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The 3D printing market has passed its inflection point, with the enterprise
and consumer markets poised to accelerate dramatically. Our Cool Vendors
exemplify the 3D printing market's new dynamic: vibrant startups
challenging established players.
Key Findings
"Makers" and startups drove the 3D print market hype seven years ago and are currently driving
many technology and market advances.
While most 3D printer startups are still leveraging the basic RepRap material extrusion design,
companies such as Cool Vendors MarkForged, Old World Labs (OWL) and Voxel8 have
developed advanced printers with breakthrough capabilities that are worth your consideration.
A compelling app that will drive consumer purchases of 3D printers for the home is still more
than a year away, and most consumers have yet to even see a 3D-printed item. Crayon
Creatures offers a service that exemplifies consumer-oriented applications that are coming into
the market and will drive sales of 3D prints and printers.
Many consumers, designers and engineers infrequently use the wide range of purpose-built
tools that they purchased for one project or another. The modular Flux is a 3D (and food)
printer, scanner and laser engraving all-in-one device suitable for home or enterprise use.
Recommendations
CIOs and their staff, as well as business unit marketing and operations management staff, must:
Recognize that change often comes from the fringe and that startups with 3D print hardware,
software or materials may struggle in the near term only to offer game-changing products and
services in the future.
Be receptive to the business opportunities and innovation arising from 3D printing, such as how
3D printing technologies can be exploited for prototyping new products and supporting
manufacturing processes and even utilized for relatively low production runs or one-off parts.
Develop a flexible manufacturing philosophy that enables you to incorporate new 3D providers'
offerings, and be willing to test and employ the startups' offerings.
Understand that consumers worldwide will want to experience 3D-printed output before they
consider buying a 3D printer, limiting printer shipments in the short term but opening global
markets for the 3D printing of custom consumer goods on demand.
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
3D printing (also known as "additive manufacturing") is 30 years old. For the first 20 years, the
market was dominated by companies that commercialized their products and slowly, steadily grew
their businesses with products that served primarily as an adjunct to and occasionally as a
replacement for machine tools. Then came the "makers."
The maker community became involved in what it called 3D printing about 10 years ago as the early
patents expired. Makers are people who love to invent and build things and improve on existing
items, often with the idea that they will commercialize the work done in their garage or basement.
Makers saw 3D printers as something more than machines to build prototypes. They saw 3D
printers as devices that could print their own replacement parts (RepRap, for self-replicating, rapid
manufacturing) at home (Cornell's ongoing Fab@Home project).
The maker community's enthusiasm caught the attention of the general media, and what was once
a niche market selling enterprise machinery experienced heretofore unknown global attention.
Makers, not the manufacturers, drove the 3D print market hype.
Stereolithography Electronics
Heavy industries
Life science
Medical devices
Process industries
Research
Currently, there are about 40 major manufacturers of 3D printers worldwide "major" in that they
are the dominant providers of 3D printing technologies, with revenue in the tens and hundreds of
millions of dollars. But importantly, there are hundreds of startup 3D printer manufacturers. While
most of the small companies are still leveraging the basic RepRap material extrusion design,
companies such as this year's Cool Vendors MarkForged, OWL and Voxel8 have developed
advanced printers with breakthrough capabilities that are worthy of enterprise use in a wide range
of industries.
By the same token, Cool Vendor Crayon Creatures is indicative of the creative consumer-oriented
applications that are entering the market. We still believe that the compelling app that will drive
consumer purchases of 3D printers is still more than a year away. In the meantime, consumers who
can afford the $400 to $2,800 price tag will certainly buy them to "Fab@Home" or for their children's
use on school science, technology and arts projects. Prosumers and makers who can afford the
higher price tag will gravitate to "all-in-one" 3D printers with add-on modules, such as engraving
and scanning, that Cool Vendor Flux offers.
Crayon Creatures
Barcelona, Spain (www.crayoncreatures.com)
Why Cool: Crayon Creatures is a subsidiary of cunicode, which produces consumer-oriented, co-
designed digitally fabricated products, such as moon rings, cups, 3D-printed photographs,
pendants and lamps.
The value of Crayon Creatures is in the fabricated content: It takes unique and personalized designs
and fabricates them via 3D printing (see Figure 1). For people who don't have firsthand experience
with 3D printing, Crayon Creatures provides a product/service platform that enables people to
design their own customized objects in this case, turning the imagination of children's 2D dreams
into 3D realities. The service is marketed to adults rather than children, as the figurines themselves
are for decorative purposes.
The size of the figurines is about 10 centimeters. Crayon Creatures uses sandstone material (a
gypsum-based powder) that is bound together with an adhesive and simultaneously embedded with
an inkjet head. The products are finished with a cyanoacrylate sealant (the same stuff that super
glue is made from) to ensure durability and vivid colors. Crayon Creatures and its parent are well-
positioned to potentially become leaders in a content-driven ornamental 3D market space, which
has yet to emerge.
Challenges: Crayon Creatures faces increasing competition in the emerging 3D printing service
market from both retailers and specialized 3D printing service bureaus. The figurines are hard, rigid
and slightly brittle and are intended only for decorative purposes, since they are not waterproof. The
colors are similar to those used in inkjet printers, and they fade when wet. Pricing reflects the
products' decorative status, with a price point of $130, plus shipping costs. Customers should be
aware that designs and output are quite specific and often limited. For example, if the original image
is an elephant with three legs, that is what customers will get, unless they explicitly state otherwise.
The competitive advantage of Crayon Creatures is cunicode's deep experience in design and 3D
printing and its low overhead business model (that is, print on demand). With the expected
exponential growth of the 3D printing market, it will need to build on this design skill as it faces
increased competition. The company will benefit from 3D printer manufacturers that have a strong
interest in similar business models for consumers and professionals.
Who Should Care: CIOs must evaluate the impact that numerous, potentially large files will have on
infrastructure and security, as well as on corporate intellectual property. Chief marketing officers
(CMOs) and marketing staff must remain abreast of the trend to make personalized 3D-printed
consumer goods. With content and design as the keys behind the business model, marketers
focused on the consumer market segment will be interested, as will be investors looking to enter the
market for 3D print services.
Flux
Taipei, Taiwan (http://flux3dp.com)
Analysis by CK Lu
Why Cool: Flux has developed a unique all-in-one device that incorporates 3D printing, 3D
scanning, laser engraving and modular functions (to be introduced at a later date) that provide a
The Flux device targets the mass consumer market for consumer products and crafts at home. This
company aims to differentiate its 3D printer by providing:
A modular design that allows users to change the 3D printing function into laser engraving, dual
color printing or even food printing.
An open module software development kit (SDK) that allows users to create their own modules.
The startup hopes to create a module ecosystem that will develop more usage around Flux.
The Flux team of college students participated in a startup project called the Immersion Program
that was hosted by SVT Angels in 2014. By December 2014, the startup had raised more than $1.5
million in a Kickstarter campaign that took fewer than 40 days.
Source: Flux
Challenges: The Flux team aims to deliver its first batch of Kickstarter-supported orders by July
2015. The company's challenges are as follows:
Who Should Care: Marketing leaders should monitor Flux's development and its growing
developers' communities for modularized 3D printers. Strategic planners at competing 3D printer
manufacturers should develop product roadmaps that incorporate or respond to the use of open
SDKs by Flux and other providers.
MarkForged
Cambridge, Massachusetts (www.markforged.com)
Why Cool: MarkForged is the first vendor to produce a composite 3D printer capable of reinforcing
parts with continuous carbon fiber, Kevlar and/or fiberglass. Users can print reinforced composite
parts at their desks with a higher strength-to-weight ratio than most commonly used metals in
fabrication or construction, such as aluminum. The hardware allows users to add reinforcing fibers
at any orientation and shape within the plane, perpendicular to the direction in which the 3D printer
adds material to the part. Entry-level pricing is $5,499 for the printer or $8,799 if users opt for a
"developer's kit," which includes a full set of materials for experimentation.
For example, MarkForged's Mark One printer was used to print the orthotic below. These prints are
customized with contoured carbon filament stiffening (visible in dark yellow in Figure 3) to
compensate for individual wearers' feet to match their walking or running styles. For example, if
wearers overpronate, the layout of the fiber can selectively stiffen to guide wearers to correct their
running or walking form. The orthotic was also printed with a pocket to hold an RFID tag. After
placing the RFID tag in the orthotic, 3D printing can continue to embed the tag.
Source: MarkForged
The aerospace and automotive industries are first adopters of MarkForged's printers since
composite materials are now the preferred way to optimize parts for maximum strength and
durability at the lowest part weight.
Early adopters are also using MarkForged's printers to produce tooling and fixtures, given the
sufficient strength of the objects produced. These customers benefit from reduced time to begin
computer numerical control (CNC) machining operations from weeks to days. This time savings
become an even more significant business advantage with multiple design cycles for a given part.
Challenges: MarkForged is a small company that is just ramping up its manufacturing capacity.
Consequently, there is currently a significant backlog of printers to be shipped. Also, MarkForged
can print only nylon parts reinforced with carbon filaments to date. So, while nylon is a versatile
material, it is not always suitable for harsh environments, such as in aerospace and even at high
altitudes, where it may degrade in the intense sunlight, although automotive companies increasingly
use it for under-the-hood parts. MarkForged is investing in R&D to print with other materials. Also,
as the technology is proving itself with early customers, they are asking for larger printers to
produce parts larger than can currently be created. MarkForged is working on such printers.
MarkForged does not yet have patents secured, and so the company is vulnerable to current and
Who Should Care: Engineering and operations managers who are interested in adopting 3D
printing to optimize the structural characteristics of load-bearing parts should investigate
MarkForged. The most obvious industries that can quickly take advantage of MarkForged include
aerospace, automotive, industrial tools, furniture, sporting equipment, industrial machinery,
footwear, dental devices and medical devices.
Why Cool: OWL offers a precision stereolithography (SLA) printer that is not sold but provided with
a service subscription, assuring buyers of upgrades as their printer is enhanced over time. The
unique subscription plan provides combinations of maintenance services, technical support,
operator training and consulting. OWL's thinking is that the subscription plan will enable its
customers to readily upgrade their hardware as the printers evolve, ensuring users have the latest
tools for product development, prototyping and manufacturing, while providing OWL with a steady
annuity stream.
The business model is intriguing we often tell our clients to "try before they buy" a 3D printer.
Regardless of the manufacturer or the 3D printing technology, it is imperative that you test, test, test
and then test some more before committing to a purchase that can cost tens or hundreds of
thousands of dollars. One way to test is by working with the manufacturer, while another is to
employ a service bureau to create your first prints.
The printer itself incorporates patented, proprietary technology encompassing different lasers,
materials and mechanisms than used by other SLA printers. OWL says its MC-1 printer offers
repeatable 1-micron resolution and accuracy to +/- 500 nanometers. As a practical matter, a 4 mm
(diameter) microgear, such as the one in Figure 4, is an example of the smallest part the printer can
make. The SLA technology uses photopolymer to build at the rate of a cubic inch per hour. The
MC-2 is the company's first scheduled upgrade printer for its subscription customers and will be
available in mid-2015. OWL says that this machine will feature an advanced control board, multiple
upgraded lasers capable of processing new multiple materials, and improved software.
OWL is targeting the medical device and other markets where very small, very precise prototypes
and finished plastic parts are in demand. The MC-2 has the ability to build microfluidic devices and
custom surgical guides that are positive, life-altering capabilities that surgeons will want to utilize.
Challenges: Old World Lab's full name implies a level of traditional craftsmanship and precision
that will appeal to engineers. Certainly, the sample parts provided by OWL that we have seen
exemplify that level of quality. However, developing the channel to engage designers and engineers
who have this demand could be difficult, albeit not insurmountable.
OWL's subscription plan is a variation on that theme. Many companies will find it difficult to decide
when the time is right to make a purchase, given the constant innovation occurring in the industry.
However, lessees must still pay an upfront fee of $27,900, in addition to the monthly fee of $1,600.
This puts the first-year cost into the $45,000 range, or the purchase price of certain SLA printers
from Asiga, Carima, DWS Systems, EnvisionTEC and Rapid Shape (although those printers have
many different capabilities, and OWL offers a prepayment discount for customers making a five-
year agreement). To be fair, if the MC-2 delivers on its promise of compelling engineering
Who Should Care: Product designers and engineers should be interested in OWL printers, both
from a technology and an acquisition perspective. The printer's quality will appeal to anyone
working with very small parts, whether because they will be produced at that size or because they
need a scaled-down version of a larger item.
OWL's initial target markets are universities and research labs worldwide, although it is willing to
support university/corporate research partnerships. Enterprise architects, researchers and R&D
managers at manufacturers, defense contractors and consumer goods companies should
nevertheless remain abreast of OWL, its technology and leasing program. CIOs and CMOs with
enterprises offering things and sensors used in the Internet of Things (IoT) must remain abreast of
OWL and the potential its 3D printers have for creating new IoT things and applications.
Voxel8
Somerville, Massachusetts (www.voxel8.co)
Why Cool: The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas had a growing section with
3D printers and related services in 2015. The one truly unique 3D printer at CES this year was
definitely not a consumer device Voxel8's device prints a proprietary conductive silver ink. Using
a dual extrusion process, the extruder works with polylactide (PLA) plastic, and a pneumatic syringe
dispenses a conductive material, integrating it into the finished piece. Operators can stop the
printing of both materials, insert an electronic chip and wiring harness, and restart printing in tight
registration. This capability is enabled by an integrated laser distance-sensing system, as well as by
the kinematically coupled, removable heated bed. The result is something like the quadcopter
shown in Figure 5.
Source: Voxel8
Voxel8's conductive ink exhibits exceptional electrical conductivity upon drying at room
temperature, although users will want to test this for themselves. According to the company, the
conductive ink is composed of highly conductive silver particles, and it has been tailored to create
an ink with the desired extrusion properties for 3D printing. The printer alternates between plastic
and conductor, as determined by the part's design. Voxel8 says that the built-in wiping and purging
stations for each head ensure that the extrusion tips remain clean and primed.
Voxel8 has licensed 10 patents on materials from the University of Illinois and Harvard, and it also
has pending patents on its hardware and making electrical connections between 3D-printed parts.
The company's focus on materials is important.
Voxel8 is pushing the boundaries of engineered materials that are solidlike pastes at room
temperature, yet functional. Its inks flow when pressure is applied during the extrusion process and
then rapidly cure into a solid at room temperature. The versatility of this printing method enables a
wide range of functional materials to be simultaneously co-patterned. Lithium ion batteries,
piezoelectrics, wideband 3D Wi-Fi antennas, embedded sensors and ceramics (among other
materials) that can be 3D-printed with 10-micron resolution are among potential applications over
time.
As a high-tech startup, Voxel8 could encounter many roadblocks along its path to market, as well
as once it is on the market. But to date, none of its competitors have asserted patents on one or
more of the Voxel8 printer hardware, software or material components. The company must uncover
the market likely to use a desktop 3D printer with the ability to print conductive materials.
In the near term, the most likely market will be the IoT, including the operation technology subset of
things specifically used in manufacturing operations, where the ability to print housings, sensors
and antennas, as well as insert processors, RF chips and capacitors, will be particularly valuable in
product development and small-volume production. Long term, there is certainly a wide range of
potential uses, from consumer goods to military weapons, from rapid prototyping to rapid
manufacturing of customized designs. In the immediate future, Voxel8 is seeking partnerships with
industry-leading companies that are interested in functional 3D printing.
Who Should Care: The potential price, size and capabilities of the Voxel8 should be of great
interest to CMOs, marketing management and staff personnel who are working on new products
that will benefit from embedded conductivity. In the near term, the primary use will be (as it has
been for all new 3D print technologies) prototyping and product design. The production of small lots
of finished products will be possible, certainly, especially when the finished product can be
manufactured using only 3D printing. However, the potential application of functional 3D printing
with a Voxel8 to the IoT and wearables should make any marketer, designer or engineer take notice.
CIOs must be prepared to provide the robust and secure infrastructure needed to create the 3D
printable files and processes to incorporate electronics into the printed goods.
Blueprinter
Copenhagen, Denmark (http://blueprinter.dk)
Why Cool Then: Blueprinter's patented Selective Heat Sintering (SHS) technology was an
innovative approach to printing low-cost yet useful 3D models that had the potential to significantly
impact the enterprise 3D printing market. Blueprinter's unique technology used standard thermal
printheads to "print with heat" on layers of thermoplastic powder in the printer's build chamber.
Software controlled each resistor in the printhead, essentially "plotting" as a 2D computer-aided
design (CAD) printer would, but using heat applied to layers of plastic powder. Blueprinter's SHS
technology, capabilities and related intellectual property, as well as its low purchase price and low
supply cost, were evidence of the improving 3D printer "price-to-capabilities" technology ratio.
Where Are They Now: Blueprinter shipped its first printers to buyers and partners in January 2014,
with the next-generation model, the M2, introduced that October (see Figure 6). The thermal
Initially, Blueprinter is selling only in Europe, and it now has 35 resellers supporting the distribution.
Nevertheless, the company shipped 75 printers in 2014. The M2 printers are selling for 18,000,
excluding a cleaning station.
Source: Blueprinter
Blueprinter has focused on four segments initially: traditional manufacturing companies, medical
devices, art and design, and postsecondary education. The company claims its users can print
within 10 minutes, even if they have never used the printer before. Customers are asking for two
things: greater strength, which will get closer to SLS (the company is developing its next
thermoplastic powder to meet this need); and a model with a larger build area.
Who Should Care: The new generations of 3D printers, scanners and software have significantly
lowered the barriers to entry for companies that are developing product concepts and making
finished products. R&D staff, design engineers and product marketers for many firms, as well as
many educators at secondary and postsecondary institutions, may justify Blueprinter's purchase
price. However, the company's slow ramp-up and minimal market penetration to date illustrate the
"3D Printer Market Survey Reveals Enterprise Demand Drivers for Technology, Printer and Vendor
Decision Making"
Evidence
Our Cool Vendors were nominated by the respective analysts, reviewed by Gartner's 3D printing
research community and approved by the Cool Vendors Special Report authors. Primary research
about each provider was gleaned from publicly available information and conversations with the
Cool Vendors.
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