What’s New In 3D Printing?
As additive manufacturing, better known as 3D printing, has finally reached its growth phase, 20 years in the making, there are a plethora of companies developing printers and new assistive technologies annually.
As the 3D-printing surge takes over, public and private companies – even entire nations are competing to do more with the technology: 3d-print homes, cars, prostheses, organs, and even spacecraft.
Why 3D print?
3D printing helps reduce costs incurred by tools and labor, as well as saves times, increases efficiency and enables mass production of certain items.
Nothing in the industry is static, though. A 3D-printing community, 3D Hubs, releases a monthly 3D-printing trends report which compiles data from the 3D Hubs community, including over 21,000 printers from over 150 countries, as well as thousands of 3D-print orders each month.
This month, the company reported the Prusa Steel printer to be the most highly rated 3D printer, followed by the Rapide Lite 200 and Kossel XL.
Five recent trends worth noting in the 3D printing industry include: increase of third-party material suppliers, crowdfunding’s impact on the industry, an increase in 3D-printed medical devices, affordable at-home 3D printing, and new types of 3D-printing filaments.
Third-party material suppliers
A recent report released by Research and Markets revealed 225 suppliers of two of the most common thermoplastic filaments for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) printers, Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). The growing number of third-party suppliers threatens 3D manufacturers such as Stratysys and 3D Systems by infringing upon their own materials sold for their specific 3D printers.
Third-party suppliers are selling directly to end-users which is easier to do on the consumer level than on an industrial scale where companies will buy both the machinery and materials directly from the manufacturer.
Crowdfunding’s impact on the 3D printing industry signifies heavy demand
Crowdfunding, the practice of funding a venture by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people, plays a major role in the 3D-printing industry.
A recent report from research group Context revealed the significant impact that crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo on the industry.
Many start-up companies are raising millions of dollars in support of their unique 3D printers. According to Context, this trend clearly indicates a demand for 3D printers. The company states that there were 25% more personal 3D printers shipped around the world in Q2 in 2015 as compared to Q2 2014.
Some crowdfunded 3D printers that have launched successful campaigns include TIKO (raised almost $3 million to construct its $179 3D printer) and BoXYZ (raised $1.1 million to produce its $1,399 3D printer).
Increase in 3D-printed medical devices
According to a market research report published by firm MarketsandMarkets, the global 3D printing medical devices market is expected to reach $2.13 billion by 2020. The 3D-printing medical devices market includes not only 3D printers, but also 3D bioprinters, materials, services, software, and medical products.
A forecasted surge is due to advancements in 3D printer capabilities and public and private investments, as well as the growing recognition and reception of 3D printed organs and implants as viable medical options.
Many medical professionals are even turning to 3D printing to suit their individual needs and the needs of third world countries. For example, a Canadian doctor discovered a way to print low-cost stethoscopes for impoverished areas such as Gaza. At the same rate, another doctor, Julielynn Wong, launched a project that uses a solar-powered suitcase equipped with a 3D printer that can be used to create medical equipment in remote areas of the world.
Growth of affordable, at-home 3D printing
As 3D printing makes its way into the homes of even the ordinary enthusiast with no real technology or engineering experience, low-cost, more affordable, 3D printers are becoming popular.
When shopping around for an in-home 3D printer, consumers are mostly looking for key features such as size, speed, and quality.
For $1,000 or less, a consumer can purchase one of many printers. The Cube 3 ($999) has two-color printing capabilities, supports ABS and PLA filaments, a touch screen system, and can be hooked up to a phone or computer for mobile and wireless printing. It’s even suggested that anyone as young as eight years old can use it. The Robo 3D R1 can be purchased for under $900 and is equipped with automatic calibration. Like other budget printers, it supports ABS and PLA filaments. The fully assembled 3D printer has a large printing bed and prints from an SD card.
XYZprinting da Vinci 1.0 ($499) is a 3D printer recommended for first-time users due to its simple interface. The printer only supports ABS filaments, but its drip plate and extruder cleaner are convenient features for novice printers.
There are a variety of other 3D printers on the market that can be purchased for less than $1,000, bringing 3D printing right into the hands of anyone with the courage to give it a try.
The expansion of 3D-printing materials
The filament of a 3D printer can be easily compared to the importance of the blood that runs through your veins. As previously mentioned, two of the most commonly used filaments are PLA and ABS, but there are many others that can be used in desktop 3D printing. These include nylon, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), as well as composite materials such as LayCeramic, a kind of clay that can be used to make ceramic objects.
Manufacturers even offer varieties like steel and magnetic iron PLA filaments that mix material fibers with plastic to create objects of different compositions.
Even with such a wide variety of materials used in 3D printers, many private companies, start-ups, and universities are discovering new and innovative printer materials.
For example, a new 3D printer filament manufacturer, 3Dom USA has created the first of its kind, environmentally friendly 3D printer filament composed of coffee waste. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently revealed the MultiFab 3D printer capable of printing a record-breaking 10 different materials at once. Shenzhen Esun Industrial Co., Ltd just released its newest printing filament – the ePC fireproof filament that allows printers to construct fireproof objects such as ashtrays and lighter casings.
These are just some of the newest filaments being created for 3D printers, but new alternatives are being produced on a consistent basis.
The expansion of the 3D printing market, as well as these recent trends is touching a little bit of every industry with new applications in consumer, industrial, medical, and even aerospace sectors and offering a low-cost more efficient production method.
