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Creaform 3D scanning
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GOM ATOS ScanBox
GOM ATOS ScanBox
GOM ATOS ScanBox
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Steinbichler
The 3D scanning marketplace is set to virtually double in five years time, with quality control, heritage and computer-aided inspection highlighted as the main applications for the technology.
This is according to the latest report published by Research and Markets, which has announced the addition of the 'Concise Analysis of the International 3D Scanning Market - Worldwide Market Forecasts to 2018' to its offering. Published in July 2013, the document has just been added to the research publication resource's portfolio and aims to serve as a roadmap for the technology in the coming years.
In 2013, the 3D scanning market was estimated to be worth $2.06 billion (£1.23 billion, €1.5 billion), doubling to $4.08 billion in 2018 at an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.6 per cent. The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is estimated to project a large share of the total 3D scanning market in 2013 at $538.5 million, with this climbing to $1.08 billion by 2018 at a CAGR of 15.1 per cent.
Latin America is also expected to have a decent market share, with growth occurring at 23.2 per cent CAGR between 2013 and 2018. The Latin American market will, therefore, climb from $257.9 million to $732 million by 2018.
Because of its usefulness in making dummy parts and prototypes for manufacturing, 3D scanning will continue to be in demand in the automotive and other mechanical sectors, while quality control, cultural heritage and reverse engineering will be major growth applications for the technology in the years to come.
The 3D scanning market is also being driven by the fact that it is being widely adopted by the medical industry for surgical applications, diagnosis via MRI, CT scan and others, while it is also being used in dentistry. Moreover, a recent story revealed how a 3D scanner is being used by Australian police to map crime scenes without disturbing evidence.
The report stated: "With the potential of delivering three dimensional results and diverse-vertical application, the 3D scanning market is growing and it is expected to be adopted at a very high rate and by almost every industry in the near future. Growth in economy and infrastructure expansion is driving the 3D scanning market in various countries."
The usual suspects have been references in the report, with Autodesk, Hexagon Metrology, Creaform, 3D Systems, Faro, GOM, Konica Minolta, Trimble and Steinbichler among those listed.
"This 3D scanning research report analyses global adoption trends, evolving platforms and forces in this rapidly emerging market," it noted. "The report also focuses on opportunity analysis, competitive landscape and estimates the market size with forecasts, across multiple verticals and regions."