3D Scanning Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Optical Scanner, Laser Scanner), By Range, By End-user, By Component, By Type, By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2025

Report Overview

The global 3D scanning market size was valued at USD 4.50 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.4% from 2019 to 2025. It is driven by advancements in technology and increasing R&D spending. The emergence of structured light technology, against the traditional laser dot or laser line technology, is also expected to fuel the growth.

The incipient trends, such as Mixed Reality (MR), Internet of Things (IoT), and the rising conjunction between wearable devices in automotive fabrication and aerospace design are anticipated to drive the market. The convergence of these technologies may provide enhanced interactive and immersive experiences. An increasing number of advanced wearable devices, complemented by portable and sophisticated 3D scanners, could potentially make the human-techno interaction more immersive, realistic, and adjunct to fabrication processes.

In the manufacturing sector, 3D scanning technology has emerged as a crucial component of modern-day quality control and inspection systems. The manufacturing sector experiences several challenges, wherein safety, schedule, and cost, have ascended beyond the set budget limits, owing to inadequate and incorrect dimensional control procedures.

Technological advancements in the hardware and software segment in the recent past have revolutionized the designing industry significantly. Increasing user expectations to experience and feel the product in a real environment has led to the development of 3D scanning and printing devices that create a strong illusion of real-life experience and portray a less retro-manufactured look. The realistic representation of the product design during fabrication makes it more lucrative for the existing vendors to appeal to a large customer base through dynamic designs. Moreover, graphics and image rendering play an important role in delivering an enhanced 3D demonstration. Innovative technologies, such as 3D effects and interactive graphics, provide a synchronized experience to the user.

For instance, LED is a standard lighting technology for 3D scanning, owing to its small size and low heat emissions. Additionally, increasing adoption of high-performance Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensors against Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) imagers is also expected to favorably influence the market growth. CMOS sensors significantly reduce manufacturing costs, provide high frame rates at relatively high resolutions, consume less power, and require less complex electronic drive circuits. The market is also expected to benefit from the advancements in the consumer electronics industry such as powerful embedded processors and high-bandwidth USB communication channels.

Furthermore, the limitations occur due to the restrictions of the equipment/components used. The components necessary for the construction of a 3D scanner, such as lenses and other electronic components, need to be fault-free and reliable to ensure the smooth functioning of a scanner. Several trials and errors were carried out to improve the functionality of the scanning systems. All these technical improvements involve huge investments. The expenditures are done in R&D processes and high-cost components to achieve higher accuracy, precision, and reliability needs bigger amounts; ultimately making the product costlier.

Product Insights

Based on the product, the market has been segmented into laser scanners, structured light scanners, optical scanners, and others. A structured light scanner is forecasted to grow significantly from 2019 to 2025. The 3D laser scanner is anticipated to lead in terms of market size by 2025.

A structured light scanner utilizes a stable light source with uniform electron flow capability such as LEDs. These products provide high precision and speed, due to which they are exorbitantly priced and deployed in highly complex structured scanning, where accuracy in coordinate mapping gains paramount priority; for instance, in aero-designing and customary automotive parts designing. Also, 3D scanning and post-printing systems are a solid testimony of rapid progressions in the laser 3D scanning segment, thereby consenting users to dynamically modify their designs and construct realistic prototypes in the maritime industries and architecture sectors.

Component Insights

Based on components, the 3D scanning market is segmented into hardware, software, and services. In 2018, the hardware segment held the largest market share, attributed to the increasing demand for components for 3D scanners coupled with technological advancements for imaging and printing applications.

The services segment is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period. Various services in the automotive industry for quality control and inspection of the components are anticipated to bode well for growth. The services help manufacturers ensure the components are within specified tolerance levels which in turn is expected to boost the services segment over the forecast period.

Application Insights

The market has been further categorized into reverse engineering, quality control and inspection, virtual simulation, and others. In 2018, quality control and inspection accounted for the largest market share, attributed to the increasing awareness about advanced medical treatment and the need to capture large volumes of 3D data for analysis.

The reverse engineering segment is expected to register significant growth over the forecast period. Reverse engineering is gaining popularity among other applications. For instance, manufacturers that originally supplied the components sometimes discontinue their operations. In such instances, it is important to reverse engineer parts and components to supply replacement and original parts for follow-on production runs which in turn is expected to boost the segment growth.

Type Insights

Based on type, the market has been segmented into the desktop, tripod mounted, fixed Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) based, and portable CMM based. In 2018, a fixed CMM-based segment accounted for the largest market share. These 3D scanners help capture the entire object at various angles at a fixed location which in turn is driving the demand.

Whereas, the portable CMM-based segment is projected to present promising growth prospects throughout the forecast period. These scanners are versatile and flexible compared to fixed 3D scanners. These scanners can capture objects of various sizes in three dimensions.

End-user Industry Insights

3D scanning finds wide applications in various fields including automotive, aerospace and defense, healthcare, architecture and construction, and other aligned end-user fields. Automotive applications held the largest market share in 2018, attributed to the dynamic solicitations of 3D scanning in material processing, automotive designing, manufacturing, and plant inspection applications.

The healthcare segment is expected to gain prominence by 2025. This growth can be attributed to the surging incorporation of technology in numerous healthcare applications. One such application includes the digital representation of the cross-sectional human anatomy which may assist in better analysis and also provide a better ability to produce precise results.

Range Insights

The range segment includes short-range, medium-range, and long-range 3D laser scanning operations. Short-range 3D scanners held the leading market share, accredited to the low cost and portable scanning device availability, and rising awareness about various application areas such as product designing, material inspection, and modeling.

The medium-range segment is poised to showcase lucrative growth from 2019 to 2025. These products operate within the range of 1 meter to 300 meters and find numerous applications in civil engineering, industrial manufacturing, architecture, heritage, and archeology sectors. Furthermore, many times supplement the necessity of long-range scanners, owing to which the segment is anticipated to witness immense growth.

Regional Insights

North America held a significant market share in 2018 and has become one of the most influential markets. Rising R&D spending coupled with the high adoption of the technology in the automotive sector and environmental scanning and modeling operations is anticipated to further fuel the regional growth soon.

The Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness immense growth opportunities from the automotive and architectural sectors over the forecast period. For instance, 3D scanning is used across several application areas such as automotive, civil surveying, architecture, urban topography, reverse engineering, dentistry, mining, quality archeology, and mechanical dimensional inspection.

3D scanning technology is increasingly being used in automotive component fabrication, in response to the rising number of model and equipment variants in the vehicle design and development processes. For instance, automobile companies could use 3D scanning to put across the archival equipment coordinate data onto the actual vehicle design models that allow the analyses of components. As a result, it would save the time and cost required for product development.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The manufacturers distribute their products primarily through direct sales channels. However, they also use independent Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Value Added Resellers (VARs), consultants, distributors, and system integrators to market their products. Organizations may deploy the vertical integration strategy to increase control over the cost and procurement activities. Some of the prominent players in the 3D scanning market include: 

• Nikon Metrology NV

• Autodesk, Inc.

• Hexagon AB

• FARO Technologies

• David Vision Systems GmbH

• Basis Software, Inc.

• Artec 3D

• Fuel3D Technologies Limited

• Creaform, Inc.

• GOM GmbH

3D Scanning Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global 3D scanning market report based on the product, range, type, component, application, end-user industry, and region:

• Product Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) 

  • Laser Scanner

  • Structured Light Scanner

  • Optical Scanner

  • Others

• Range Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) 

  • Short Range

  • Medium Range

  • Long Range

• Component Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) 

  • Hardware

  • Software

  • Service

• Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) 

  • Tripod Mounted

  • Fixed CMM Based

  • Portable CMM Based

  • Desktop

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) 

  • Reverse Engineering

  • Quality Control & Inspection

  • Virtual Simulation

  • Others

• End-user Industry Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) 

  • Automotive

  • Aerospace & Defense

  • Healthcare

  • Architecture & Construction

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

    • The U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

  • South America

    • Brazil

  • The Middle East and Africa