Navigating the Additive Landscape: Weekly 3D Printing Innovations, Market Trends & Industry Insights

The year 2024 is now fully underway, and to keep you abreast of the dynamic world of additive manufacturing, we are thrilled to introduce “3DExpress” – a new weekly article format designed to deliver the most significant news from the sector directly to you. Each week, 3DExpress will recap five pivotal developments that have shaped the industry, ranging from groundbreaking product launches and strategic acquisitions to critical fund-raising initiatives and novel application breakthroughs. Our mission is to ensure you receive the latest, most pertinent information from the additive manufacturing market with unparalleled speed and clarity. This inaugural edition dives into Formlabs’ exciting product announcements at CES 2024, where they showcased a remarkable leap in realistic 3D printed dental solutions. We’ll also explore a crucial study on the burgeoning 3D printing materials market, delve into the recent news surrounding American manufacturer Velo3D, and highlight the meteoric financial growth of Nano Dimension. CES in Las Vegas remains a paramount event for consumer technology enthusiasts, and 3D printing’s influence there continues to expand, signifying its growing mainstream appeal and practical applications.

Formlabs Revolutionizes Dental Aesthetics with More Realistic 3D Printed Dentures at CES 2024

CES 2024, one of the world’s most influential technology events, recently concluded, leaving a lasting impression with its array of innovations. Additive manufacturing, as expected, played a significant role, with several leading manufacturers showcasing their latest advancements. Among them, Formlabs stood out, and we are keen to spotlight their contributions in this debut 3DExpress edition. Early in the show, Formlabs unveiled several new products, most notably a revolutionary material called Premium Teeth Resin. This material is a game-changer for 3D printed teeth, offering an aesthetic quality so high that they are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth, thanks to its advanced color-matching capabilities. This development signifies Formlabs’ continued commitment to expanding and enhancing its comprehensive dental portfolio. The Premium Teeth Resin is designed for a variety of critical dental applications, including the creation of highly realistic digital dentures and temporary full-arch implant-supported restorations, often referred to as All-on-X appliances. As a nano-ceramic filled Class II biocompatible material, Premium Teeth Resin not only promises superior aesthetics but also, according to Formlabs, delivers “enhanced aesthetics, superior intraoral mechanical properties, and validated longevity to guarantee optimal clinical performance.” This innovation not only streamlines the dental manufacturing process but also significantly improves patient outcomes by providing more comfortable, durable, and aesthetically pleasing solutions. The ability to precisely match existing tooth shades and offer robust mechanical properties means a higher standard of care and patient satisfaction in restorative dentistry.

The 3D Printing Materials Market Continues Its Robust Expansion

In a world inundated with market analyses, some reports truly stand out for their insight into emerging and rapidly evolving sectors. For this week’s 3DExpress, we draw attention to a significant study published by MarketsandMarkets, which focuses specifically on the burgeoning 3D printing materials market. This comprehensive report projects that the market for additive manufacturing materials is set to reach an impressive $7.9 billion by 2027, demonstrating a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.6%. This remarkable expansion is primarily fueled by an escalating global demand for additive technology across a diverse range of industries. Sectors such as healthcare, automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, and defense are increasingly integrating 3D printing into their production workflows, driving the need for more specialized and high-performance materials. The report offers a granular analysis of the materials market, segmenting it by various critical verticals. It explores materials by form, distinguishing between filaments, powders, and resins, each suited for different 3D printing technologies. Furthermore, it categorizes materials by type, including plastics, metals, ceramics, and composites, highlighting their unique properties and applications. The study also examines the market by technology, such as FDM, SLA, SLS, and DMLS, illustrating how material innovation is intrinsically linked to machine capabilities. Geographically, Europe emerges as the second most vital market globally in terms of consumption of additive manufacturing materials. This continent boasts a substantial ecosystem of companies actively developing innovative solutions and expanding their production capacities, further solidifying its position as a key player in material science and additive manufacturing adoption. The continuous innovation in material properties, from enhanced strength and durability to biocompatibility and conductivity, is a key driver of this market growth, enabling 3D printing to tackle increasingly complex and demanding applications.

Align Technology Strengthens Dental Leadership with Cubicure Takeover

For many in the dental and manufacturing sectors, the name Align Technology resonates strongly. This company stands as a global leader in large-scale 3D printing production within the dental industry, most notably recognized for its pioneering Invisalign clear aligner system. Align Technology utilizes advanced 3D printing techniques to manufacture millions of customized molds each month, which are then thermoformed into the clear mouth trays adapted precisely to each patient’s unique anatomy. This immense production volume serves as irrefutable proof of additive manufacturing’s critical and transformative role in modern orthodontics and the broader dental industry. Earlier this year, Align Technology made a strategic move to further bolster its capabilities and market position by finalizing the acquisition of Cubicure. Cubicure is a highly specialized manufacturer renowned for its expertise in developing innovative resin 3D printing machines, particularly leveraging its patented Hot Lithography technology. This acquisition, valued at a substantial 79 million euros, is poised to significantly accelerate the US company’s growth trajectory. By integrating Cubicure’s advanced resin technology and intellectual property, Align Technology can enhance its material science capabilities, optimize its printing processes, and potentially expand into new areas of dental and medical device manufacturing. This synergy is expected to drive further innovation in customized dental solutions, offering even more precise, efficient, and cost-effective treatments to patients worldwide while solidifying Align Technology’s dominance in high-volume, precision additive manufacturing for healthcare.

Nano Dimension Reports Record Sales for the 2023 Financial Year

In another significant development featured in this week’s 3DExpress, Nano Dimension, a prominent provider of additively manufactured electronics (AME) and advanced 3D printing solutions for polymers, metals, and ceramics, has announced exceptional financial results for the 2023 financial year, reporting record-breaking sales. These preliminary results, communicated in early January, indicate a period of robust growth and may be subject to minor adjustments after more extensive audits. According to Nano Dimension’s initial reports, the fourth quarter of 2023 was particularly successful, making a substantial contribution to the impressive overall turnover for the year. In Q4 alone, Nano Dimension generated $14.3 million in sales, representing an 18% increase compared to the same period in the previous year. Furthermore, the company successfully increased its total annual turnover by a remarkable 29%, reaching an impressive $56.2 million in 2023. This financial trajectory is especially noteworthy when considering Nano Dimension’s position just a few years ago. In 2020, the company was largely regarded as a niche player in the industry, with an annual turnover of merely $3.4 million. The dramatic leap from niche status to record-breaking sales underscores the accelerating adoption of AME technologies and Nano Dimension’s strategic positioning within this burgeoning market. This positive news arrives just in time for the new year, building on an eventful 2023 for Nano Dimension, which was characterized by an aggressive takeover bid for Stratasys and numerous changes at the management level within the company, as well as recent calls to acquire 3D Systems. These actions signify Nano Dimension’s clear ambition to consolidate its position and expand its influence within the broader additive manufacturing landscape, particularly in the high-growth electronics sector. The company’s focus on developing sophisticated solutions for manufacturing high-performance electronic components, such as multilayer PCBs and other advanced circuitry, is clearly paying dividends, cementing its role as a key innovator in the industry.

Velo3D Receives NYSE Non-Compliance Notice Amidst Market Challenges

The volatile landscape of the stock market continues to pose challenges for companies within the additive manufacturing sector. This week, Velo3D became the latest publicly traded company to face such difficulties, as it was officially announced on January 3rd that the company had received a non-compliance notice from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Velo3D’s situation mirrors those of other prominent AM companies like Markforged and Desktop Metal, which encountered similar issues in the latter half of 2023. Specifically, Velo3D is not in compliance with Rule 802.01C of the NYSE’s Listed Company Manual, which mandates a minimum average closing price for a company’s common stock. In essence, Velo3D’s share price has consistently fallen below the critical $1.00 threshold. To avoid the severe consequence of being delisted from the NYSE, the company is now required to regain compliance within a six-month period. This means Velo3D must achieve a closing share price of at least $1.00 on the last trading day of any calendar month, and maintain an average closing share price of at least $1.00 over the 30 trading-day period ending on the last trading day of that specific month. This recent development comes on the heels of several challenging announcements for Velo3D, including the news of founder Benny Buller stepping down from his executive role. Investor confidence was also significantly shaken in November 2023 when Velo3D reported an error in its accounting, which sharply affected its stock prices and contributed to its current predicament. The company has publicly stated its intention to notify the NYSE in the coming days of its commitment to regain compliance with Rule 802.01C. However, this situation serves as a stark reminder of the persistent challenges and market volatility that have impacted many 3D printing companies that have gone public in recent years, highlighting the ongoing journey towards sustainable profitability and market stability for high-growth additive manufacturing enterprises.

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*Cover Photo Credits: Formlabs