Carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic polymers, or CFRP for short, are already established materials where a high strength to weight ratio is key; the aerospace industry, automotive and transportation, and luxury sporting goods, have all utilised CFRP for this specific property. Although 3D printing composites has been limited to date, this is to an extent a result of the technical challenges associated with printing a material with such a strong directional dependency.

 

Despite these difficulties, interest in composite 3D printing is at an all time high since the market leader Markforged announced their chopped and continuous carbon fibre printer in 2014. New entrants to the market are increasing the awareness of how the advantages of 3D printing can complement and enhance the properties of a composite material, as well as diversifying the range of printers and compatible materials on offer to customers.

 

Given these market trends, IDTechEx forecasts that the global market for composite 3D printing will reach a value of $1.7 billion by the year 2030.

 

The composite 3D printing market comprises multiple different printer technologies. This report takes an in-depth look into established printer types such as fibre reinforced thermoplastic filament extrusion, sheet lamination, powder bed fusion and continuous fibre directed energy deposition. Key technological capabilities, applicable markets, SWOT analyses and key manufacturers are discussed for each established process. In addition, nascent printer technologies are introduced, and their technological capabilities discussed.

 

This report provides a detailed overview of currently supported materials for composite 3D printing, assessing compatibility across different printer types and their potential applications. In addition, novel materials for composite 3D printing are discussed.

 

This report forecasts the overall composite 3D printing market to 2030, with in depth discussion of currently commercialised and emerging printer technologies. The current state of the printers and materials market is analysed, and long-range forecasts from 2020-2030 for accumulated sales, units sold per year and revenue per year segmented by printer type and material are evaluated.

 

IDTechEx conducted exhaustive primary research with companies positioned throughout the entire 3D printing value chain for key insights into the trends impacting growth to 2030. This report includes 20 company profiles have been included in the report including Markforged, Stratasys and others.

 

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