The global 3D printing ceramics market, is estimated to be valued at USD 27.8 million in 2015 and is projected to reach USD 131.5 million by 2021, at a CAGR of 29.6%. Rapid increase in demand from end user industry for different applications are expected to drive the overall demand for 3D printing ceramics market in coming years.
Market Dynamics
Drivers
- Increasing demand for product modification and development
- Growing demand for 3D printing in dental industry
Restraints
- Lesser developments in ceramic in comparison to metals and plastics with low application base
- High cost of 3D printing ceramics due to low consumption volumes
- Low acceptance rate of new technologies in emerging economies
Opportunities
- Increased R&D investment by various end-use industries to sustain in the market
Challenges
- Continuously evolving 3D printing materials market
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3D printing ceramics’ application in the aerospace & defense, healthcare, and automotive industry drive the growth of 3D printing ceramics market
Aerospace & defense
The development of ceramics as essential 3D printing materials has increased their applicability in aerospace and military aircraft. Some of the application areas for ceramics include thermal protection systems in rocket exhaust cones, insulating tiles for space shuttle, engine components, and ceramic coatings that are provided in windshield glass of several airplanes. Moreover, ceramics have been used in the defense industry for the development of body armor plates, vehicle armor tiles, electronic counter measures, and X-ray tubes, among other defense-related components. With high demand for customization in these two industries, along with rise in research & development activities, the demand for 3D printing and subsequently 3D printing ceramics is expected to increase. In comparison to liquid and filament form of ceramics, the market for powder ceramics is projected to increase owing to the increasing demand for laser sintering technology. For instance, Airbus Group and GE Electronics have started the usage of 3D printing to reduce prototyping costs.
Healthcare
Healthcare is another key application area, wherein ceramics have been increasingly used, owing to the biocompatibility of certain ceramic grades. Medical & dental is one of the major applications that use 3D printing technology. Several medical products such as surgical equipment, prosthetics & implants, and tissue engineering products are manufactured by using 3D printing technology. Ceramics are majorly used for the development of dental implants, orthopedic implants, diagnostic instruments, and implantable electronic devices. Major types of ceramics preferred for the manufacture of these medical devices include bio-inert ceramics, bio-active ceramics, bio-restorable ceramics, and piezo ceramics. Some of the key drivers influencing the growth of the 3D printing ceramics market in the healthcare sector include increasing demand for product modification and development, and financial support provided by governments to encourage research & developments activities in the field of 3D printing.
Automotive
The automotive industry has been an early adopter of 3D printers. In addition to manufacturing spare parts in the automotive industry, 3D printers are also used to develop and replace damaged parts of automobiles. With the introduction of 3D printing technology, the future of designing cars is set to change. 3D printing helps in accelerating the process of continuous factory production of individual automotive parts. It also helps prevent losses that occur during the normal production process. Currently, 3D printing is mainly used in prototyping and complex tooling applications for the automotive industry. Assembly of engines requires various tooling applications, which are manufactured using 3D printers. One of the key developments in the automobile industry is the use of 3D printers to print spare parts of vehicles. 3D printing materials are also used for the development of various components of the automotive industry such as engine parts, gears, front and backlight covers, chassis, front lid, fenders, doors, and other parts. In order to decrease the costs associated with mass production setup lines and enhance profits, the automotive industry is undertaking experiments to produce complete cars with the help of 3D printing technology. All the above mentioned factors are likely to propel the growth of the 3D printing ceramics market in the automotive industry.
Critical questions the report answers:
- Where will all these developments take the industry in the mid to long term?
- What are the upcoming industry applications for 3D printing ceramics?
Leading companies in the 3D printing ceramics market include 3D Systems Corporation (U.S.), Viridis 3D LLC (U.S.), EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems (Germany), Renishaw Plc (U.K.), Tethon 3D (U.S.), Stratasys Ltd. (U.S.), Lithoz GmbH (Austria), and Cerum 3D (U.S.), among others.
Veolia (France), Suez (France), KW Plastics (US), and Jayplas (UK) lead the global 3D printing ceramics market. These players are the major 3D printing ceramics manufacturers and are gaining a strong foothold in the market through the strategies of expansions and joint ventures.
Advanced Materials 