Global 3D Printing Healthcare Market Expected To Be Worth $1.2 Billion By 2020

August 9, 2016

A promising report into 3D printing in healthcare has estimated that global revenue in the market should reach $1.2 billion by 2020. The recent analysis here and here, by IndustryARC, forecasts significant investment in the technology by Asian economies such asChinaandJapan.

American investment represents the bulk of the current $308 million market, but growth is expected to explode in the next few years as more countries leverage the amazing applications of additive manufacturing in healthcare.

The exciting range of uses for 3D printing in the field of healthcare includes:

• 3D-bioprinted organs and tissues that are used to help research new medicines and test their potential effects on individual structures.
• Printable prosthetics that help disabled people to perform tasks such as walking or using their hands again. These 3D-printed prosthetics are fully customized for each person’s unique body shape.
• Improved dentistry with additively manufactured dental implants. 3D printers can deliver tooth implants quicker and cheaper than ever before. This 3D printing method also improves accuracy by taking the guesswork out of the procedure.
• Making people’s hearing better with 3D-printed hearing aids. Manufacturing hearing aids the additive way helps with both comfort and sound because each device can be optimally tailored to precisely fit the wearer’s ear shape and incorporate his/her degree of hearing loss.
• Helping to improve neurosurgery with 3D-printed neuroanatomical models. Complex procedures such as brain surgery can be dangerous, with one mistake leading to disastrous results for the patient. Custom models that are created by 3D printers can help improve the accuracy and safety of neurosurgery by helping surgeons determine the safest way to carry out each procedure.

With helpful applications like these, it’s no surprise that 3D printing in healthcare is expected to experience huge growth in the coming years. Further investment in the innovative technology will surely lead to even more improvements to healthcare, which can only be a good thing.