Since its inception in the late 1980s, 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, has been the subject of intense media attention due to the design and manufacture freedom afforded to the end user. Indeed, this freedom has become so intertwined with the concept of 3D printing that manufacturers will promote their products with the tagline that "complexity is free".

The need for lightweighting is paramount across numerous sectors and understanding the material solutions has left a significant amount of uncertainty and potential opportunities.

Within the field of 3D printing, there is increasing emphasis on functionality as the industry shifts away from the stereotype of rapid prototyping, and materials are not exempt from such scrutiny.

Here the IDTechEx analysts in attendance present a commentary on the show's highlights in their respective fields of research

This article provides an overview smart windows.

This article provides an overview of the current state of play of the 3D printing market.

Single crystal silicon photovoltaics will now be very affordable, obsoleting polycrystalline Si PV by having efficiency much higher. Laminating it onto supercapacitor sheeting will form a load bearing material that both makes and stores electricity, delivering it exceptionally fast when needed.

The aim of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine is to create living biological tissue that can repair and replace damaged tissues in the body, something that cannot be achieved by medicine and medical procedures.

IDTechEx will be hosting a free webinar on Thursday 15 March titled Developments in 3D Printing 2018.

From its humble beginnings in the late 1980s, through to the global force that it is today, the capabilities of 3D printing technology have expanded dramatically, to establish itself as an attractive manufacturing solution for prototyping and production.

The new report by IDTechEx, Conductive Ink Markets 2018-2028, provides the most comprehensive and authoritative view of the conductive inks and paste market.

Lightweight metals are forecast to enter a growth phase as both material maturity and market drivers become aligned. IDTechEx has released a new technical report on this topic, Lightweight Metals 2018-2028: Forecasts, Developments, Players, which provides extensive coverage of this field based on analyst-led primary research.

Raghu Das introduced the technologies covered and an introduction to the IDTechEx Show! USA 2017

At the IDTechEx Show! in Santa Clara, IDTechEx was delighted to present the 'Best Development in 3D Printing Award USA 2017' to Exovite for their work on 'Technological innovation in tools and medical procedures.'

Raghu Das, CEO and Chris Clare, Event Director, IDTechEx tells you what to expect at the upcoming IDTechEx Show! held at the Santa Clara Convention Center, November 15-16 2017.

Exploring the commercialization of flexible electronics, one of the key focus points of this year's Printed Electronics USA event on November 15-16 in Santa Clara, CA.

IDTechEx will host a free webinar on Tuesday 24 October titled Innovations in 3D Printing 2017.

Cast your mind back a few years and you will find a conductive ink business that appeared very mature and slow moving. Then everything began to change...

There is more energy to harvest at sea. True, water craft have stronger resistance to overcome but on balance, it means that energy independent electric boats are more common than their equivalents on land or in the air and they have lessons for both.

IDTechEx's free, expert led webinars provide up-to-date insights on the latest emerging technology trends. You can now access these at a time that suits you, for up to one month.