WorldWide 4D Printing Market, Industry / Sector Analysis Report, Regional Outlook & Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2019 - 2025 (Includes Business Impact of COVID-19)

                                          
4D Printing Market size is anticipated to grow over the forecast timeline owing to the rising demand for modernization in several 3D printing applications and growing R&D investments. The technology is being commercialized and is anticipated to replace 3D printing over the coming years.
 

The technology is an extension of 3D printing technology and offers customers and end users enhanced efficiency, quality, and performance abilities over manufacturing techniques. The rising demand from hardware manufacturers and software solution suppliers owing to technological advancements in scanning is anticipated to drive the 4D printing market growth. Technological advancements such as 3D digitization are offering end-users high resolution which will provide a positive impetus to the 4D printing market growth.
 

The industry has attracted substantial attention and has the potential to dramatically change the construction and manufacturing processes, thereby increasing the efficiency of the business which could make the manufacturing processes easier in extreme environments. In addition, the 4D printing market has witnessed a growing demand for resource management. The technology is allowing end-users to print objects which can self-assemble or reshape themselves over time, which have positive implications for areas such as building construction, furniture, and robotics and are expected to drive the 4D printing market.
 

The necessity to condense the manufacturing and processing costs due to severe competition amongst industry players is expected to be a key factor accelerating the 4D printing market growth. The technology is based on 3D printing technology and offers a new model to accommodate the present commercial requirements by providing lesser marketing time, inventories, and the need for capital thereby boosting business efficiency.
 

4D printing technology allows its consumers to use limited material for multiple purposes, and develops materials which have the ability to change their properties and behavior based on external stimuli such as changes in pressure, temperature, and others. These features provide great opportunities for the 4D printing market across the globe.
 

Rising insecurity of policy makers owing to the technology not being commercialized, high development costs, and growing issues associated with intellectual property rights are some of the factors which are anticipated to hinder the 4D printing market development. However, the growing opportunities for key industry players are projected to subdue the factors, thereby propelling the industry growth over the forecast timespan.
 

The rising focus of companies on ensuring a sustainable environment is expected to drive the 4D printing market growth. Several companies have started applying the technology to manufacture and design products for the long run as a 4D printed product would help sustain less handling, transportation, and manufacturing costs, thereby saving efforts and resources. Over the years, the technology will be available to individuals, institutions, and professionals’ due to the unceasing developments, which will increase the demand and sales for 4D printing market.
 

Based on the materials, the 4D printing market can be segmented into programmable carbon fiber, programmable textile, and programmable wood grain. The programmable carbon fiber materials are predicted to witness a high growth over the coming years owing to their features, such as tensile strength, low weight, and high stiffness, thereby making them useful for many industrial applications. The material helps in decreasing the total weight and reducing failure-prone mechanisms, which will drive the industry adoption.
 

On the basis of end users, the 4D printing market can be bifurcated into industries such as aerospace, automotive, healthcare, military & defense, and others. The military & defense industry is expected to rise as the fastest growing segment due to its ability to self-replicate and repair itself in external environmental conditions. Several countries are developing modern technologies, which offer military & defense safety against toxic gases, providing a positive growth opportunity.
 

North America 4D printing market is expected to show a sturdy growth owing to the initialization of the concept. In the U.S., the growing focus on the technological advancements and growing number of investments in R&D have provided the technology ample growth opportunities. The government and researchers in the region are concentrating on developing 4D materials, which have the ability to adjust to diverse climatic conditions.
 

Key players operating in the 4D printing market include industry leaders and research facilities such as Autodesk, Inc., Dassault Systemes S.A., Materialise NV, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Hewlett-Packard, Inc., Stratasys, Ltd., 3D Systems Corporation, ExOne Co., ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES), and Organovo Holdings, Inc. These players are projected to witness high competition with a significant rise in the number of players.