Nov.20, 2014 | By Kira
3D Hubs, the Netherlands-based resource center for 3D printer owners and users, has released its monthly in-depth trend report for November 2014. With access to over 9,000 printers in over 160 countries, 3D Hubs is well positioned within the industry to provide comprehensive data and thought-provoking insights.
This month, their measurements format has been modified slightly. For the Highest Rated Printers category, which rates the top 20 printers out of 300 models listed on their platform, 3D Hubs has separated industrial grade printers from their desktop counterparts to create a more level playing field. In addition, they have added each printer's technology to the listed stats.
First and foremost, in the Highest Rated Desktop Printer category, Form 1+ and its Formlabs-created predecessor, Form 1, dominate the podium, having received 4.82 and 4.76 stars respectively. Interestingly, these are the only two SLA printers that made it to the list. Form 1+ was also rated the Highest Trending printer for the second month in a row.
Coming in as the third Highest Quality Desktop printer is the Zortrax M200, which is the also highest rated FDM printer on the list.
It should be noted that only printers that received more than 20 reviews were taken into consideration for this list, and that the number of reviews for each printer varies greatly. Whereas the top three printers named above received between 59-109 reviews, the Markerbot Replicator 2, Ultimaker 2, and Ultimaker 1 received more than 1000 reviews each. Clearly, despite not making it into the top 5, these printers are being widely used and are delivering consistent and quality results.
In the Highest Rated Industrial Printer category, Pojet 3500 HDMax and Objet Eden 260 tie for first with a respectable 5 stars each. Here, SLS and jetting technologies prevail, while the full-color capable Project 660 and Zcorp take 3rd and 5th spot, respectively. Dimension 1200 is the only FDM printer on the list, sitting in 4th.
The biggest news emerging in the industrial 3D printing world is HP's announcement that it plans to enter the market in 2016. It remains to be seen how their Multi Jet Fusion Technology will affect 3D Hubs' upcoming trend reports, however some outlets have already speculated that HP's unique technology will create a more open 3D printing ecosystem.
Speaking of growing ecosystems, in terms of Printer Manufacturer Distribution, Stratasys, RepRap and Ultimaker maintain their respective positions in the top three with a combined 55.2% of the market share.
3D Hubs points out that interestingly, although the total number of printers for each manufacturer has increased on their platform, their actual market shares are decreasing (in October 2014, the combined market share for the companies listed above was 56.9%).
Turning away from which printers are being used to what they are being used for, 3D Hubs' data indicates that the top three Popular Print Categories are Prototypes, Hobby/DIY, and Gadgets, with the Gadgets category showing the most growth. This dataset could indicate that more low-cost consumer objects are being printed, indicating a rise the do-it-yourself culture which is at the heart of 3D printing.
From a global perspective, 3D printing continues to expand its reach. New York, Milan, London and Los Angeles are still the top four cities in terms of number of printers. Meanwhile, Amsterdam, Dan Haag, Eindhoven and Rotterdam place the Netherlands firmly on the 3D printing map, with more cities representing a single country than any other on the list. Together, these four cities boast 329 printers—a number that is sure to continue growing.
In keeping with the international stats, 3D Hubs has gathered data on the most popular printers by region. Not much has changed here: in Europe, the top two printers are the Ultimaker 1 and 2 –not surprising given their repeated presence in this report. Similarly, in North America, the Markerbot Replicator 2 and 2x have maintained their top positions.
The complete 3D Printing Trends Report for November 2014 is extremely illustrative and includes several other insights about the current state of 3D printing. Until next month, however, we'll just have to sit tight and wait for the data to pour in.
Posted in 3D Printers
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