Digital Lifescapes

The traditional printer market has been turbulent during the last few years, due to shrinking demand and vendor consolidation. However, the upside for 3D printing is a bright spot. Canalys predicts that the worldwide market for 3D printers, and associated materials and services will reach a value of $4.9 billion by the end of 2016. The total market is expected to grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43.5 percent from 2015 to 2020 -- reaching a value of $22.4 billion. Shipments of 3D printers are forecast to grow at a CAGR of 67.2 percent -- to reach 2.4 million units by 2020. Worldwide, vendors shipped 182,000 3D printers in 2015, a 37 percent year-on-year increase, with strong performances in both the enterprise and consumer sectors. That being said, challenges remain as the market evolves. The market continues to have mixed results, from a growth perspective. While industrial expenditure on 3D printers fell, educational establishments ordered thousands of systems ...

Three-dimensional (3D) printers, with the ability to print a variety of objects, have evolved significantly and are currently used for industrial and consumer prototype design applications. With use cases ranging from high-end industrial devices to children's toys, consumer 3D printing is witnessing an increased visibility among the do-it-yourself (DIY) and other early-adopter communities. New market study findings from Juniper Research reveal that the combined market value from consumer 3D Printer hardware sales and material spend is forecast to exceed the $1 billion mark by 2018, compared to just over $75 million this year. While 3D printer shipments are at relatively low levels, representing a limited opportunity in the medium term, Juniper expects them to increase significantly beyond the 5 year period. Industry leaders, including 3D Systems and Stratasys, confirmed a stronger demand for professional 3D printers and materials compared to a softer consumer demand. Howeve...

Three-dimensional (3D) printers, with the ability to print a variety of objects, have evolved significantly over the past few years and are currently re-shaping the future for industrial and consumer applications. With the ability to print solid objects ranging from high-end mechanical devices to a variety of children's toys, consumer 3D printing has gained early adoption among the do-it-yourself and hobbyist communities. Findings from the latest market study by Juniper Research reveal that sales of consumer-grade 3D printers will exceed 1 million units by 2018, rising from just over an estimated 44,000 this year. While shipments of 3D printers are at relatively low levels, representing a limited opportunity in the medium term, Juniper expects them to increase significantly beyond the five-year period. This will be a result of an ever widening scope of application scenarios, driven by the entry and growth of the more established printing vendors. This, in turn ,will likely ...