Metal 3D printing may be grabbing the limelight right now, but that doesn’t mean you should put plastics in the corner. “Polymers are falling behind metals in terms of transitioning to a major serial production technology for finished parts,” acknowledged Scott Dunham, Vice President of Research at SmarTech Markets Publishing (Crozet, VA), a consultancy and publisher of 3D-printing related business reports. “But interest in using polymer 3D printing technology to compete with or complement injection molding is at an all-time high,” said Dunham.
Dunham, who authored “ Opportunities in Polymer and Plastic 3D Printing – 2017: An Opportunity Analysis and Ten-year Forecast for SmarTech ,” addressed topics related to 3D printing technology trends and associated markets during a recent webcast. Here are some of his key observations.
Anyone doubting the relevance of polymer-based 3D printing need look no further than medical and dental applications. “In the next 18 months, about $560 million will be spent on 3D printers for medical and dental applications. That will grow to $2.5 to 3 billion by 2026,” said Dunham. The new Fuse 1 printer from Formlabs is illustrative of the advances that continue to be made.