Formnext 2024, Moving Towards a More Stagnant Market?
Yet another Formnext closed its doors last Friday at Messe Frankfurt. For four days, the entire additive manufacturing community gathered in the show’s four halls, in search of the latest innovations, trends and applications. Naturally, the 3Dnatives teams were on hand to gather all this information and take the temperature of the market. This year, it was clear that metal was very much in evidence on exhibitors’ stands: from 3D-printed parts to machines and post-processing solutions, there’s no doubt that the technology is finding its way to many manufacturers. We also saw a growing emphasis on qualification solutions for 3D-printed parts, a boom in the DED process, and a proliferation of pellet systems.
All in all, Formnext 2024 was a showcase for a number of interesting launches, but we’re still left wanting more: have we reached a certain glass ceiling that could indicate stability in the sector? Or could we see it as a market in full stagnation? In any case, this was the feeling that permeated the aisles of the show, which included an increasing number of Asian exhibitors. Time to take stock of Formnext 2024!
Visitors from all over the world were at the show
The show organizers had announced over 850 exhibitors, and we were not disappointed: according to a press release from Messago, there were 864 solution providers from all over the world. Although there were more exhibitors than in 2023, we could not overlook the fact that the stands were less impressive than in previous years. There were no two-story stands, more shared spaces, more pavilions. In short, the footprint of the booth was reduced for many companies.
But that’s not to say that others didn’t take advantage: while several exhibitors had smaller stands this year, others held to the maxim that bigger is better. These included booths for Bambu Lab, BLT, Caracol and Supernova. Overall, we were less concerned with demonstrations: the market is industrializing and has chosen its positioning. In terms of visitors, the show attracted 34,404, 4.7% more than last year.
Asia Is Gaining Market Share
It’s hard not to notice the growing number of Asian exhibitors this year. Some of them even opted for large booths, enabling them to showcase a wide range of machines and applications. To give you an idea, there were some 150 Asian exhibitors, including 101 from China, while the United States had just 53. This raises the question of how this will translate in terms of competition in Europe and North America, how incumbent manufacturers such as EOS, 3D Systems and Stratasys will react to players like Farsoon and BLT, and whether companies such as Anycubic, Creality, Bambu Lab and Elegoo can seriously worry brands such as Raise3D, UltiMaker and Prusa.
In conversation with some visitors to the show, the message was clear: “We now have access to Asian machines which are less expensive and offer the same level of quality and repeatability, so inevitably we’re asking ourselves whether or not to invest”, confided an automotive manufacturer. A German manufacturer of industrial machinery added: “We can see that the additive manufacturing market is stagnating, but at the same time Asia is growing and starting to eat into our market share. The next few years will be decisive in confirming this trend or not. We need to remain attentive.” So 2025 will be an interesting year for the 3D printing sector, and we will see if Formnext 2025 confirms our predictions.
The stand of TPM3D, a Chinese manufacturer of SLS solutions
Quality Control of 3D Printed Parts
Another trend observed at Formnext this year was the number of solutions on display for controlling the quality of 3D-printed parts and testing material properties. It seems that increasingly the focus is on adopting additive manufacturing and scaling up. Furthermore, the goal is to produce end-use parts, whether in series or not. Depending on the sector, they have to meet more or less stringent requirements. So it is vital to check that they’re fit for purpose and meet expectations, and that means quality control.
As we wandered through the aisles of the show, we noticed that a good number of exhibitors were focusing on this stage of the value chain. GrindoSonic, for example, has developed a machine for measuring the resonance of vibrations in 3D-printed parts, which can then be converted to analyze mechanical properties. Imprintec has also devised a 3D optical measurement solution to characterize a part’s mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, ductility or elasticity curve.
Richard Freemen, Principal Staff Engineer for Metallic Materials Manufacture & Heat Treatment at the Performance Review Institute, explained: “It’s great to be at Formnext because we have seen a lot of interest from AM suppliers in learning more about certification and quality control in the aerospace sector. Additive is where we are really seeing a growing demand.”
In addition to machines for material testing and part quality control, many software solutions were presented at the show. The objective remains the same: users need reliable tools to ensure reliable, high-quality, repeatable printing. This will enable them to improve their productivity. And that’s what it’s all about. On its stand, Siemens presented several tools for integrating additive manufacturing and using it more simply. The company spoke of a “Click and Print” logic, for example, with its Partbox solution.
The aim is to print parts in a repeatable way
Machinery and Materials at Formnext 2024
If we now turn to the machines and materials we saw at this year’s event, there can be no doubt that metal is well and truly used by many sectors, especially aerospace. Many exhibitors presented dedicated solutions, with applications to prove it. We have devoted an article to this subject, as well as a video on metal solutions. A number of new players were also present, such as France’s ADDIMETAL, which exhibited its K2-2 binder jetting solution for the first time. Open to the public, it boasts an eight-liter print volume, and is positioned between smaller machines dedicated to research and production solutions. We particularly appreciated the machine’s modular design, with its exposed mechanics and print head covering a good part of the platen in a single pass.
The DED market is growing, with numerous robotic arms capable of depositing successive layers of material. Companies such as Caracol, VLM Robotics, AMFree and MX3D presented their machines, some for the first time. While we are on the subject of robotic solutions, we must also mention polymers, which were not to be outdone either. In Hall 12.1, for example, an aisle was devoted to large-format, pellet-compatible solutions. A trend we had already observed last year, and which seems to be continuing.
Robotic solutions were once again in the spotlight
Last but not least, post-processing remains a thorny issue: in discussions with users and manufacturers alike, this is a stage that represents a major challenge. How can these tasks be automated as far as possible, without costing thousands of euros? How can we ensure consistent quality? How can we save time so that we can devote ourselves to more strategic tasks? These are all issues that manufacturers are asking themselves, but which they are not necessarily able to resolve.
At Formnext 2024, we witnessed the presentation of a number of new initiatives, including AM Solutions and EOS, who unveiled an automated depowdering solution and an automatic powder sieving and mixing system. Cold Jet, a specialist in dry ice blasting, also came to mind, proposing the use of dry ice to facilitate post-processing, whether for depowdering, sandblasting or cleaning. This non-abrasive process does not damage the part and produces no waste.
In the end, Formnext 2024 was once again a must-attend event for the entire additive manufacturing community. However, we are still left wanting more, having seen editions where many disruptive innovations had been announced. There is a hint of unfinished business, closely linked to the current economic situation.
In our opinion, the market has been stagnating for several months. But what does this mean really? Is it stalling or have we finally reached a certain kind of stability, where 3D printing is an established manufacturing process? In any case, we are hoping that growth will pick up again, and that we’ll see a real boom enabling the technology to go even further. One thing’s for sure: stay tuned for all the latest news! And don’t forget to save the dates for next year: Formnext 2025 will take place from November 18 to 21.
Were you at Formnext 2024? What did you think of it? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.
*All Photo Credits: 3Dnatives
