Advanced Materials

The 3D printing industry is by no means new, given the invention of the first 3D printing technologies in the 1980s; yet, in an industry with a long history of twists and turns, 2024 is looking to be the most consequential yet for additive manufacturing. This can be traced back to the shockwaves set off by COVID-19. While the pandemic initially lowered sales for many 3D printer manufacturers, it also created opportunities for additive manufacturing to showcase its unique strengths, as numerous companies looked to reshoring and strengthening their supply chain to avoid persistent disruptions amidst global shipping shortages.

IDTechEx have launched a new monthly podcast, 'Tomorrow's Tech by IDTechEx', bringing you up to date technology trends. In each episode our host will interview an industry expert from IDTechEx, offering insights into a range of emerging technologies.

Until recently, there have been no serious competing materials for animal and plastic (synthetic) leather. A new generation of bio-based alternatives aims to displace these incumbent materials with plastic-free, sustainable alternatives.

Green hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a clean industrial feedstock and the future's energy carrier. Central to green hydrogen production is the water electrolyzer. Historically, the alkaline water electrolyzer (AWE) has dominated the market due to its maturity and development

Semiconductor packaging technologies have evolved from initial 1D PCB levels to the cutting-edge 3D hybrid bonding packaging at the wafer level. This advancement facilitates single-digit micronmeter interconnecting pitches, achieving over 1000 GB/s bandwidth with high energy efficiency.

Wednesday 17 January 2024 - 2.5D advanced semiconductor packaging technologies: current status, existing barriers, future development trend, target markets, player analysis; 3D advanced semiconductor packaging technologies: current status, existing barriers, future development trend, target markets, player analysis; Market outlook for 2.5D and 3D packaging technologies

Graphene has long been touted as a wonder material, capable of enabling countless next-generation technologies. The market is beginning to mature, and successful application areas are starting to emerge. These applications range from energy storage to thermal management and composites.

Wednesday 24 January - Locations of copper around modern and future vehicles; Copper utilisation in the electric powertrain: Impact of changing battery chemistries; Impact of changing motor technologies; Impact of emerging semiconductor technologies in the inverter; Overview of replacement threats from aluminium

Due to rising labor costs and labor shortages, coupled with the surge in e-commerce and logistics demands, the mobile robotics market is rapidly expanding. IDTechEx's forecast indicates that the annual market size for mobile robotics in logistics and delivery is set to approach US$150 billion, marked by a robust double-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next two decades.

Copper is a key mineral for the automotive industry, used ubiquitously across the wiring harnesses market. Its demand is set to grow due to electric vehicle and autonomous vehicle megatrends. IDTechEx's brand new report "Copper Demand for Cars 2024-2034: Trends, Utilization, Forecasts" finds the automotive copper demand will reach 5MT (1MT = 1 billion kilograms) of annual demand in 2034.