"Autodesk Inc., Stratasys Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company, CT CoreTechnologie Group, EnvisionTEC, Inc., and The ExOne Company [Description of the Report] The 4D Printing Market was valued at USD 62.02 million in 2020 and is anticipated to reach USD 488.02 million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 41.96% over the forecast period (2021-2026). The 4D printing market will be driven during the forecast period by advancements in bio-fabrication technology.
Highlights: When external energy sources like heat, pressure, or energy are present, when this 3D-printed smart material is touched, it changes in accordance with the program's instructions. The self-transformation of printed objects over time is made possible by 4D printing technology in this manner.
Medical and defense technologies are being developed as a result of 4D printing's technological advancements. For instance, doctors use 4D printing to implant self-transforming components into the patient's body in order to reduce the number of procedures required for the procedure.
Furthermore, 4D printing is more important in military applications. Soldiers can wear camouflage that can adapt to various metals and environments. Based on the changes in the environment, this is making tanks and trucks work better. The military is increasingly looking into 4D printing because of the advantages it offers in the production of weapons, machinery, and other defense technologies.
The United States Air Force (USAF) and the United States military are making investments in 4D printing in order to improve infrastructure and position American air power for future dominance.
Industries, particularly healthcare, will use more cutting-edge technology as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak to manufacture and meet the requirements of various medical devices and equipment. Leitat Technology Centre, for instance, used 3D technologies and components from the market to create the ventilator. As a result of the rapid assembly, approximately 100 ventilators can currently be produced each day.
The structural design of the 4D printing technology, which includes both the hardware and software sections, presents a significant obstacle. To plan the equipment part, extraordinary measures should be tended to.
Key Market Trends: Additive Manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is a component of Industry 4.0, and the emergence of Industry 5.0 will drive the 4D Printing market. In recent times, numerous funding activities have resulted in technological advancements. For instance, Materialise and Genesis Park led a Series A round that brought in USD 22 million for the 3-D printing company Essentium in January 2019.
Due to the rapid advancement of additive manufacturing technology, businesses have realized that "manufacturing as a service" is an effective strategy. Additionally, Industry 5.0's ability to produce personalized goods at lower costs, with less energy use and waste of materials, is the future of additive manufacturing.
Industry 5.0 will support 4-D printing since it will assist in focusing on plan with handling, as opposed to the assembling system. Products that are more individualized and individualized will be produced as a result of the freedom of design.
It is anticipated that design will push the limits of physics in Industry 5.0. For instance, manufacturing capabilities are constrained by Industry 4.0 when it comes to the production of next-generation aircraft. On the other hand, since humans will primarily concentrate on the aircraft's design under Industry 5.0, the manufacturing process would be better automated.
North America to Hold Largest 4D Printing Market Share In terms of Adoption, the North American region, particularly the United States, is among the Leading Innovators and Pioneers. Over the forecast period, it is anticipated to maintain its leadership position in the market.
In December 2018, US-based Autodesk launched ADAPT, an additive manufacturing consortium that identifies the academic-industry ecosystem, scalable education platforms, actionable strategic insights, and visionary research as the platform's foundation.
One of the leading manufacturers and distributors of patented 3D rapid prototyping and manufacturing solutions for global organizations is EnvisionTEC, based in Michigan. The company intends to soon offer prototypes that can be printed in four dimensions because of their substantial customer and partner base in the automotive, aerospace, and medical industries.
The OECD says that the United States spends more on healthcare than any other country, as a percentage of GDP. In healthcare, 4D scanners can be used to create 4-D models of human body parts that can be used to make prosthetics.
Competitive Landscape The primary characteristics of the most prominent 4D printing technology suppliers are self-assembly lab: Autodesk Inc., Stratasys Ltd., the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES), Exone Corporation, and others are among the companies involved. There are no major players in the market, so competition is fierce. By investing in research and development for 4D printing, businesses in additive manufacturing and 3D printing are enhancing their capabilities. As a result, the market is dispersed.
In order to expand its printing capabilities and application engineering, the 3-D printing startup Fast Radius raised 48 million dollars in April 2019.
The brand-new software for generative design was created by Autodesk in January 2019 and is compatible with HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printers. The design-to-print workflow for additive manufacturing was created specifically for HP's 3D printers with the intention of simplifying the process of converting digital design into a physical component. In addition to collaborating with HP, the company is also collaborating with GE Additive to develop an integrated workflow for the GE 3D printer, which will eventually lead to the development of new methods for 4D printing.
