7 Feb 2024
The Long-Term Trends Shaping Additive Manufacturing
Ten years ago, the 3D printing landscape was in the midst of its first big boom. With the 2009 expiration of a key Stratasys patent that covered thermoplastic filament extrusion technology, desktop filament printers were taking off, buoyed by new disrupters like Makerbot.
17 Jan 2024
3D Printing: A Dynamic Industry Approaching a Crossroads
The 3D printing industry is by no means new, given the invention of the first 3D printing technologies in the 1980s; yet, in an industry with a long history of twists and turns, 2024 is looking to be the most consequential yet for additive manufacturing. This can be traced back to the shockwaves set off by COVID-19. While the pandemic initially lowered sales for many 3D printer manufacturers, it also created opportunities for additive manufacturing to showcase its unique strengths, as numerous companies looked to reshoring and strengthening their supply chain to avoid persistent disruptions amidst global shipping shortages.
Update
28 Nov 2023
Nexa3D Acquires Essentium/XYZPrinting
Nexa3D is an American manufacturer of 3D printers. This update discusses its most recent acquisitions of XYZPrinting's SLS portfolio and Essentium.
1 Jun 2023
Is This A Turning Point For Consolidation In Additive Manufacturing?
In the past decade or so, the additive manufacturing industry has been characterized by an ever-increasing number of hardware players trying to capture their own share of the market. While there were signs of consolidation in the early 2010s, given major moves by industry leaders like Stratasys and 3D Systems, AM has instead seen a consistent stream of newcomers with their own innovative takes on AM, such that IDTechEx now segments their 3D printing hardware forecast by seventeen different categories to account for such diversity.
17 May 2023
How the 3D Printing Industry Emphasized Production at Rapid + TCT
RAPID + TCT is one of North America's biggest trade shows and conferences for the additive manufacturing (AM) industry. This year, IDTechEx attended and spoke at the show; they interviewed prominent players and observed industry trends.
9 Feb 2023
Nine Startups Innovating Polymer Additive Manufacturing
Essential to understanding the evolution of the polymer 3D printing industry is exploring the change from low-cost printing technologies and materials to the slow growth and adoption of innovative polymer printing technologies and materials, from viscous thermosets to carbon fiber composites to foams.
Update
19 Jan 2023
Nano Dimension
In July 2022, Nano Dimension acquired metal and ceramic 3D printer manufacturer Admatec. They also acquired 12% of shares in Stratasys, the market leader in polymer 3D printing.
Update
12 Jan 2023
3D Systems
In August 2022, 3D Systems acquired dp polar, a German 3D printer start-up making high speed photopolymer jetting printers.
Update
6 Oct 2022
Stratasys
In August 2022, Stratasys announced its acquisition of Covestro's Additive Manufacturing materials business, which also included DSM's former AM business unit.
Background
20 Sep 2022
Visionaries 777
Visionaries 777 (V777) is a Hong Kong-based company that builds software to link locations and objects to videos and information for purposes including training, marketing, education, and more. The company spun out of Lego — its founders were originally hired to create an AR department at the company.
External press release
14 Sep 2022
Stratasys Adds Evonik as New Additive Manufacturing Materials Partner
Stratasys has announced that Evonik is its third and newest material partner for the P3 technology-based Origin One 3D printer. Evonik is contributing its expertise in the development and manufacturing of ready-to-use photopolymer materials to enhance the P3 platform, which achieves injection molding part quality and surface finish with incredible accuracy, in a diverse and continuously growing range of high-performance materials.
External press release
9 Aug 2022
Stratasys To Acquire Covestro's Additive Manufacturing Business
Stratasys Ltd has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the additive manufacturing materials business of Covestro. The acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive upon closing.
2 Aug 2022
The Dichotomy Influencing the 3D Printing Materials Market
Open vs closed materials systems: In this article, IDTechEx Technology Analyst Sona Dadhania discusses how the dichotomy between "open" materials systems and "closed" materials systems (also known as platforms or architectures) affects the growth and utilization of materials for additive manufacturing.
Full profile interview: SWOT
8 Jul 2022
BCN3D Technologies