- Sigma
Labs highlighted in Barron’s as the ‘quality control of the 3-D printing
world’.
- 3D
printing demand fueled by increasing industry adoption, rising
investments.
- 35%
annual growth forecast for the foreseeable future.
- SGLB’s
PrintRite3D(R) software eliminates quality-assurance barriers to
3D-metal-printing growth; only product of its kind enabling in-process
quality control.
Sigma Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB), a leading
developer of quality-assurance software for the commercial 3D-printing
industry, is steadily strengthening its position in the burgeoning additive
marketing (AM), or 3D metal printing, space. While forecast numbers vary, a
recent “Barron’s” article quotes an industry expert predicting consistent 35%
annual growth in the specialized market for the foreseeable future (http://ibn.fm/4FS6K). That
growth, said the article, comes as 3D metal printing technology partnered with
artificial intelligence offers significant benefits in a wide range of
verticals. With its unmatched quality control technology, SGLB appears
positioned at the vanguard of an industry poised for explosive growth.
As the applicability of 3D metal printing continues to be
realized across an increasingly varied list of industries—from healthcare to
aerospace to high-end automotive manufacturing—analysts are struggling to pin down
even an approximate estimate for the market’s potential size. Whether it be a
question of millions of dollars—or billions—experts are preparing for the next
stage in the nascent industry’s evolution (http://ibn.fm/BtRrA).
“We have a market [of] $1 or $2 billion in parts today,”
said Claus Emmelmann, head of Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute, a leading
institute for development of industrial solutions in additive marketing. That
figure only accounts for less than 1% of Emmelmann’s definition for the overall
market of metal parts—and Emmelmann believes the market will grow about 35% a
year for “a long time,” with 3-D metal printing potentially becoming a $50
billion business by the end of the decade.
While the benefits of 3D metal printing are significant,
technological barriers have impeded industrial adoption. “One of
the most important problems is qualifying the production of parts,” said
Emmelmann, who stressed that the process for designing and qualifying satisfactory
parts is expensive and time consuming.
Scaling volume for 3D metal part production has been
hampered by this process, leaving industry players seeking a solution. For 3D
metal printing to achieve mass adoption, the challenges of low-quality yields
and high post-production inspection costs must be resolved. The 3D metal
manufacturing quality assurance problem requires a fix that increases yields
and deeply cuts post-process inspection costs.
“That’s where . . . Sigma comes in,” the “Barron’s article
states. “The small New Mexico-based company sells products to improve quality
and validate parts. They are the quality control of the 3-D printing world.”
Sigma has earned this title by creating its exclusive
PrintRite3D(R) software, which uniquely provides nondestructive quality
assurance during the 3D printing of metal parts. PrintRite3D is the only known
additive manufacturing solution that enables in-process quality control of 3D
metal printing, allowing errors to be detected and corrected in real time—saving
a significant amount of time and money. Due to its reputation and unique
ability to remove obstacles impeding the burgeoning industry’s accelerated
growth, SGLB has developed a technology that appears to be essential to
enabling the3D metal parts industry’s rapid growth.
By providing the quality-assurance solution that the 3D
metal printing industry needs to transform mainstream manufacturing, SGLB
intends to capitalize on the growth in 3D printing across a wide variety of
sectors, especially those requiring exacting specifications like aerospace,
automotive and biomedical.
Additionally, Emmelmann isn’t the only one with a rosy
outlook on the future of 3D metal printing. According to a report by Grand View
Research Inc., the global 3D metal printing market size is expected to reach
$3.05 billion by 2025, progressing at a CAGR of 31.8% during the forecast
period (http://ibn.fm/aLahT).
The Grand View report noted that “increasing adoption of 3D
printing as a mainstream manufacturing method and rising investments in
research & development (R&D) of 3D metal printing are anticipated to
fuel product demand.” The report also observed that “use of 3D metal printing
is prominent in the aerospace and defense industry owing to rapid prototyping
and manufacturing speed offered by 3D printing.”
To date, Sigma Labs has engaged 19 beta customers with some
of the biggest names in the industry, and two of the programs have already
awarded Phase 2 contracts for SGLB’s RTE program. SGLB’s advanced
computer-aided software, PrintRite3D, revolutionizes the quality control issues
for commercial additive manufacturing, and for the first time enables
nondestructive quality assurance mid-production–uniquely allowing errors to be
corrected in real time. Sigma Labs is delivering key software to unlock the
full potential of 3D metal printing and will likely reap the benefits of the
sector’s incredible growth.
For more information about Sigma Labs, please visit www.sigmalabsinc.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates
relating to SGLB are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/SGLB
About MissionIR
MissionIR is
primarily focused on strategic communications. We have executed countless
communications programs to address the needs of companies ranging from
start-ups to established industry leaders, gaining valuable experience and the
expertise necessary to determine the most effective strategy for any given
situation.
For more information, visit www.MissionIR.com
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the Mission
Investor Relations website applicable to all content provided by MIR, wherever
published or re-published: http://www.missionir.com/disclaimer.html
