Last week, high-precision 3D scanner manufacturer 3DMakerpro exhibited at Formnext 2023. Established back 2022, the company showcased their suite of portable 3D scanners, which includes the Whale, Mole, Lynx, and recently launched Seal.
During the Frankfurt-based show, 3D Printing Industry sat down with Ding Yong, Co-Founder and CEO at 3DMakerpro, to learn more about the company’s offerings and strategic trajectory.
According to Yong, the company chose to attend this year’s Formnext in order to connect with customers and partner brands, and expand further into the 3D printing market. “Formnext is definitely one of the biggest and most influential exhibitions for the 3D industry. We didn’t want to miss this opportunity.”
“2024 will be the second complete year for 3DMakerpro. Even though we launched Mole, Lynx and Seal Series’ during 2023, we still have a lot that needs to be accomplished on the product end and the marketing side,” added Yong.
3DMakerpro’s 3D scanner offerings
Yong outlined that 3DMakerpro is aiming to be a leading player within the 3D scanning and 3D printing markets. Indeed, the company already has a large customer base within additive manufacturing. “We have a strong connection with the 3D printing market, since over 60% of our customers use 3D printing as their primary application,” explained Yong.
Whilst offering the high-end dual core Whale 3D scanner, 3DMakerpro’s key focus is centered around consumer grade products. “We always want to bring the most cost-effective products to our consumers, in order to lower the cost to bring more enthusiasts to this industry,” explained Yong. Indeed, the company’s newest 3D scanner, the Seal, is priced at just $699 and reportedly offers high accuracy and resolution whilst being compact and easy to use.
Calling the $700 price point “a big step for the whole 3D scanning industry,” Yong emphasized that 3DMakerpro will work to make 3D scanning even more accessible to more users. “We believe it’s definitely not the end for consumer-grade prices.”
Yong also noted that 3DMakerpro’s 3D scanners are not limited to 3D printing applications, with use cases in 3D data collection and 3D content production. “Most people think of 3D scanning as 3D printing, but for us 3D scanning is not only for 3D printing,” commented Yong.
For instance, virtual reality (VR), DIY, reverse engineering, digital assets, art modification, and digital protection of cultural relics were all highlighted as key applications of 3DMakerpro 3D scanners. “Recently we’ve supported a TV show to do gun restoration, and one of our end users has scanned a whole Honda Civic as his digital asset,” stated Yong. “We think it’s pretty meaningful.”
The consumer-grade 3D scanning space is certainly becoming a crowded market, however Yong sees the positives in this growing competition. “It’s a lie if we say there’s no competition. But I’d say this competition is positive for some prospects,” explained Yong. “It pushes us to move faster, to develop better products and services. And it helps the whole industry to develop.”
So how does 3DMakerpro stand out in this competitive 3D scanner market? Yong points to a number of key features such as a lower price point, high accuracy and resolution, the anti-shake module, user-friendly software, and long-term R&D ability for more advanced applications. “Our ultimate goal is to bring more customers into this industry, to feel the glamor of 3D technology,” added Yong.
Tapping into a growing market
Yong sees 3D printing and 3D scanning as a growth market. According to Yong, the CAGR of the 3D scanning market is around 12%, whilst the estimated market valuation will reach $5.8 billion USD by 2026. What’s more, the 3D printing space is said to be growing faster than that of 3D scanning.
“Either field’s growth will help to increase the whole 3D technology industry,” explained Yong. “3D printing has been well developed for years, and it’s still a beginning for 3D scanning. 3D technology will be the primary content collection tool in the 3D era, just like regular cameras in the 2D era.”
Looking to the future, whilst Yong expects substantial developments in the 3D space, this will be a steady process. “It’s like the evolution from pictures to videos, you have to walk before you can run. It’s a trend and it takes time.” Ultimately, Yong expects to see greater adoption and accessibility for 3D scanners in the future. “3D scanners will be just like cameras these days,” with this technology meeting daily needs in industrial, consumer, and education verticals.
3DMakerpro is set to launch a number of new functions and products in the near future, and is also discussing new cooperation opportunities that will be announced next year. Central to the company’s strategic roadmap is application expansion. “We will keep expanding our user applications based on our technical advantages, for example in medical, education, art and culture,” explained Yong.
“As 2024 is the second complete year within the market, we still have a lot to accomplish next year and over the next five years. So, we will put more effort and capital into development and manufacturing,” concluded Yong.
“We appreciate the support from our customers and we value all opinions, no matter if it’s positive or negative. They help us to improve ourselves and to better develop our products and services. Hopefully, we can do better, and acquire more customers who are satisfied with 3DMakerpro in 2024.”
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Featured image shows 3DMakerpro’s booth at Formnext 2023. Photo by 3D Printing Industry.
