What Are the Material Trends in Additive Manufacturing?

Research firm IDTechX recently published a new report examining micro-trends in additive manufacturing materials for 2022. Materials are a key component of the AM market, which has been heavily impacted by the pandemic, though, the market continues on a growth trajectory. The study examines four families of materials, namely polymers, metals, ceramics, and composites. For each of these families, IDTechX makes several predictions such as the increased importance of sustainability in the polymer segment as well as the place for extrusion processes in metal 3D printing. One thing is certain, innovations in terms of materials will lead the additive manufacturing sector to its rise and will continue to surprise us!

Even if the additive manufacturing market has been weakened by the COVID-19 crisis — like nearly all markets in the global economy — AM has managed to continue doing well and demonstrate its strengths. It has also enabled certain players to work on longer substantive developments and to rethink their way of working. We think, for example, the halting of production off-shore has pushed several companies towards the use of local resources, towards shorter supply chains, and towards solutions that are more respectful of the environment. In the polymer market, this sustainability element is getting even stronger.

Bluesint PA12 powder is 100% recyclable. (Photo Credit: Materialise)

Polymers and Metals: Towards Sustainability & Accessibility

Material manufacturers today seek to produce filaments, resins, and powders using natural materials, renewable resources, unlike petroleum; the mounting demand to manufacture parts that can be recycled or at least reused and also have a smaller carbon footprint. This is a subject that we put forward following Formnext 2021: 3D printing companies are mobilizing more on the topic of sustainability and plan to act quickly as of today. IDTechX underlines the fact that this trend is particularly reinforced in the polymers segment. The new plastics on the market are, according to the report, increasingly ecological, based on natural resources or even recycled materials. For example, the partnership between UBQ Materials and Plastics App which gave birth to a filament made from technical waste produced by companies, or to the 100% biodegradable NonOilen material from Fillamentum.