IDTechEx

Activity timeline for all 3D printing equipment and material suppliers

The history of 3D printing has been a mixture of great success stories combined with failures. Here in this premium article IDTechEx develops a detailed global activity timeline for (a) 3D printing equipment suppliers covering EBM, FDM, inkjet and laser-based printer makers, (b) 3D printing material suppliers including metal powders, thermoplastics, thermoplastic powders, photopolymers and others, and (c) 3D bio printing companies. The activity timeline covers start and end (if relevant) date of operation, as well as merges and acquisitions.

Major New EV Market?

Personal Helicopters, Volocopters and Fixed Wing Electric Aircraft is a field under continuous development. This article will present some of the latest developments, presenting which are the pioneer companies developing the technologies of future air electric personal mobility.

Organic Photovoltaics 2013-2023: Technologies, markets, players

IDTechEx's report Organic Photovoltaics 2013-2023: Technologies, Markets, Players analyses the latest developments in this field. This report gives an overview of the greater photovoltaic business landscape, assesses the organic photovoltaic technology at material and component level, and delivers detailed market forecasts.

3D Bioprinting - Winners, losers, and the future of medicine

3D bioprinting is a catch-all term representing a raft of technologies as described in the recent IDTechEx report "3D Bioprinting 2014-2024: Applications, Markets and Players". Such is the potential of 3D bioprinting that the market could realistically reach a value of $6B by 2024.

Taulman3D

Founded in 2012, Taulman3D are a leading supplier of thermoplastic 3D printer consumables. Taulman3D shipped their first spool of thermoplastic filament from their headquarters in St Louis Missouri in December 2012. The company has now ossified itself as a major brand of 3D printer consumables for low-end printers.

nScrypt Inc

This profile summarizes the activities of US-based nScrypt Inc in the area of 3D bioprinting. nScrypt Inc was founded in 2002 as a joint venture between Sciperio and Spectra Technologies (now Metro Automation Inc). Its initial expertise was micro-dispensing systems which technology it has adapted to emerging fields, including 3D bioprinting.

Printed electronics companies at FineTech Japan

IDTechEx recently visited Japan for the FineTech expo in Tokyo. This article summarises the latest findings and updates from Japanese companies in the field of printed electronics. Here, IDTechEx will discuss trends in metal mesh, in-mould, barriers and OLED materials and production.

Arevo Labs

The profile summarizes the activity of materials' supply company, Arevo Labs. This company supplies high performance thermoplastic filaments to the 3D printing market.

Leapfrog 3D Printers

Founded in March 2012, Leapfrog have had "triple digit expansion" to become a leading supplier of 3D printers for use in education and the engineering industry. Known for large build volumes, Leapfrog sell two families of 3D printers (Creatr and Xeed) both of which use thermoplastic extrusion technology. Ricoh have recently become a distributor.

Concept Laser

This profile summarises the activities, strengths and weaknesses, of the 3D printer manufacturer Concept Laser, part of the Hofmann Group.

Optomec

US-based Optomec has a strong and virtually unique position in the context of the convergence between 3D printing and printed electronics. Their blown powder metal printing technology allows production and repair.

Daimler Mobility Services GmbH

Daimler Mobility Services is a subsidiary of Daimler financial services, this company is in charge of developing the car sharing scheme Car2Go that uses Daimler's Smart in its fuel and electric version.

Internet of Things: Node potential of 10 billion yearly

The new IDTechEx report, "Internet of Things: Business Opportunities 2015-2025" is unique in being up-to-date and very thorough in examining the challenges not just the opportunities for this hyped subject.

Supercapacitors market to achieve 30% CAGR over the next decade

In the recently updated report Electrochemical Double Layer Capacitors: Supercapacitors 2014-2024 IDTechEx confirms its outlook for a 30% CAGR in the next 10 years, based on 2013 industry results.

Sinautec Automobile Technologies

Sinautec is a Chinese company developing electric buses. Interestingly they have developed a bus technology that uses only supercapacitors as energy storage device. This is possible only because they charge quickly the SC at each bus stop. This principle is known as opportunity charging which has been adopted by ABB as well in their TOSA charging system in Geneva.

3D Printing- Application Assessment

Historically, 3D printing applications have been focused on prototyping in major industries such as aerospace and automotive since the 1990s. The main value chain was simple with the printer manufacturer acquiring parts and chemicals to build a turn-key solution including both the printer and all consumables for industrial users. This article highlights findings from the latest IDTechEx report on 3D Printing Applications

Mobility Vehicles for the Disabled: Surprises

With an ageing population in developed countries, mobility for the disabled is a key electric vehicle category to follow. The biggest market is Europe, where scooters are favoured and the second biggest market is the USA where power chairs are favoured. Nowadays a mobility vehicle for the disabled is virtually always in the form of a seat on three to six wheels, which is made colourful, attractive and easy to operate.

Wearable Electronics: Here come the novelty peaks

Last Christmas and New Year the ideal present, for a girl of a certain age, from Japan to the UK was the Neurowear clip-on of floppy ears driven by brain waves to reflect your mood.

Internet of Things: The King has no clothes

Some use the term Internet of Things (IoT) to rename a large number of existing topics including the burgeoning world of cellphones, tablets and wearable connected devices, better referred to as the Internet of People (IoP).

Sonoplot

Sonoplot manufactures Microplotter systems for research and prototyping. The dispensing mechanism used within the Microplotter systems is significantly different from inkjet technology. Rather than eject droplets over a distance to a surface, a Microplotter acts like a pen plotter, directly dispensing droplets or true continuous features. Microplotters are capable of printing a wide variety of materials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and living cells.