Besides Wohlers, new research and future mapping of 3D printing is also released perodically from different technology-oriented institutions worldwide. The newest study comes from market and tech intelligence company IDTechEX, whose report is titled 3D Printing 2013-2025: Technologies, Markets, Players. As can be interpreted from the name alone, the research provides a general view of the whole industry starting from the very basics, so it’s intented mainly for people whose knowledge of 3DP might be limited to the name alone, but who have an interest in how it could possibly be used in their companies in the future.
The study covers all the bases – the history of the tech, processes, advances and disadvantages compared with traditional manufacturing methods, market structure and analysis of its future potential. As has been the case before with other similar reports, the IDTechEX’s forecasting is also divided into key sectors – aerospace, automotive, consumer products, medical/dental and jewellery/architecture/design arts. The report also covers the field of 3DP tech patenting and the tech’s role in the academic world.
Out of all these areas, the analysts expect the so-called extended maker market – named the hobbyist market (evidently including all home usage) in the report – to remain relatively small due to limitations related to the usable materials and their qualities, with naming plastic fumes from ABS as one of key factors (!) hindering the adoption rate. In the industrial sector, the study goes on to predict a significant future role of 3D printing to be in the aerospace and automotive industries, but growth to be evident in cycles rather than a steady upward curve – comparative to investments in other manufacturing equipment such as CNC machinery. Across all of the sectors, the report predicts a combined annual growth rate of 20% – for the entire period i.e. 2013-2025. And the estimated total market value at the end of the period? $4 billion.
Even though this study might not provide any groundbreaking insights to seasoned industry veterans, providing a dispassionate and inclusive overview of 3DP & its future can certainly be validated and justified, especially as a counterweight to the most common views presented in the traditional media, which often tend to be either overly positive or the other way around – painting a picture of a dismal future including plastic guns in everybody’s hand and other gloomy scenarios, all courtesy of 3D printing. However, the information does come with a price, which in this case is starting from €3,995, from the source link below.
Source: Research and Markets
