The sleekening and thinning down of electronics is a trend that isn't expected to leave any time soon, as miniaturization, seamlessness, and ease of use continue to be driving factors behind the technological developments across a number of industries. This article explores in-mold electronics, photovoltaics, conductive inks, and flexible batteries.

In-mold electronics (IME) can allow for surfaces or 3D structures to become functional, with embedded electrical components, to streamline and increase performance capabilities. This article covers some of the main benefits to developments within IME, along with some of the main applications and market forecasts.

Metal additive manufacturing specifically boasts increased benefits when compared to other material feedstocks in 3D printing, including freedom of design, local manufacturing, cost savings, and reduced manufacturing times. This article covers some of the outlooks for the market including key trends and forecasts.

In this article, IDTechEx examines the impact of three major trends; one technology-focused, one regional, and one macroeconomic - on metal additive manufacturing. These trends include the dominance of powder bed fusion, the story of the Chinese metal AM market, and the impact of tariffs.

The medical sector is one of the largest spaces where 3D printing operates, with opportunities for implant customization, educational models, and drug manufacturing.

Wednesday 9 April 2025 - Driving E-Mobility Forward: How EVs Are Shining a Spotlight on Aerogels; An introduction to aerogels; Factors and regulations driving the increased focus on fire safety in EVs; Comparison of aerogel material types as EV fire protection materials and comparison with other fire protection materials; Market status and outlook for future market share of aerogels in EV applications

In 2024, the 3D printing space saw challenges and slower growth, with several prominent materials players exiting the industry. In the long-term, there are still key trends within the additive manufacturing industry that will drive the uptake of this technology, covered extensively by IDTechEx in their latest report, "3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing 2024-2034: Technology and Market Outlook", exploring key players and predictions over the next decade.

Greater integration of electronics within 3D structures is an ever-increasing trend, representing a more sophisticated solution compared to the current approach of mounting rigid printed circuit boards (PCBs) behind decorative surfaces. In-mold electronics (IME) facilitates this trend by enabling integrated functionalities to be incorporated into components with decorative thermoformed 3D surfaces.

Wednesday 11 December 2024 - The Future Trajectory of the Additive Manufacturing Market in 2025; Recent news, including entries and exits into the market; Financial summary for the 3D printing industry in 2024; Technology trends; Future outlook for 2025

The role of automation is becoming more prevalent all the time, with the usage of AI and robotics potentially making the utilization and adoption of additive manufacturing more successful.

With 3D electronics, bulky PCBs can be replaced, resulting in sleek and integrated designs. The automotive industry is one of the largest sectors benefiting from this technology, as electronics can be printed in a thin layer onto surfaces or integrated within components, which can be particularly useful for human-machine interfaces (HMIs).

Thursday 16 May 2024 - An overview of 3D electronics including electronics on 3D surfaces, in-mold electronics and fully additive electronics; Technology benchmarking on conventional and emerging metallization methods; Discussion of the status, challenges and opportunities across the whole 3D electronics industry; Market opportunities and outlook

3D electronics is an emerging manufacturing approach that enables electronics to be integrated within or onto the surface of objects. 3D electronic manufacturing techniques empower new features, including mass customizability, greater integration, and improved sustainability in the electronics industry.

IDTechEx Research announces the availability of a new report, "3D Electronics/Additive Electronics 2024-2034: Technologies, Players, and Markets". This IDTechEx report assesses the competing technologies that will enable PCBs to be replaced with integrated electronics. It covers technologies, materials, and applications of electronics added to 3D surfaces, in-mold electronics (IME), and fully printed 3D electronics.

After years of hype, the 3D printing industry has moved onto a more critical examination of the value-add that effective additive manufacturing adoption brings to businesses and supply chains. In a recent episode on 3D printing, the technology innovation podcast 'Tomorrow's Tech by IDTechEx' explored the history and benefits of this versatile technology, which has existed for over 30 years yet is still finding new applications and end-users in many major sectors.

The electric vehicle (EV) market experienced another exciting year of growth in 2023. Following a 62% increase in electric car sales in 2022 compared to 2021, IDTechEx predicts a 16% increase in global sales for 2023. However, growth was somewhat constrained during the year due to the performance of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) in Europe, particularly in the first half of 2023, partly attributed to subsidy reductions in Germany. Nevertheless, many agree that EVs represent the future of the automotive industry, particularly for passenger cars.

Ten years ago, the 3D printing landscape was in the midst of its first big boom. With the 2009 expiration of a key Stratasys patent that covered thermoplastic filament extrusion technology, desktop filament printers were taking off, buoyed by new disrupters like Makerbot.

IDTechEx have released a brand new episode of the 'Tomorrow's Tech by IDTechEx' podcast, '3D Printing: Hobbyist Pastime or Industrial Evolution'. Host Dr Tess Skyrme and industry expert Sona Dadhania will be discussing the up-and-coming trends in the 3D printing landscape.

Thursday 1 February 2024 - Identify technical and material trends within the 3D printing market; Highlight key developments influencing AM's rise, including discussion on relevant players and news; Present IDTechEx's outlook on the AM market