The 3D Printing Industry Review of the Year has returned for 2024, offering an opportunity to reflect on the years biggest 3D printing stories, many of which regular readers would be among the first to learn about.The mergers and acquisitions saga between Nano Dimension, Stratasys, and Desktop Metal, which dominated last years headlines, continued into 2024. While M&A activity would heat up throughout 2024, January saw Nano Dimensions Stratasys takeover efforts continue with a new all-cash offer.Januarys business news also saw several enterprises target cost-cutting and streamlining initiatives. However, it was too late for one company, as an asset auction spelled the end of a once-promising venture. Also in the news was the emerging dominance of entry-level 3D printers, new open-source offerings, promising research, and a slew of technology launches at CES 2024.Read on for Januarys key 3D printing updates and breakthroughs from Bambu Lab, Formlabs, Ansys, Velo3D, MIT, and more.Nano Dimension 3D printed electronics. Photo by Michael PetchAdditive manufacturing mergers and acquisitions 2024 kicked off with the news that Nano Dimension had submitted a renewed bid for 3D printer manufacturer Stratasys. This continued the Israeli firms long-term efforts to acquire Stratasys to build a leading 3D printing company and defend against a takeover bid by activist shareholders.Nano Dimensions attempts to purchase Stratasys date back to July 2022, when the firm announced it had purchased 12.12% of Stratasys ordinary shares. March 2023 saw Nano Dimension submit a $1.1 billion cash offer for Stratasys, worth $18.00 per share. The Stratasys board unanimously rejected this proposal, which was soon followed by failed offers of $19.55, $20.05, and $25.00 per share in cash.Nano Dimensions January 2024 proposal was worth $16.50 per share. At the time, Nano Dimension claimed that this Stratasys acquisition offer represented a 40% premium from the companys volume-weighted average share price of $11.75 since September 28, 2023. In addition to available cash, Nano Dimension reportedly initiated discussions with other financing sources to support the deal.This offer was not immediately rejected, with Stratasys announcing that its board would carefully review and consider Nanos unsolicited preliminary proposal. However, as the months unfolded, Nano Dimensions M&A activity proved to have more surprises in store.Elsewhere, US-based chip design software provider Synopsys planned to acquire Ansys in a cash-and-stock deal worth $35 billion. This deal valued Ansys, a leading simulation software developer, at $390.19 per share. The companys shareholders would receive $197 in cash and 0.345 shares of Synopsys common stock for each share of Ansys.Synopsys, a US-based chip design software provider, hoped this deal would expand its customer base and market position by producing silicone-to-system product sets. Ansys process simulation software is heavily utilized by companies looking to optimize designs for 3D printing. The proposed merger is currently under review by the UKs Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).Ansys headquarters. Photo via Ansys.3D printing companies face financial challengesAt the start of January, Metal 3D printing company Velo3D made headlines with a series of announcements. This included unveiling the new Velo3D CEO. Benny Buller, the companys former CEO, resigned at the request of the Board of Directors. He was subsequently replaced by interim CEO Brad Kreger who was later appointed permanently.Velo3D also unveiled plans to raise $18 million through a registered direct offering. This saw the company sell 36 million shares and warrants at $0.50 each, exercisable at $0.565. Additionally, the firm entered into securities purchase agreements with an existing lender and new investors. It hoped this move would enhance working capital, capital expenditures, and corporate goals.Another company facing restructuring in January 2024 was Desktop Metal. The Massachusetts-based industrial 3D printer manufacturer announced a $50 million cost-reduction plan, cutting 20% of its workforce.Desktop Metals cost reductions formed part of a broader strategic business review and other streamlining actions, including the continued consolidation of facilities and product rationalization. These moves sought to accelerate the companys path to profitability amid what Desktop Metal called a downturn in the additive manufacturing industry.Former Velo3D CEO Benny Buller. Photo via Benny Buller, Linkedin. Was the 3D printing industry on a downward trajectory at the beginning of 2024? Despite pessimistic rhetoric from certain quarters, many possessed a more positive market outlook.Published in January 2024, the 3D Printing Industry Executive Survey saw additive manufacturing leaders share their insights on the future of 3D printing. Most respondents predicted a healthy business environment for 3D printing in 2024. 62% shared a positive view of external conditions, while 68% called internal business conditions favorable or very favorable. The number of 3D printing executives sharing a negative view fell by 80%, with only 3% anticipating an unfavorable or very unfavorable 2024.The surveys results contradicted doom-laden social media posts and tightly scripted investor earnings calls. It suggested that most in the industry entered January in a healthier position than the handful of players announcing cost-cutting efforts.French 3D printer manufacturer and service provider Prodways Group was another company to make strategic changes. In January, it discontinued sales of its small wax and resin jewelry 3D printers. The company reallocated resources to high-volume, industrial 3D printers which, according to Prodways, possess higher added value.The small-scale 3D printers, sold under the Solidscape brand, reportedly generated weak sales and significant operating loss in 2023. Discontinuing their formed part of the companys growth and profitability strategy to improve turnover and market position.Elsewhere, Arevo announced a 3D printing hardware auction, marking the end of the companys existence. Having started life as a promising venture offering its AQUA 3D printers and automating carbon fiber composite production, Arevo soon shifted focus to 3D printed SuperStrata bikes. Despite raising $70 million in B Bridge, B1, B2, C, and crowdfunding, January 2024 saw the firm sell its assets and cease operations.Closeup of Prodways 3D printer. Photo via ProdwaysThe rise of low-cost FDM 3D printersThroughout 2024, the rising market share of low-cost 3D printers was a prevailing theme. The year started with the news that industrial 3D printer shipments had been stagnating towards the close of 2023, while entry-level systems were the fastest-growing segment in the industry.The report from market intelligence firm CONTEXT highlighted that global industrial polymer 3D printer shipments fell 17% YoY in Q3 2023, while entry-level 3D printers grew 9%. According to Context, low-cost systems are cannibalizing the sales of more high-end offerings. Notably, the report indicated that 8.1 million polymer FDM 3D printers were shipped during the period.The growth of entry-level 3D printers has been driven by the meteoric rise of Bambu Lab, a Shenzhen-based desktop 3D printer manufacturer. Bambu Lab adopts a closed-source approach to its 3D printers, calling this the Apple approach. In January, the company responded to open-source 3D printing community demands.A project by third-party firmware developer X1Plus sought to jailbreak the companys X1 3D printer and run external firmware to unlock new community-made features. Bambu Lab initially patched this loophole but changed tack in January after a meeting with X1Pluss leading developer.In a compromise, the Chinese firm offered an optional firmware update which allowed users to install third-party firmware on the X1. Described as a one-way ticket, this agreement revokes the 3D printers warranty.January also saw 3D printing hardware developer BIQU release plug-and-play mods and upgrades for Bambu Lab P, X, and A Series 3D printers. Featured in the Panda Series, the mods included the Panda Revo Hotend, Panda Lux LED upgrade kit, Panda Fur protective leather cover, and Panda nPEI Build Plate. BIGTREETECH, a partner brand of BIQU, also announced Panda Touch, a new Bambu Lab 3D printer touchscreen.The Panda Pad. Image via BIGTREETECHNew technology innovations at CES 2024CES 2024, a consumer technology trade featuring global names like Amazon, Google, and Samsung, was held in January. Despite criticism from some quarters that the show has become too gimmicky over recent years, CES 2024 featured several new 3D printing technology launches.On day one of CES 2024, resin-based 3D printer manufacturer Formlabs unveiled a new resin pumping system and two new materials, Polypropylene Powder and Premium Teeth Resin. These offerings seek to boost the efficiency, versatility, and scalability of the companys 3D printing ecosystem.Formlabs resin pumping system launched at CES 2024. Photo via Formlabs.The resin pumping system can reportedly accelerate production speeds with lower associated resin costs and reduced waste. Formlabs Polypropylene Powder targets low-cost production of parts commonly made with polypropylene, the second-most widely produced commodity plastic in the world. Premium Teeth Resin is a nano-ceramic filled FDA-registered Class II biocompatible material. It can be customized to mimic natural teeth translucency and opalescence.CES 2024 also saw Doser enter the 3D printed personalized medication field with DoserRx1. This desktop-sized 3D printer is optimized for the production of personalized pharmaceutical pils. Elsewhere, Shenzhen-based 3D printing manufacturer Creality launched its K1C 3D printer and introduced the Ender-3 V3.The Doser Rx1 at CES 2024. Photo via Doser.3D printing research breakthroughsIn January, a team from Italys Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia and the University of Montpellier in France developed an autonomous additive manufacturing system. This snake-like robot can continuously 3D print its own body to grow longer.As the robots head rotates, it pulls PLA filament through itself. This is then extruded through a nozzle in its head, 3D printing extra layers to its tubular body. Called the FiloBot, the robots creators drew inspiration from climbing plants like vines. It uses sensors to determine the direction in which it grows, reacting to stimuli like light and gravity.The researchers believe this technology offers value for search and rescue operations, environmental monitoring, exploration, interaction with unstructured environments, and autonomous construction of complex infrastructure.Finally, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers 3D printed self-heating microfluidic devices to support the development of affordable disease detection tools. The team leveraged cost-effective multi-material 3D printing to fabricate the devices in a single step with just $2 worth of materials. The low-cost process offers value for those living in remote regions or developing countries with limited access to expensive lab equipment. The FiloBot. Photo via Science Robotics.3D Printing News Highlights from 2024: Innovations, Trends, and AnalysisSubscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows the CES Convention Center in Las Vegas. Photo via Lynxter.