Crozet, Virginia: SmarTech Publishing, the leading provider of in-depth industry analysis services to the additive manufacturing and 3D printing industry, has just published the highly anticipated follow up to the first ever industry study on 3D printing software opportunities. Major CADCAM and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software vendors are shifting focus to a digitally-enabled future of manufacturing in which additive processes will thrive through digital tools for automated and generative design, simulation, and in-situ part certification.
For more details on the report, go to: https://additivemanufacturingresearch.com/reports/opportunities-for-3d-printing-software-2017-an-opportunity-analysis-and-ten-year-forecast/
About the Report:
Though industrial 3D printing has remained challenged in its transition to production over the last two years, the future has become significantly brighter thanks to efforts from leading software providers who are now seeking to develop processes to support advanced manufacturing with a significant focus on additive technologies like powder bed fusion. The total software process chain for 3D printing, historically a bottleneck for efficient production and a disjointed experience with comparatively little intelligence and automation, is now being significantly advanced through integration.
Print preparation software suites like Materialise Magics, Autodesk Netfabb, and 3D Systems 3DXPert continue to evolve to bring in value-added features into the build environment to create legitimate computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) solutions for 3D printing. But perhaps the biggest future indicator of an evolved software chain has come in the efforts of small and large software developers alike to bring forth the technologies of design of for additive manufacturing and simulation-driven product development to users of 3D printing.
This new study expands the scope of SmarTech’s previous industry-defining 3D printing software study by incorporating greater analysis to cover the next generation of software tools which will drive AM forward into industrialization –process simulation, generative design, and in-situ process monitoring. Nearly 160 pages of in-depth market analysis combine to cover the entirety of the software chain for 3D printing, encompassing design software environments, build software environments, and post-printing quality assurance software tools. Market forecasts for this report include:
- Segmentation of the 3D printing software chain by software functionality, including build processors, build preparation suites, design optimization tools, AM process simulation tools, in-situ monitoring software, production management tools, 3D scanning and inspection software, and more, with associated 10-year revenue forecasts for each
- Industry-specific adoption forecasts by revenue of software products by tool functionality, for the aerospace, automotive, dental, medical, service bureau, consumer products, and other industries
- Location based penetration analysis of 3D printing technology by industry based on a survey of physical prototyping and manufacturing locations currently incorporating or expected to incorporate 3D printing or additive manufacturing technologies.
In addition to the market forecasts, this latest report also provides an exploration of software functionalities and integration approaches by industry and by software product category. Analysis includes necessary efforts to develop software specific to the challenges and nature of metal versus polymer 3D printing processes, as well as opportunities to develop software in relevant tool types for specific print processes.
From the Report:
- The convergence of additive technologies is being well met by the broader CADCAM and PLM software community, where digital technologies like generative design can finally be fully leveraged through AM’s ability to produce organic and optimized geometric structures. The next challenge currently being tackled by today’s developers includes creating ‘additively intelligent’ design environments where generative design packages incorporate key process parameters and rules for specific 3D printing technologies, matching software to hardware
- The development of additive-specific process simulation technologies continues to advance, but much opportunity remains to continue to improve algorithms and solvers to better predict process-specific physical and thermal behaviors during processes like powder bed fusion. Process simulation for additive technologies could ultimately provide a means of ‘digital certification’ of parts, and when partnered with in-situ process monitoring and post-printing 3D inspection, yield the ultimate in quality assurance from design to manufactured part
- Major players in CADCAM continue to shift their strategy to accommodate the growing demand for additive-specific solutions from user communities in aerospace, automotive, energy, and orthopedics, but find themselves relying on the expertise of small specialty development groups. These large CADCAM platforms provide a means of commercialization and industrialization for specialty software developers focusing on additive’s biggest challenges
About SmarTech Publishing:
Since 2013 SmarTech Publishing has published reports on all the important revenue opportunities in the 3D printing/additive manufacturing sector and is considered the leading industry analyst firm providing coverage of this sector. Our company has a client roster that includes the largest 3D printer firms, materials firms and investors in the 3DP/AM sector.
For more details on our company go to www.smartechpublishing.com
To Purchase this Report:
For more information or to purchase this report, please contact:
Missy Wade
missy@smartechpublishing.com
Press Contact:
Lawrence Gasman
lawrence@smartechpublishing.com
434-872-0450
