2.5D Printing

Preface

The print industry in the twenty‐first century is a vital, economic and global contributor, adding value to a diversity of consumer products and services. Studies emphasise the importance of this sector of adopting a value added position by identifying and responding to the technological requirements of niche and large markets. These include artwork reproduction and applications in creative industries, 2.5 and 3D printing, tactile maps, security tagging, biomedical, textile, packaging, signage, and direct printing on complex curved objects.

What is the value of the print industry? In the way printing adds value, these figures are increasingly difficult to define, especially for niche or specialist sectors. Digital printing has evolved to become a catch‐all term that has moved so far from its traditional graphics and packaging background. As demonstrated in the medical sector, 3D digital printing is now being used to create training replicas for brain surgeons, bioprinting for tissue growth, and bespoke prosthetic design, which has enabled mobility for millions of people around the world.

It is certainly hard to apply an accurate value, and more than likely, these projected figures may well prove to be an underestimation as we move into the next decade. The growth of the functional and industrial print market revenues worldwide is estimated to have nearly doubled in value from $37.2 billion in 2012, to $76.9 billion in 2017, with a projected value of $114.8 billion ...