3D Printing Ceramics Market Overview
The trend witnessed in the global 3D printing ceramics market is increasing investments for outsourcing the 3D printing by various end-use industries such as healthcare, electronics, and aerospace. 3D printing has revolutionized the manufacturing process in several industries. The technology has created immense opportunities for product designing and helped in consolidating product assembly processes. Ceramics are mainly used for printing plates, cups, and other cutlery items. Ceramic prototypes are also used in high temperature application areas in the aerospace and automotive industries.
Ceramics are generally formed from a mixture of powders with or without binders and other additives, using conventional technologies, including injection molding, die pressing, and tape casting. These ceramics forming techniques take long processing time and are expensive. On the other hand, machining of ceramics tends to be extremely difficult, owing to the extreme hardness and brittleness of ceramics. The introduction of 3D printing technology into the manufacturing of ceramic components offers entirely new possibilities for addressing these problems and challenges. The 3D printing ceramics market is segmented on the basis of type, form, end-use industry, and geography.
Based on the type, the 3D printing ceramics market is classified into glass, fused silica, and quartz. Fused silica and quartz are expected to hold a significant share in the market during the forecast period.
On the basis of form, the 3D printing ceramics market is categorized into filament, liquid, and powder. Powder category is expecting to hold the largest market share during forecast period, owing to rise in demand for laser sintering technology in commercial applications. Furthermore, the market for liquid ceramics is projected to witness the fastest growth, owing to the usage of ceramics in the form of pastes and gels, and employed to the production of several products though stereo lithography techniques, which are widely utilized in prototyping applications.
Based on the end-use industry, the 3D printing ceramics market is differentiated into aerospace and defense, healthcare, automotive, consumer goods and electronics, manufacturing, and construction. Traditionally, aerospace and defense industry held prominent share in the market, owing to invention and integration of new materials for prototyping as well as increase in production of aerospace and defense equipment. Healthcare is the second largest end-use industry for 3D printing ceramics, owing to usage of ceramics in several medical products such as dentures, surgical equipment, prosthetics and implants, and tissue engineering products.
On the basis of region, the 3D printing ceramics market is categorized into North America, Europe, Latin America (LATAM), Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America is expected to hold a significant market share during the forecast period, owing to increase in usage of ceramics in varied end-use industries. The APAC market is expected to expand at a rapid pace due to the increase in production activities of automobiles, consumer goods, and electronic products.
3D Printing Ceramics Market Dynamics
Drivers
Rapid growth in the 3D printing ceramics market is driven by rise in demand for 3D printing in the dental industry and product modification, and development in various end-use industries. 3D printing is gaining demand in the healthcare industry, especially for dental applications. Ceramics are being preferred for 3D printing of orthopedic and dental implants, and heart valves, due to their characteristics such as inertness, porosity, resistance to high wear, high compression strength, and capability to mold into a variety of shapes. Increasing adoption of 3D printing technology by different industries in emerging economies is also expected to support the market.
Restraints
Rapid growth in adoption of 3D printing technology based on plastics and metals, and high cost of 3D printing ceramics are hampering the growth of the market. These challenges of product substitution and high-capital requirement are likely to act as key restraints for the 3D printing ceramics market.
3D Printing Ceramics Market Competitive Landscape
Some of the major companies operating in the global 3D printing ceramics market are 3D Systems, EOS GmbH Electrical Optical Systems, Renishaw Group, Stratasys Ltd., DSM, Arcam EBM, Organovo Holdings Inc., Voxeljet AG, Envision TEC, and Tethon 3D.
The study provides the historical as well the forecast market size data for various countries, including the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Japan, China, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
