medial driven hype related to additive processes is still increasing. But what is a realistic vision, which can be realized by scientific work, and what are pure dreams?

Within this invited lecture reasons for these contrary trends are discussed. First an overview about different state of the art additive processes, using polymers, is given. Moreover typical process related potentials are discussed. Furthermore the invited lecture shows challenges scientists have to investigate for using the high potential of additive polymer processing.

Overall the lecture tries to separate realistic visions from pure dreams related to additive manufacturing processes.