3d printing – a review of technologies, markets, and opportunities for the forest industry

J-FOR Journal of Science & Technology for Forest Products and Processes: VOL. 5, NO. 2 30 3D printing has been used to produce prototypes and molds in industry for many years. It is now gaining increasing interest, due to its expansion into consumer products markets as well as the exploration of potential applications in manufacturing large architectural structures. Recent intellectual property changes (especially the expiration of early patents) have led to the availability of low-cost 3D printers and novel applications of 3D printing technology. This has turned 3D printing from a small-scale prototyping tool into a potential game changer for product development and manufacturing. This report summarizes the development of 3D printing, its markets, and its applications in the short and medium term. 3D printing is ideal for mass customization, but is not yet capable of mass production because of limitations on cost, speed, and materials. The near future of 3D printing will focus on production tooling, on-demand parts at low volumes, design and educational tools, products made at home, and even large architectural structures. The potential applications for forest products have been examined. Forest industry products based on wood fibres and wood-based biomaterials are already being prototyped using 3D printing. There is also increasing interest in using wood-based materials as feedstocks for 3D printing to impart a unique appearance to printed products and meet the demand for sustainability from consumers. This development could become part of transforming the forest industry from production of commodities to production of high-value-added specialty products. Some opportunities for the forest industry have been identified. TINGJIE LI*, JOSEPH ASPLER, ARLENE KINGSLAND, LYNE M. CORMIER, XUEJUN ZOU 3D PRINTING – A REVIEW OF TECHNOLOGIES, MARKETS, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FOREST INDUSTRY