PC Filament 3D Printing Material Market Size, Share, Opportunities, COVID-19 Impact, And Trends By Type (Pellets, Filament), By Color (Neutral, Black, White, Other), By Diameter (1.75mm, 2.85mm, 3mm), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2022 To 2027

The PC filament 3D printing material market was valued at US$27.800 million in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.78% over the forecast period to reach a total market size of US$138.428 million by 2027.

Polycarbonate, also known as PC, is a transparent, impact-resistant material that is renowned in the 3D printing industry for its optical properties. An extremely lightweight, yet very strong thermoplastic, it is perfect for a number of professional applications. Various everyday items can be made from polycarbonate filament. In addition to being good electrical insulators, they are heat-resistant as well. In addition to CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays, polycarbonate is also used in the data storage industry. In addition to its use in medical equipment, it also makes up part of many modern mobile phones. In addition to being used for eyewear, it is also used for bullet-proof glass after lamination. PC is a highly valued material in additive manufacturing, as it is both strong and transparent. Due to its low density, it can be used to design optical parts, protective screens, and decorative items. Due to the temperature range of -150°C to 140°C, polycarbonate filament can be used in a wide variety of applications. The very fact that 3D printing filament can be used in various industries is going to boost its market growth in the forecast period.

Polycarbonate filament can be found in most 3D printing filament manufacturers, which include 3DXTech, Kimya, Nanovia, Polymaker, or equipment manufacturers such as Stratasys Raise3D or manufacturers who provide PC-ABS, a combination of polycarbonate and ABS. By adding fibers, such as glass or carbon, the PC can be made lighter while retaining its strength.  Moreover, the material can be deformed into large shapes before cracking. In addition to being used in kitchen appliances, lenses, and windows, a PC is also used to make CDs thanks to its strength, toughness, and optical clarity.

Growth Factors:

• Application in a variety of end-user industries

The PC material is commonly used in plastic lenses, eyewear, medical equipment, automobile components, protective equipment,  digital disks, and outdoor lighting fixtures. In order to gain an edge in the market, major players have launched PC-based 3D filaments. For instance, Nexeo Plastics, an international distributor of thermoplastic resins, partnered with material manufacturer Covestro and announced the introduction of Polycarbonate/ABS 3D printing filament Addigy® FPB 2684 3D in June 2021. Nexeo Plastics' distributed platform is offering this filament for sale. Three new polycarbonate-based materials for 3D printing have been announced by the Chinese company Polymaker in October 2019. Covestro, a German manufacturer specialising in high-performance polymers, has been designed for use in a range of high-performance applications such as aviation, aerospace, and electronic applications. The objective is to optimize PC-ABS, PC-FR, and PC-PBT recipes for 3D printing and bring them to market using formulations already known to industry professionals. Additionally, the industry goes through a lot of research and development, and players keep introducing new ideas in order to remain competitive. For example, Polymaker and Covestro, two polymer 3D printing experts, have announced that they will launch a material that uses recycled plastic bottles in part at TCT Asia 2021. This recyclable polycarbonate filament was developed by Covestro. This eco-friendly filament is derived from recycled bottles. It is simply referred to as 'PC-r' and uses recycled polycarbonate (PC). Furthermore, new U.S. Army research has led to the development of a low-cost 3D printer that can print with multi-polymer filaments. High-strength filament will be useful on the battlefield, allowing mission-critical parts to be manufactured at a fraction of the cost of historically produced parts. Researchers developed a new filament by blending ABS and polycarbonate (PC).

Restrain

• High cost and high maintenance

However, 3D printed polycarbonate filament has a few limitations that may hinder the market growth. Polycarbonate is expensive to manufacture because of the high temperatures required in the production process. Polycarbonate filament requires a high printing temperature (270°C-310°C) to extrude properly.  Therefore PC filament is expensive. Additionally, the thermoplastic polymer has uneven cooling and contraction properties. This causes internal stress, which results in warping, delaminating, or peeling. The material polycarbonate is hygroscopic, meaning it is capable of absorbing moisture from the air. The swelling, bubbles, and inconsistent extrusion flow caused by this phenomenon can lead to printing defects. This phenomenon may also negatively affect the optical transparency of the printed images.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the PC Filament 3D Printing Material Market: Several manufacturing units of the end-users have slowed production in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, affecting the supply chain of 3D printing filaments, including polycarbonates. 3D printing filaments are impacted by coronaviruses due to the shutting down of manufacturing units, so COVID-19 negatively impacted the Polycarbonate (PC) filament 3D printing market supply chain as demand was low and production slowed in many factories. As the 3D printing community demonstrated great potential in contributing to the management of the medical supply shortage during the epidemic, COVID-19 has, on the other hand, caused a positive impact on the market. According to the National Personal Protective Technology Lab, the ideal materials for making face shields are polycarbonate, propionate, acetate, and polyvinyl chloride.

PC Filament 3D Printing Material Market Scope:

Segmentation

• By Type
  • Pellets
  • Filament 
• By Color
  • Neutral
  • Black
  • White
  • Other
• By Diameter
  • 1.75mm
  • 2.85mm
  • 3mm 
• By Geography
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • France
    • United Kingdom
    • Spain
    • Others
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • UAE
    • Israel
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • Indonesia
    • Japan
    • Others

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What will be the PC filament 3D printing material market size by 2027?
A1. The global PC filament 3D printing material market is expected to reach a market size of US$138.428 million by 2027.

Q2. What is the size of the global PC filament 3D printing material market?
A2. PC Filament 3D Printing Material Market was valued at US$27.800 million in 2020.

Q3. What are the growth prospects for the PC filament 3D printing material market?
A3. The PC filament 3D printing material market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.78% over the forecast period.

Q4. How is the global PC filament 3D printing material market segmented?
A4. The global PC filament 3D printing material market has been segmented by type, color, diameter, and geography.

Q5. What factors are anticipated to drive the PC filament 3D printing material market growth?
A5. The 3D printing filament that can be used in various industries is going to boost the PC filament 3D printing material market growth in the forecast period.