3dpbm, a leading media firm supporting the global additive manufacturing industry landscape, has announced the launch of a market analysis and consultancy group to complement its media platform and comprehensive industry directory.
3dpbm Research, the newly announced market analysis arm of 3dpbm, carried out a 170-page study segment that provides an in-depth analysis of each major sub-segment in composites additive manufacturing.
The study, Composites AM 2020–2030, surveyed over 50 firms involved in the space and collected information on sales and business activity from all major companies operating in this segment.
It estimates that the overall composites AM market (materials, hardware, services and applications) will grow from $480 million in 2020 to over $10.6 billion by the end of the forecast period, in 2030.
Davide Sher, the author of the study, said the report focuses on the penetration of AM in the composites market as well as hardware technology and material science evolution, culminating in an assessment of the opportunities linked with composites AM adoption for prototyping, tooling and end-use part production.
“This research comes at a time when the adoption of additive manufacturing for composites part production—primarily carbon and glass fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP and GFRP)—is experiencing a new technological evolution and inflection point,” Mr Sher said.
“A consolidation is underway in the current adoption of chopped fibre materials and technologies—desktop extrusion, large-format extrusion and powder bed fusion—while a new family of mass production-capable processes is emerging that leverages and further automates continuous fibre composite part production. There is not going to be a better time to get into this market.”
3dpbm identified the markets for large-format chopped fibre pellet material extrusion (LFAM) and powder bed fusion (PBF) as key the near and medium-term opportunities for composites AM. Newer hybrid material processes that combine extrusion/automated layup technologies are seen as a strong long-term bet.
The report, which addresses leading and emerging companies such as Markforged, 9T Labs, EOS, SABIC, Ingersoll, Thermwood and Stratasys, found that composite material sales are going to represent a significant share of the overall revenue opportunity.
“This is a significant departure from other AM materials segments—such as metals, advanced ceramics and even polymers—where the value of the final parts produced can be more than ten times greater than the cost of the materials used,” reads the report.
“In composites, this ratio is expected to shrink between 2 and 3 times by the end of the forecast period, as the market moves towards mass production of parts.
“As new means of transportation—including electric mobility (by land and air), personal mobility and personal aerial transportation—are developed, the weight to strength ratio required to ensure a viable level of efficiency and mileage will require increased adoption of composite materials for metal replacement.
“The superior properties of composites FRPs will also demand greater use over unfilled polymers, as material prices are reduced by greater hardware throughput capabilities. All these elements contribute to driving significant overall growth in this segment.”
In addition to supporting the market analysis and development efforts of suppliers, the report is targeted towards firms looking to enter the market and capitalize on developing opportunities, companies looking to implement AM for composites part production, helping them quickly and accurately understand the available possibilities and investors looking for the next disruptive production technologies and applications.
