This is an interview Craig DiLouie did with Tony Costa, Product Marketing Manager, 3D Printing at Signify. It will inform DiLouie’ article for the August 2026 issue of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR.
DILOUIE: What are the benefits of 3D-printed lighting? What is the general state of adoption of additive manufacturing in the lighting industry?
COSTA: 3D printed lighting offers numerous benefits. Lighting practitioners and end customers have the freedom to create their own unique designs, whether to match brand standards or to suit the look of a space, in a timely and cost-effective manner. An online configurator can be used to choose colors, textures, shapes and lighting specifications.
3D printing also supports a circular economy and sustainability. Signify’s designs use at least 75% recyclable and/or bio-based materials and even waste like water jugs for all printed parts. Compared to traditional luminaires, 3D printed lighting fixtures don’t use paint or glue, and require fewer parts and screws, so they can be easily disassembled for reuse. Plus, they are produced on demand, reducing lead times, limiting waste and preventing large stock storage for distributors and contractors.
Over the last seven years, Signify has 3D printed approximately 3.5 million luminaires for customers around the world, and we see continued growth in this area in the years to come, thanks to our ability to produce locally and ensure fast and reliable delivery while maintaining high quality. (In the US, this means our 3D printed luminaires are Buy American Act (BAA)- compliant.) More broadly, with the combination of digital inventory, automation and material flexibility, additive manufacturing will become increasingly prevalent in the lighting industry.
DILOUIE: What are typical applications? Components such as optics, or complete luminaires?
COSTA: 3D printed luminaires are ideal for indoor applications, including offices (case studies: AutoStore Robotic Storage Solutions and SRAM), restaurants (case study: McDonald’s), hospitality and retail.
Signify’s 3D printed lighting fixtures are sold as complete luminaires, with an assortment of integrated and lamp-based solutions. Products include track lighting, high bays and low bays, cylinders and decorative pendants. These high-efficiency luminaires offer multiple lumen packages, color temperatures and beam angles; in most cases, they come standard with CRI90.
DILOUIE: How is a 3D-printed luminaire or component actually made?
COSTA: Signify’s 3D printed luminaires are produced using advanced Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printers specifically engineered for large-format, high-precision lighting components. Each fixture begins as a digital design, or G-code, which is printed layer by layer from a continuous strand of filament – typically Signify’s proprietary recycled polycarbonate or mass-produced bio-circular material. The filament is fed through a heated extruder that precisely deposits the molten material onto a print bed. Multiple print heads and controlled temperature zones ensure uniform layer adhesion, smooth surface quality and dimensional accuracy, even for complex shapes or textured finishes. Once printing is complete, the luminaire components are cooled, cleaned and finished – often requiring little to no post-processing – before being fitted with LED modules and optical elements. This process allows Signify to produce customized, lightweight luminaires on demand, significantly reducing waste, inventory and transportation-related emissions compared to conventional manufacturing.
This closed-loop material approach minimizes waste and the carbon footprint by eliminating the need for molds or tooling, and it enables on-demand production close to the customer. The result is a durable, lightweight luminaire that not only delivers high-quality lighting performance but also embodies Signify’s commitment to circular design and responsible material use.
DILOUIE: How does 3D-printed lighting support prototyping? What does 3D-printed lighting offer for custom luminaires? What is the low-hanging fruit in terms of adoption?
COSTA: 3D printing makes it easy to move from design intent to physical prototype and to a finished, personalized product in weeks, not months. We have an online configurator that makes personalizing luminaire design a simple and intuitive process. Step-by-step, you choose the shape, interior and exterior shade colors and textures, and functional details including lumens, beam angles and color temperature.
If your project requires a very high level of customization, Signify has a team of specialists to assist you. For high volume projects, we will collaborate to create a unique rendering according to a customer’s specifications. We’ll then create a prototype, making any needed tweaks based on your feedback. Once we have your approval, we’ll produce and quickly deliver your personalized creations!
DILOUIE: What is your company’s commitment to 3D-printed lighting?
COSTA: As the world leader in lighting, Signify has been driving the industry’s shift towards the circular economy – with the goal of resource efficiency. Our 3D printed lighting solutions directly support this. These innovations are accounted for in our Brighter Lives Better World sustainability program and play an essential role in our Climate Transition Plan, which outlines how the company will achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.
DILOUIE: What is the process a contractor or other lighting practitioner would use to engage with a supplier to acquire 3D-printed lighting?
COSTA: In the US, specifically, we are working closely with professional customers to integrate 3D printed lighting into their projects. Another benefit is that these luminaires are DLC Premium listed, ISCC certified, have Red List approved Declare labels and support WELL Building standards.
Professional 3D printed lighting solutions are available from Genlyte Solutions’ Lightolier and Day-Brite brands, as well as from Cooper Lighting Solutions’ PrentaLux brand.
Lighting practitioners and contractors should contact the local sales agent for Genlyte Solutions or Cooper Lighting Solutions – two independent Signify professional businesses – for support in acquiring 3D printed lighting.
DILOUIE: Do you see 3D-printed lighting eventually becoming economical for standard luminaires, where luminaires become IP licensed to users to have printed at local distributors? What are the barriers to this scenario?
COSTA: Yes, it will and already is. There are many platforms out there where you can download available G-codes (files to print). Much like happened with iTunes, more licensed libraries will become available to download. Second, you have decentralized production. Many people have one or more printers. They log on to platforms where they can bid or offer their production capacity to market demand. This decentralized manufacturing, by many for many, will only expand.
Law and regulatory rules will always be a hurdle. You cannot (yet) allow anyone to assemble and sell electrical equipment from their garage. There are tests, laws and regulations to follow. The decentralized (often privately owned platforms) do not guarantee compliance and thus safety and approbation.
DILOUIE: Do you see 3D-printed components becoming available for field-serviceable luminaires, where discontinued items like drivers or modules could be 3D printed for maintenance? What are the barriers to this scenario?
COSTA: Yes. Today, we already see, much like the above, many platforms that offer libraries of spare parts and/or local print capacity. These are rapidly expanding, and with laws, such as “right to repair”, we see companies starting to offer the same. Certain components are not yet there due to three barriers: the feasibility to print certain items, availability of the G-code to print the part, and the approved regulation and/or approbation required to change certain components. There is work to be done, but it is coming.
DILOUIE: In what projects or scenarios would an electrical contractor be involved with 3D printing? What do they need to know about a product to install it, maintain it, and ensure it follows electrical safety standards and rules?
COSTA: Electrical contractors would most likely encounter 3D printed lighting products in commercial, institutional, retail or hospitality projects.
When installing or maintaining these products, contractors need to know that 3D printed luminaires function the same as traditional fixtures from an electrical and safety standpoint – as long as they are UL, ETL or CSA-listed and meet National Electrical Code (NEC) requirements.
In essence, electrical contractors don’t need to be experts in 3D printing itself, but they do need to confirm that the products meet all applicable codes, listings and installation standards to ensure safety, reliability and compliance on every job.
DILOUIE: In what scenarios would 3D printing solve a problem for an electrical contractor?
COSTA: 3D printing can solve several real-world problems for electrical contractors by offering speed, flexibility and customization that traditional manufacturing can’t match. 3D printing offers fast lead times and replacements, with rapid, on-demand production. Contractors often face situations where standard luminaires don’t fit unusual ceiling types, retrofit openings or architectural details. 3D printing allows precise customization – adjusting dimensions, mounting interfaces or optics – to match site conditions without costly redesigns. and clients now expect environmentally responsible solutions. Using 3D printed luminaires made from recycled or bio-circular materials can help contractors meet LEED or WELL building or ESG targets. Because parts can be printed on demand, contractors can minimize warehouse space and avoid tying up capital in slow-moving stock.
DILOUIE: If you could tell the entire electrical industry just one thing about 3D printing in the lighting industry, what would it be?
COSTA: If there’s one message the electrical industry should hear about 3D printing in lighting, it’s that it has fundamentally changed what’s possible – not just in design, but in how we think about manufacturing, sustainability and supply chains. 3D printing enables luminaires to be produced locally, on demand, from recycled or bio-based materials, drastically cutting waste and emissions while offering unprecedented design freedom. It’s not a niche innovation – it’s a scalable, circular manufacturing model that aligns with the lighting industry’s future. It’s more adaptive, more sustainable and more responsive to customer needs.
DILOUIE: Thank you, Tony, for sharing your expertise.
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