Dublin, Aug. 25, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Opportunities in Polymer and Plastic 3D Printing - 2017: An Opportunity Analysis and Ten-Year Forecast" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

Opportunities in Polymer and Plastic 3D Printing - 2017 is the third generation of the world's most comprehensive analysis of polymer 3D printing technology. In this new edition, market analysis is segmented by print technology market -as each major polymer print process settles into its own roles and established applications, our analysis has deepened to the specifics of each driving print technology and associated materials.

Over the last two years, the polymer 3D printing industry has been in a state of tumultuousness marked by dozens of new competitors entering the market, partnerships for development of materials, and development of new print technologies. All of these and more have combined to create a whirlwind market that, in spite of so much activity and investment, has struggled to maintain its growth pace from 2012 through 2014 as customers have backed off purchasing in the traditional segments while adopting a 'wait and see' strategy. The demand for additive manufacturing in general has perhaps never been higher, but challenges associated with such rapid evolution in polymer and plastic 3D printing have suppressed growth in the face of historic interest in 3D printing at a professional level.

As the global chemical and polymer suppliers of the manufacturing world move into position to exert more influence over the increasingly integrated 3D printing industry, market change appears imminent. Meanwhile, the commercialization of disruptive new print technologies such as those from Carbon, HP, Rize, and more all ensure 2017 will be a pivotal year.

Utilizing purpose-built proprietary 3D printing market models, the report is able to present detailed market forecast data on thermoplastic filaments, powders, photopolymers, composites, and more utilized in popular print technologies of material extrusion (FDM, FFF), polymer powder bed fusion (SLS, Multi Jet Fusion), photopolymerization (SLA, DLP, CLIP), binder jetting, and more.

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter One: Review of Current Market Trends and Dynamics in Polymer 3D Printing
1.1 Segmenting the Polymer 3D Printing Market: Specialized Processes versus Manufacturing Processes
1.1.1 Material Extrusion - A Flexible and Cost Effective Process for Low- to Medium- Volume Manufacturing
1.1.2 Polymer Powder Bed Fusion - A Highly Scalable Process for Volume Manufacturing and High-Performance Parts
1.1.3 Photopolymerization - A Multifunctional Process for Mass Customization
1.1.4 Material Jetting - A Specialized Process for High-Value Multifunctional Output
1.1.5 Binder Jetting - A Specialized Process for High Volume, Large Models
1.2 Polymer 3D Printing Market in Period of Transition Through 2017
1.2.1 Ongoing Influence of Low-Cost 3D Printers in the Polymer Printing Segment
1.3 Analysis of Growth Drivers and Emerging Dynamics in Polymer Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing
1.3.1 Markets Demand Greater Strides in Open Architecture for Professional and Industrial Polymer 3D Printers
1.3.2 Global Polymer and Chemical Providers Will Take Center Stage in Polymer 3D Printing by 2019
1.3.3 Current Go-to-Market Strategies for Polymer Print Material Developers
1.3.3.1 Development of Branded Third-Party Product Lines for Direct Sales to End Users
1.3.3.2 Sale of Feedstock or Private Label Materials to 3D OEMs or Third-Party Material Compounders and Developers
1.3.4 Market Growth Scenarios, 2017 through 2019
1.4 Major Adopters of Polymer 3D Printing Technology by Industry - Trends and Future Growth Drivers
1.4.1 Polymer 3D Printing in the Automotive Industry - Leading in Potential for Volume Manufacturing and Prototyping
1.4.2 Medical 3D Printing a Short-Term Driver for Current Polymer Printing
1.4.3 3D Printing Increasingly Disruptive in Dentistry as a Digital Production Tool
1.4.4 Aerospace Industry Rallying Around Polymer 3D Printing for Strategic Manufacturing Solution in Aircraft Interiors
1.4.5 Balancing Expectations for Polymer 3D Printing in the Jewelry Industry Versus Direct Metal AM Production
1.5 2016 Market in Review - Setting the Stage for a Global Manufacturing Revolution?
1.5.1 Major Hardware Market Competitive Shakeup - Hewlett Packard, Carbon, Farsoon, and Prodways
1.5.2 Global Polymer and Chemical Companies Make Significant Commitments to 3D Printing in 2016/2017
1.5.3 Cincinnati Inc., Stratasys, Others Look to Revolutionize the Value Propositions of Existing Processes Through New Vision

Chapter Two: Opportunities for Polymer 3D Printing Hardware and Materials in Material Extrusion Technology
2.1 Global Material Extrusion Market Metrics and Landscape
2.2 Characterizing the Material Extrusion Process
2.3 Influential Applications and Major Markets for Material Extrusion 3D Printing
2.4 Opportunities in Print Materials and Polymers in Material Extrusion
2.4.1 Established Thermoplastics for Material Extrusion
2.4.1.1 Nylon/Polyamide
2.4.1.2 ABS
2.4.1.3 Other Amorphous Thermoplastics - Polycarbonate, ASA, and TPU
2.4.2 Emerging Thermoplastic Material Opportunities in Material Extrusion
2.4.2.1 Opportunities in Amorphous Thermoplastics - PVC and PEI
2.4.2.2 Opportunities in Semicrystalline Thermoplastics - PAEK Polymers, Polyethylene, and Polypropylene
2.4.2.3 Thermoplastic Composites Utilizing Material Extrusion
2.5 Major Players and Influencers in the Material Extrusion Segment - Materials and Hardware
2.5.1 Stratasys
2.5.2 TierTime
2.5.3 Arburg
2.5.3 Bolson Materials/Argyle Materials
2.5.4 taulman3D
2.5.5 SABIC
2.5.6 Cincinnati Incorporated

Chapter Three: Opportunities for Polymer 3D Printing Hardware and Materials in Powder Bed Fusion Technology
3.1 Global Powder Bed Fusion Market Metrics and Landscape
3.2 Characterizing Polymer Powder Bed Fusion Technology
3.3 Influential Applications and Major Markets for Powder Bed Fusion 3D Printing
3.4 Opportunities in Print Materials and Polymers in Powder Bed Fusion
3.4.1 Established Powder Bed Fusion Thermoplastics and Polymers
3.4.1.1 Neat Polyamides and Composite Polyamide Materials (Nylons)
3.4.1.2 PEEK and PEKK
3.4.1.3 Polystyrene
3.4.2 Emerging Opportunities in Thermoplastics and Polymers for Powder Bed Fusion
3.4.2.1 TPU and Elastomeric Polymers
3.4.2.2 Semicrystalline Polymers - Polypropylene and Polyethylene, and High-Performance Semicrystalline Thermoplastics
3.4.2.3 Ceramics and Sand Processing Using Polymer Powder Bed Fusion Systems
3.5 Major Players and Influencers in the Powder Bed Fusion Segment - Materials and Hardware
3.5.1 3D Systems
3.5.2 EOS
3.5.3 Evonik
3.5.4 Arkema
3.5.5 Prodways and Farsoon (including ExcelTec)
3.5.6 Solvay
3.5.7 Oxford Performance Materials
3.5.8 CRP Technologies
3.5.9 BASF
3.5.10 Lehmann & Voss
3.5.11 Xaar/voxeljet

Chapter Four: Opportunities for Polymer 3D Printing Hardware and Materials in Photopolymerization and Material Jetting Technologies
4.1 Global Photopolymer 3D Printing Market Metrics and Landscape
4.1.1 Photopolymerization
4.1.2 Material Jetting
4.2 Photopolymerization Methods versus Material Jetting
4.3 Influential Applications and Major Markets for Photopolymer-Based 3D Printing
4.4 Opportunities in Print Materials and Polymers for Photopolymer Printing
4.4.1 Current Photopolymer Materials for Printing in Photopolymerization and Material Jetting Technologies
4.4.2 Development of Specialized Photopolymerization and Jetting Print Technologies for Printing in Established Polymer Materials
4.4.3 Development of Resins for Manufacturing Applications in End-Use Parts
4.5 Major Players and Influencers in the Photopolymer 3D Printing Segment - Materials and Hardware
4.5.1 3D Systems
4.5.2 EnvisionTEC
4.5.3 DSM Somos (Royal DSM)
4.5.4 Sartomer (Arkema)
4.5.5 DeltaMed and Prodways
4.5.6 Henkel
4.5.7 Carbon

Chapter Five: Opportunities for Polymer 3D Printing Hardware and Materials in Other and Emerging Print Technologies
5.1 Binder Jetting with Polymers - Is Polymer Binder Jetting Viable for the Future?
5.1.1 Process Characteristics and Marketplace for Polymer Binder Jetting Technology
5.1.2 Available and Future Materials for Polymer Binder Jetting
5.1.3 Notable Players for Polymer Binder Jetting and Future Outlook
5.1.3.1 Future Outlook for Binder Jetting
5.2 Lamination Based Processes - New Life in 2017 through Composite Processing