Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi reflect on some noteworthy 3D printing developments that were covered in 2023.
The year 2023 did not hold back on featuring some major 3D printing developments. Here are a few that we would like to highlight.
Israel-Hamas War
The Hamas-initiated terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, marked the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War. There was a significant deployment of military weaponry, including tanks, and the collective call up of the Israeli Army Reservists. Our reports included an analysis of how the Israeli Defense Force mobilized around 360,000 reservists to active service, impacting major Israeli companies, with Stratasys being one of them.
Conclusion of the Drawn-Out Four-Company 3D Printing Merger Story
We have been following the 3D printing merger story between Stratasys, Desktop Metal, Nano Dimension, and 3D Systems on Fabbaloo. The unrolling drama that took center stage in 2023 suggested Desktop Metal as the likely winner, yet the finale proved fairly uneventful with Stratasys still independent of the three competitors, despite all the spectacle.
Ukraine/NATO
There were several international developments spurred by the War in Ukraine, one of them being the admittance of Sweden into NATO. We have also explored Danish 3D printing innovations aimed at restoring Ukraine’s infrastructure, along with the ways in which 3D printing can contribute to the improvement of Ukraine’s railways. Ukraine will still very much be on our radar in 2024.
Concrete Homes
The year 2023 brought with it major innovations in concrete 3D printing, mostly for the construction of homes and other buildings. Cemex Ventures has made significant progress in material optimization, waste management and addressing carbon emissions for a more sustainable construction industry and just this past year, BIG and ICON teamed up and set out to make a 3D printed neighborhood in Austin, Texas.
Drone Technology
From Ukraine’s unconventional 3D printing pivot in drone technology to the rise of drones in Africa, we have extensively covered the use of 3D printing in developing drone technologies.
We have also highlighted the drone company, Swoop Aero. They aim to provide integrated logistics services to 100 million people by the end of 2025, expanding to 1 billion people by 2030, with a mission to offer the world’s leading technology platform for sustainable and scalable drone logistics. Swoop’s achievements led to a US$1.5 million funding award from USAID to fuel the company’s expansion.
Bioprinting
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Whether it was Rice’s innovative approach to bioprinting or our conversation with Bruna Alice Gomes de Melo, bioprinting was huge in 2023. The technology has even helped people handle personal tragedies, like Martine Rothblatt, United’s CEO.
Lab-grown organs’ feasibility is on the rise with enhanced procedures enabling researchers to print cells with integrated blood vessel networks. A Maryland-based biotech company, United Therapeutics, is making significant strides in the strive to solve the organ supply crisis, predominantly in the 3D printing of organ scaffolds that can potentially be filled with a patient’s own stem cells and transplanted into their body.
Electronics
We discussed extensively about Nano Dimension’s venture into additive manufacturing electronics. We spotlighted the emergence of chiplets in the tech industry as well.
Furthermore, we pointed out the electrochemical additive manufacturing breakthrough by Fabric8Labs back in April. The company is predominantly involved in 3D printing of metal, without the use of powders. Fabric8Labs’ proprietary Electrochemical Additive Manufacturing technology empowers the company to economically 3D print highly intricate components for its top target markets which include semiconductor heat sinks and parts for radio frequency antenna.
Post-Covid Surgery and Dental Procedures
Whether it was taking advantage of 3D printing for enhanced elective surgeries during the pandemic, or LimaCorporate and Siemens developing cementless 3D printed knee implants, we have been reporting on the rise in demand for elective surgeries post-Covid throughout the year.
The Research & Development Tax Credit
The now permanent Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit is available for companies developing new or improved products, processes and/or software.
Utilizing 3D printing can significantly enhance a firm’s potential for R&D Tax Credits. The salaries of technical staff involved in the creation, testing, and modification of 3D printed prototypes may be included in the calculation of the R&D Tax Credit based on the time they spent on this activity. Furthermore, if 3D printing is used to enhance a process, the time dedicated to integrating the necessary hardware and software is also considered eligible. In addition, if this technology is utilized for modeling and preproduction, the cost of filaments used during the development process can also be recouped.
Whether 3D printing is employed for prototype creation and testing, or for final product production, it signals that activities qualifying for R&D Credit are being carried out. As such, companies that implement this technology should think about availing of R&D Tax Credits.
Conclusion
In conclusion, should old acquaintances be forgotten and never remembered? Certainly not. The previous year was one for the history books. We trust that you found this exploration of how the 3D printing sector has influenced different markets in 2023 to be interesting.
“Why did the 3D printer go to therapy? Because it had too many layers of unresolved issues!”
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