Military 3D and 4D Printing Industry

Military 3D and 4D Printing Market Analysis

The Military 3D and 4D Printing Market is expected to register a CAGR of greater than 10% during the forecast period.

• During the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, the market saw a decline of -3.8%, which affected the market dynamics, competition, and the global supply chain. However, in 2021, when lockdown restrictions started to loosen, the industry started to recover again. Thus, it is expected that the market will witness exponential growth in the coming years.
• Currently, the increasing need to simplify the process of manufacturing parts and components, as well as weapons and equipment, in the defense industry is driving the growth of the military 3D and 4D printing market during the forecast period. Additionally, the increasing investments by armed forces for the reduction in manufacturing cost maintenance of military equipment, along with the high demand for lightweight parts, are further expected to bolster the penetration of additive manufacturing for military applications. With the changes in battlefield requirements, the equipment that changes (shape or properties) in accordance with the environment is likely to help armies gain the upper hand. To have this tactical advantage, investments in 4D-printed weapons are anticipated to grow rapidly in the future.

Military 3D and 4D Printing Market Trends

Airborne Segment Held Highest Shares in the Market

• The demand for lightweight components of airborne applications to reduce fuel and maintenance costs is generating the demand for this market in the airborne segment. The United States Air Force is currently using 3D-printed parts on C-5 Galaxy transport jets. The parts are used in various parts of the cabin and crew bunk areas of the plane, which include overhead panels, reading and emergency light covers, window reveals, and gasper panels.
• As the Air Force's additive manufacturing library of parts continues to grow, the cost benefits of additive manufacturing production may increase. Generally, the direct energy deposition process is extensively used in manufacturing military aircraft equipment and parts, as it can manufacture a range of small metallic components to complex parts in huge volumes.
• Moreover, in the coming years, the US Air Force plans to add 20 additional components to the aircraft, made from polymers and high-end metals, such as titanium. Such robust plans to install additive-manufactured components on aircraft are anticipated to generate demand for the segment in the future.

North America is Anticipated to Register the Highest Growth During the Forecast Period

• The growth of the North American region is majorly due to the increasing investments by the United States into 3D and 4D technology. The United States Department of Defense (DoD) plans to rapidly adopt additive manufacturing. For this purpose, the DoD has found the Manufacturing USA network with more than 1,900 member organizations. Through this network, companies are investing in new programs to integrate 3D printing into the United States Army and United States Air Force manufacturing operations.
• For instance, under Phase 3 of the MAMLS project funded by Air Force Research (ARF), the prime focus is to reduce the cost and lead time, to fabricate replacement components for legacy aircraft. Similarly, in January 2022, the United States Army announced the purchase of WarpSPEE3D--the world's first large-format cold spray metal 3D printing technology, developed by Australian company SPEE3D.
• Such efforts by the government to integrate advanced technology manufacturing parts and components for reducing costs are anticipated to generate the highest demand from North America during the forecast period.

Military 3D and 4D Printing Industry Overview

The military 3D & 4D printing market is consolidated in nature, with very few players that provide the defense industry with 3D-printed components and equipment. Some of the prominent players in the market studied are Stratasys Ltd, 3T Additive Manufacturing Ltd, Engineering & Manufacturing Services Inc., Norsk Titanium US Inc., and 3D Systems Corporation. However, due to high profitability in 3D manufacturing and increasing market prospects of 4D printing in military applications, the market is expected to become highly fragmented in the years to come with many players entering the market.

Military 3D and 4D Printing Market Leaders

Military 3D and 4D Printing Market News

• November 2022: 3D Systems and ALM announced their partnership to expand access to industry-leading 3D printing materials. The companies plan to accelerate material adoption and drive additive manufacturing industry growth by providing access to industry-leading 3D printing materials.
• September 2021: General Lattice, a digital manufacturing software firm, secured a contract from the US Army to develop a 3D-printed combat helmet with improved energy absorption.