2023-12-26 23:02:32
As 2023 draws to a close, it’s time to look back at the main trends that marked 3D printing this year. Overall, 2023 has been a turbulent and exciting year, not only in the field of additive manufacturing, but also around the world. Although escalating conflicts and global economic difficulties have been predominant, with a significant negative impact on much of the world, there have also been positive aspects.
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI), in particular, has been considerable. Since the launch of ChatGPT at the end of last year, AI has been on everyone’s lips and many (increasingly advanced) solutions have been launched during 2023. Of course, if the prospect of increasingly mature AI has delighted many people, it has also sparked discussions regarding its correct use, for example in the field of art and writing. It has also been used in the field of 3D printing.
Could this be the future of 3D printing with AI? The subject has generated a lot of ink in 2023 (photo credits: inTinker)
It is worth noting that AI and machine learning have been employed in additive manufacturing for some time now. However, the use of these software has mostly focused on process control during printing and automation. This year we also saw a discussion on new ways AI might be used in 3D printing. For example, AI software might help design 3D models.
That said, while AI has dominated everywhere else, it appears that even bigger trends have been present in the additive manufacturing sector this year. From a market in turmoil to changing technology needs to a growing focus on applications, discover what we see as the biggest trends in 3D printing in 2023.
Uncertainties in the 3D printing market in 2023
Of course, not everything has been rosy for the additive manufacturing market in 2023. As mentioned above, we have seen a lot of turbulence around the world this year. This may be linked to a number of factors, including the continued war in Ukraine, new global conflicts, rising gas prices, inflation and economic downturns. The broader tech market was particularly hard hit, with layoffs continuing throughout the year and lackluster stock market performance. Of course, the 3D printing sector has also been affected.
Since last year and through 2023, major market players have announced layoffs, including a second round of layoffs at Desktop Metal in February, the layoff of 16 to 30 employees at Essentium in August, and, finally, the cutting 10% of staff at Markforged following a poor third-quarter result due to a $5 million year-over-year decline and a $10 million decrease in cash, cash equivalents cash flow and short-term investments at the end of the second quarter of 2023.
But of course, layoffs weren’t the only sign of turmoil in the market. We can notably cite the saga of Desktop Metal, Stratasys and Nano Dimension. It all started in March 2023, when Nano Dimension announced that it would launch a formal bid to acquire Stratasys. Although the latter did not seem interested in the proposal, the back and forth between the companies continued, once morest the backdrop of Nano Dimension’s internal turmoil, a conflict having erupted between the board of directors and shareholders , for many months. This situation was punctuated by the announcement of the merger of Desktop Metal and Stratasys. The situation then became complicated when 3D Systems came forward to acquire Stratasys.
Stratasys was at the heart of important news in 2023 (photo credits: Eyal Izhar/Stratasys)
This saga finally came to an end in September, following Nano Dimension withdrew its offer, when the merger between Stratasys and Desktop Metal finally fell through. The latter has in fact been abandoned, leaving many players in additive manufacturing worried. Stratasys also withdrew from negotiations with 3D Systems, noting that the offer undervalued the company and that it had doubts regarding the combined company’s management structure.
But what is behind this turmoil in the 3D printing sector in 2023? It appears to be closely linked to the general concern regarding the global economy, as the companies most affected are those that are listed on stock exchanges. You may remember that a few years ago, SPAC mergers were all the rage in the additive manufacturing sector, reflecting the growing popularity of this field. While we can’t say it’s been negative, it’s undeniable that we’re currently seeing a backlash for many companies that went public in 2021 and 2022. They’re not the only ones affected, as the recent announcement of the bankruptcy of SmileDirectClub.
However, it should be noted that slowdowns are normal in all sectors. Although the 3D printing community has discussed a lot regarding the meaning of these signs, one must acknowledge the positive. For example, at Formnext this year we saw an increase in the number of exhibitors and visitors, which shows the continued strong interest in additive manufacturing, both among companies and lay people. Promising mergers and acquisitions have also taken place: the acquisition of HAGE3D by BigRep, for example, or that of Essentium by Nexa3D. Additionally, as we will see in other 3D printing trends in 2023, the challenges have also led to forward thinking and innovation across the industry.
Applications at the heart of the market
In recent years, much of the 3D printing market has focused on the processes themselves, showing what they are and why they are important. But this year, a turning point occurred. Rather than working on 3D printing technologies, the focus has been on how 3D printing can be used. In other words, on the concrete applications of these technologies.
Over the past few years, we have seen an increasing number of 3D printed end-use parts, including critical parts used in demanding industries like aerospace and oil & gas. Nevertheless, we found that by 2023, a return to prototyping and tooling had occurred (although these two applications had not really disappeared from the market).
In Jabil’s study released in July 2023, the use case that saw the biggest growth since 2021 was prototyping: 97% of users said they were currently using 3D printing for this purpose, up from 72%. % in 2021. Note also that repairs, end-use parts and jigs, fixtures and tooling have also seen growth compared to previous years. The report notes that “ Prototyping continues to be a central application of 3D printing in organizations, with its use increasing rapidly since the previous study. Additionally, the number of companies employing additive manufacturing for production parts has increased significantly since 2017. At the same time, the use of jigs, fixtures and tooling has almost doubled. »
This year we have also observed growth in hybrid technologies and strong complementarity between 3D printing and more traditional manufacturing methods, injection molding to name just one. 3D Systems and Massivit have both published use cases this year showing the benefits of 3D printed molds as a way to reduce time and cost for users. For 3D Systems, this goes hand in hand with the acquisition of Titan Additive last year, as shown in their case study with Duo Forms for creating thermoforming molds. David Rheinheimer, Head of Product Development at Duo Form, explains: “ We worked a lot with our EXT 1270 Titan Pellet 3D printer. The turnaround time of parts, molds and formed parts has allowed us to take a quantum leap over our competitors« .
Companies like Massivit and 3D Systems presented use cases for 3D printed molds this year (photo credits: Massivit)
Medical 3D printing has also made significant progress this year, with local medicine increasingly becoming a reality. Indeed, the importance of 3D printing in healthcare is no secret, as the technologies offer significant customization options. But this year, many advances have been made in the sector, especially in the field of bioprinting, prosthetics, etc. The Wohlers 2023 report, published in April, identified healthcare as one of the main applications of additive manufacturing.
Regardless, companies are driven by this idea of application: they are looking for solutions for a specific vertical, a particular project, a specific need. A trend that is expected to become more pronounced in 2024, as the market likely begins to recover from some of this year’s turbulence.
Evolution of user needs for 3D printing in 2023
This increased focus on applications does not mean that 3D technologies have not progressed this year. We have seen changes as businesses have clearly responded to some new trends. A phenomenon that emerged when 3D printing needs began to change. This evolution is most clearly manifested in terms of affordability, speed and changes due to industrialization.
Let’s first look at affordability. Previously, when companies wanted to move to less expensive 3D printers, extrusion or photopolymerization solutions were their only options. However, with the continued industrialization of the market and more companies moving towards more advanced technologies, we have also seen a corresponding decline in prices. This is particularly the case for SLS 3D printing.
Selective laser sintering is popular for its high production capabilities. However, due to the use of a laser, the solutions tend to be more expensive, although still lower than those using DMLS or other metal powder bed fusion solutions. However, with advances in the process and an increasing number of companies offering their own solutions, we have started to see more affordable solutions using SLS. They enable industrial production at a significantly lower cost.
In 2023, industrial 3D printing solutions available on the market, including those using the SLS technique, are increasingly affordable (photo credits: Sinterit)
While this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this, the Formlabs Fuse 1 machines or the Sintratec kit come to mind, this year we’ve seen a number of SLS solutions under $50,000. Which, while still expensive, is significantly less than the $100,000+ solutions we started with. And SLS is not the only technology where this evolution is evident, we can also cite the rise of powder binding.
Last year we told you regarding the increase in powder bonding solutions on the market and in 2023 their dominance was evident. It is a popular technology for 3D printing ceramics and metals and, in many cases, costs less than other material-compatible processes. This intersection shows that even as the market continues to industrialize, affordability remains key and speed is also becoming more important.
The classic example of affordability and speed is Bambu Lab. Although the company only officially launched last year, it has taken the 3D printing world by storm. The secret to Bambu Lab’s success is also simple: the company has made high-speed, multi-material FDM printing possible at a fraction of the cost of many of its competitors in the market. Is it really surprising that its solutions are considered by many manufacturers to be the “future” of FDM 3D printing? Especially since the launch of the company’s first bedslinger printer, the A1 Mini, earlier this year, which is even more affordable than the company’s first printers, the P1P and P1S.
The company’s rise to success has only solidified in 2023. It will be interesting to see how Bambu Lab continues to take market share from larger, legacy players like UltiMaker and Raise3D and to see how the latter will react. Especially considering the backlash the company has already faced. For example, earlier this year, many Bambu Lab printers randomly turned on overnight and started printing, leading to widespread security concerns. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the company has been able to meet a previously unmet need in the community, once once more demonstrating the evolution of user needs when it comes to 3D printing.
Affordability isn’t the only thing we’ve seen. Additive manufacturing continued its evolution towards further industrialization in 2023, as evidenced by the rise of hybrid manufacturing (discussed in the applications section), pellet 3D printers and, of course, robotic arms. Pellets in particular appear to be having their moment, as major players such as Roboze and 3D Systems join long-standing market stalwarts such as Pollen AM, WASP and Re3D. These materials are popular because they cost less, especially since they are widely available in the general industry.
3D printing via robotic arms seems to be a trend that will continue beyond 2023 (photo credits: Caracol)
The rise of pellets has also been accompanied by an increased popularity of robotic arms. Although originally considered a niche in additive manufacturing, more companies this year are offering robotic arms as well as interchangeable heads to provide even more flexibility in creating metal and plastic parts (or even in wool, as we saw recently!). The reason is simple, once once more, it is a question of financial accessibility. Many robotic arm solutions can be made compatible with a large number of different 3D printing materials and processes (FGM and DED come to mind) for a much lower price than other solutions on the market. This is another area that can only grow in the years to come.
That concludes our 3D printing trends for 2023! From a turbulent market to an increased focus on applications and the evolution of 3D printing processes, this year has been one of the most memorable in the field of additive manufacturing. In 2024, it will be particularly interesting to see how AI and robotics can be combined to increase additive manufacturing productivity; hoping it grows even more in verticals like automotive and aerospace.
And you, what trends have you observed in the 3D printing market in 2023? Do not hesitate to share your questions and comments with us in the comments to the article. Find all our videos on our channel YouTube or follow us on Facebook or Twitter !
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