Global 3D Printing Materials Gains from Growing Consumer Preference for Products with Attractive Packaging

The global 3D printing materials market has been witnessing a substantial rise over the past few years. The rapid rise in the demand for 3D printing, propelled by the shifting interest of consumers toward products with attractive packaging, has boosted the 3D printing materials market significantly in the recent times.

A research report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) states that in 2013, the worldwide market for 3D printing materials stood at US$450 mn. Experts project this market to rise at a CAGR of 18.0% during the period from 2014 to 2020 and attain a value of US$1.4 bn by the end of 2020.

Asia Pacific 3D Printing Materials Market to Exhibit Fastest Growth in Coming Years
In 2013, North America emerged as the largest regional market for 3D printing materials across the world with a share of more than 37% in the overall demand reported for these materials. However, in the coming years, Asia Pacific is likely to experience the fastest growth among all the regional markets for 3D printing materials on account of the rising uptake of 3D printing technology in various Asian economies such as China and Japan.

In terms of volume, Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific are expected to exhibit significant growth over the next few years. However, the market in the Rest of the World is anticipated to experience sluggish growth in the nearing future, owing to the limited scope of 3D printing technology in this region.

Plastics Enjoy Highest Demand in Global 3D Printing Materials Market

Metals, ceramics, plastics, lay wood and wax are the main materials used for 3D printing in the global arena. In 2013, the demand for plastics was the highest among these materials. The segment occupied a share of 48% in the overall demand reported for 3D printing materials that year.

The increasing demand for plastics for the 3D printing of electronics and other products is likely to maintain this trend in the near future. The flexibility and the durability, plastics provide, are the key factors behind its soaring demand in 3D printing.

The industrial, aerospace, education, architecture, automotive, electronics and consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and military sectors are the prime application areas for 3D printing materials market. Here is a snapshot of the demand scenario for 3D printing materials in various segments.

• The electronics and consumer goods segment exhibited the highest demand for 3D printing materials in 2013 with a share of 23% while the automotive segment occupied the second position.
• During the period from 2014 to 2020, the demand for 3D printing materials in the electronics and consumer goods segment is likely to rise at a CAGR of 17.0%.
• Other application segments are also projected to report a significant demand for 3D printing materials over the next few years.

Some of the major producers of 3D printing materials in the global market are Voxeljet AG, SLM Solutions GmbH, Stratasys Ltd., Optomec, ExOne GmbH, Solidscape Inc., EOS - Electro Optical Systems, Arcam AB, Concept Laser GmbH, and 3D Systems Inc.

Research Press Release: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/3d-printing-materials-industry-htm

Global 3D Printing Materials Market: Environmentally Sustainable Plastics to Gain Preference over Oil-based Plastics as 3D Printing Materials

With growing demand for 3D printing technology, the market for 3D printing materials is on the rise. With the help of materials such as plastics, ceramics, metals, laywood, and wax, digital designs are converted into tangible objects in 3D printing. The global market for 3D printing is projected to expand at a CAGR of 18.0% during the period between 2014 and 2020. The overall market was worth US$0.4 bn in 2013 and is estimated to reach a valuation of US$1.4 bn by 2020. In terms of volume, the global 3D printing materials market stood at 2 bn kg.

Browse Full Report: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/3d-printing-materials-market.html

Plant-Based Plastics: A Popular Choice as 3D Printing Material

Manufacturers of 3D printers are focussing on the development of new 3D printing materials that would provide high-strength 3D models with improved surface finish. Among the extensively used 3D printing materials, plastics account for the largest share in the global 3D printing materials market and held a 48% market share in terms of volume in 2013. Increasing demand for electronics and consumer products is expected to further fuel the demand for plastics as 3D printing materials.

Lately, plant-based plastics have emerged as a popular choice for 3D printing, as they are easier to work with during processing and are environmentally sustainable. Oil-based printing filaments are still widely used owing to the higher softening point exhibited by them, which leads to more flexible 3D models that will bend before breaking. However, plant-based plastics are gaining preference over oil-based printing filaments. Biome Bioplastics, in partnership with 3Dom Filaments, has developed Biome3D, a biodegradable thermoplastic made from plant starches that combines superior print finish and easy processing while offering higher print speeds. High-performance plant-based plastics as 3D printing materials would offer potential environmental benefits along with improved efficiency and customizability.

Future Developments in Biomaterials for 3D Printing

For sustainable 3D printing, researchers are working on integrating various desired properties into existing bioplastics. ‘Smart’ biobased plastics display one or more properties that can be altered by external stimuli such as temperature, pressure, light, and magnetic and electric fields. For example, some of the 3D printing polymers change shape or colour with an increase or decrease in temperature, while some are self-healing. These smart features in 3D printing materials will give rise to a whole range of new products and applications.

Browse Press Release: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/3d-printing-materials-market.htm

Some of the future biomaterials for 3D printing are thermo chrome PLA, Nylon 11, Flex PLA or Soft PLA, Bio Rubber, straw and bamboo-based biomaterials, and laybrick. Thermo chrome PLA filament changes colour in response to temperature alterations. While Flex PLA or Soft PLA and Nylon 11 are remarkably flexible, straw-based and bamboo-based 3D printing filaments are of low cost. These diverse sets of properties will help the 3D printing materials market gain customers in a wide-ranging set of applications.