Terry Wohlers

Short Biography

Industry consultant, analyst, author, and speaker Terry Wohlers is president of Wohlers Associates, Inc., an independent consulting firm he founded more than 25 years ago. The company provides technical and strategic consulting on the new developments and trends in rapid product development, additive manufacturing, and 3D printing. Through this company, Wohlers has provided consulting assistance to more than 170 organizations in 23 countries. Also, he has provided advise to 70 companies in the investment community, most being institutional investors that represent mutual funds, hedge funds, and private equity valued at billions of dollars.

For 30 years, Wohlers has focused his education, research, and practice on design and manufacturing. Over this time, he has authored more than 385 books, magazine articles, and technical papers on engineering and manufacturing automation. In 2007, more than 1,000 industry professionals from around the world selected Wohlers as the #1 most influential person in rapid product development and additive manufacturing. The results were published in TCT Magazine (UK) as part of its TCT Top 25 Influential People survey.

Wohlers has been quoted or cited in Business 2.0, Bloomberg Businessweek, CNBC Business, CNNMoney, Computerworld, Discovery News from the Discovery Channel, The Economist, Financial Times, Fortune, Scientific American, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and countless domestic and foreign magazines, journals, and newspapers. Forbes published an interview with Wohlers in November 2011 and an article about him in March 2012. 

In November 2011, Wohlers was part of a Business News Network (BNN) program that was broadcast live, nationwide in Canada. In June 2010, Sky News (Sydney, Australia) conducted a live, nationwide interview broadcast with Wohlers. In January 2012, Bloomberg Businessweek published an audio interview with him. In October 2001, Wohlers served as analyst on a fast-paced television news morning show titled Business Now on ABC. During this fast-paced program, he provided his views and opinions on 3D printing technology and its future. Wohlers was interviewed on German radio in June 1999 and again in December 1999 in a program titled "Computer and Communication." He was also interview on Slovenian radio program.

In November 2011, Wohlers presented to the deputy director of policy at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. His highly sought-after views and opinions come from years of collecting and analyzing market data, coupled with his work as a consultant and advisor to major organizations in the Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Africa. 

Wohlers has been given the opportunity to speak to thousands of engineers, scientists, and executives from around the world. He has given 90 keynote presentations on five continents in cities ranging from Helsinki and Pretoria to Beijing and Kuala Lumpur. Also, he has visited more than 200 organizations worldwide to witness firsthand their capabilities, best practices, and challenges.

To satisfy his appetite for adventure, Wohlers has climbed the Great Wall of China, hiked the rain forests of New Zealand, bathed in the Dead Sea, and summited the 4,346-meter (14,259-foot) Longs Peak in the Rocky Mountains. He has ridden elephants in Thailand, encountered lions and Great White Sharks in Africa, explored the ancient pyramids in Egypt, and traveled crocodile-infested rivers of Malaysian Borneo.

In May 2004, Wohlers received an Honorary Doctoral Degree of Mechanical Engineering from Central University of Technology, Free State (Bloemfontein, South Africa). Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize winner, received this honorary degree in 2002. In 2005, Wohlers became a Fellow of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Less than 1% of the SME membership is granted this distinction, making it one of the most prestigious honors presented by the Society.

In 2004, Wohlers initiated the Bright Minds Mentor Program for high school students in the USA. The ninth annual program will be held at SME's RAPID 2012 Conference & Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia where many students will benefit from the experience and guidance of practicing professionals and industry leaders. In 2006, he initiated a youth awareness program in South Africa that today is known as Bright Minds South Africa. The program has introduced additive manufacturing to about 250 high school students from across the country.  In 2005, Wohlers became an active participant of RP4Baghdad, a humanitarian effort focused on assisting severely injured civilians in Iraq.

In 1994, Wohlers met with and presented to the Under Secretary for Technology at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Its purpose was to convey the vital role that additive manufacturing plays in American industry. Since then, tens of millions of dollars have been awarded to support the development of additive processes through many government-sponsored programs.

In 1992, Wohlers led a group of 14 individuals from industry and academia to form the first association dedicated to rapid prototyping. In 1993, the association joined the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) to become the Rapid Prototyping Association (RPA) of SME. Today, it is known as the Rapid Technologies and Additive Manufacturing Community of SME. In 1998, Wohlers co-founded the Global Alliance of Rapid Prototyping Associations (GARPA) involving 22 member nations around the world. Today, GARPA serves as a catalyst for the exchange of information on additive manufacturing technologies and applications across international borders.

Achievements in the Industry

Terry Wohlers has earned a reputation as an industry leader:

Consulting for Major Organizations
Wohlers has provided organizations of many types and sizes consulting advice on wide-ranging issues associated with rapid product development and additive manufacturing. His consulting projects and client list grow year after year. 

Writing Best-Selling Publications
He is the author of one of the world's best-selling and longest published CAD textbooks by McGraw-Hill Higher Education, with more than 500,000 copies in print. First published in 1986, the book is now in its 18th edition. 

One of the newest publications, Wohlers Report 2011, provides data of critical importance to manufacturers of additive processes, service providers, investors, researchers, and educators. The 250-page report was developed with assistance from 54 co-authors, 64 service providers, 33 system manufacturers, and many others worldwide. Wohlers has established a tradition of providing high-quality analysis that covers all facets of additive manufacturing, including business, product, market, technology, and application.

Contributing Articles to Top Trade Publications
Wohlers has authored 385 books, articles, reports, and technical papers on engineering and manufacturing automation. His articles have appeared in Architectural & Engineering Systems, CADalyst, CAD/CAM Journal, CADENCE, CATIA Solutions, Composites Technology, Computer-Aided Engineering, Computer Graphics World, European CEO, DesignNet, European Tool & Mould Making, InfoWorld, and Manufacturing Engineering. They have also appeared in MoldMaking Technology, PC Magazine, Pro-E: The Magazine, Prototyping Technology International, Rapid Prototyping Journal, Rapid Prototyping Report, Solid Solutions, T.H.E. Journal, TCT Magazine (UK), Time Compression, and World Class Design To Manufacture.

Wohlers authored the "Wohlers" column for Time Compression and served on the magazine's editorial advisory board for many years. During the magazine's previous ownership, he authored the Viewpoint column for the magazine and served on its editorial advisory board. He currently serves on the editorial advisory boards for TCT Magazine (England), Virtual and Physical Prototyping journal (England), and the Journal for New Generation Sciences (South Africa). Since 1997, he has served as an advisor to the Rapid Prototyping Journal by Emerald (England) and was the Internet editor/columnist for this publication from 2000 to 2002. His Wohlers Talk column appeared monthly in Prototyping Technology International (England) in 1997 and 1998. Wohlers was a Computer Graphics World contributing editor for 15 years (1987-2002) and contributed monthly to CADENCE magazine for six years (1986 to 1992). He also served on the editorial advisory boards for the Rapid Prototyping Report, Prototype magazine (England), MoldMaking Technology Magazine, and Vektorrum Executive Report.

Forging a Leadership Role in Industry Organizations
Terry Wohlers holds leadership positions in major industry organizations:

In 1998, he co-founded the Global Alliance of Rapid Prototyping Associations (GARPA), formed to encourage the exchange of information across international borders. Members include groups and associations in Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA. He has participated in every Global Summit (beginning in 1998), held in nine countries, and continues to serve as an advisor to GARPA.

In 1992, Wohlers led 14 individuals from industry and academia to form the world's first association dedicated to additive manufacturing. In 1993, the association joined the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) to become the Rapid Prototyping Association (RPA) of SME. Wohlers was RPA/SME chairman in 1993 and 1994. RPA/SME became the Rapid Technologies and Additive Manufacturing (RTAM) community when SME restructured the organization in 2003.

In January 2009, he accepted an invitation to chair the Subcommittee on Terminology for the ASTM International F42 Committee on Additive Manufacturing Technologies, an international standards development effort.

Wohlers is a founding member (2009) of SME's Innovation Watch Committee and contributed to it for three years. Each year, the committee publishes "Innovations That Could Change the Way You Manufacture."

Wohlers served as an appointed member of SME's Manufacturing Enterprise Council for two three-year terms (2004-2009). Past members have been top executives from companies such as Cummins Engine Company, Walt Disney Studios, Boeing, and Kohler Engines.

In September 2007, Wohlers received the first Career Award at VRAP 2007 in Leiria, Portugal. Also, the VRAP organizing committee named him honorary chairman of the every-other-year event.

In November 2004, the Rapid Product Development Association of South Africa (RAPDASA) named Wohlers the first honorary member of the national association. 

Wohlers is a founder (1987) and was chairman (1987-1993) of the CAD Society, a non-profit CAD membership organization that was once a part of the National Computer Graphics Association (NCGA). He was an elected member NCGA Board of Directors from 1987 to 1993, and served on many NCGA committees.

He is a founder (1988) and was chairman (1988-1992) of the world's largest CAD competition, sponsored by the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA). The competition has impacted the careers of hundreds of students across the United States.

Wohlers is a founder (1984) of the International CAD Forum, a series of five annual conferences and expositions in the USA and England focused on practical applications of desktop computer-aided design and drafting.

Wohlers holds/held advisory board positions with the: 3rd International Conference on Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing in Beijing, China (co-chairman, 2008); NSF-funded National Center for Rapid Technologies (2007-present); SME's annual RAPID conferences (1993-2008); Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development at Polytechnic Institute of Leiria in Leiria, Portugal (2008-present); 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th International Conference on Advanced Research in Virtual and Rapid Prototyping (VRAP) in Leiria, Portugal (2011, 2009, 2007, 2005, and 2003); 3rd International Conference on Manufacturing Automation in Hong Kong (2002); and TCT 2002 (conference chairman) in Manchester, England.

Also, Wohlers has held advisory board positions with the: Third International Conference on Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing in Beijing China (advisory committee co-chair, 2008); Second International Conference on Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing in Beijing, China (co-chair, 2002); 8th International Conference on Rapid Prototyping in Tokyo, Japan (2000); 8th European Conference on Rapid Prototyping in Paris, France (2000); First International Conference on Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing in Beijing, China (1998); SME's Autofact '98 conference; Second International Conference on Manufacturing Automation in Hong Kong (1997); the University of Dayton's international conferences on rapid prototyping (1993-1997); International Symposium on Automotive Technology and Automation in Germany (1995, 1998); and the International Conference on Rapid Product Development in Stuttgart, Germany (1995). Wohlers served as an advisor to the popular TenLinks.com on-line CAD directory (1999-2001).

An Internationally Recognized Speaker
Wohlers is a frequent speaker at industry events around the globe. For the past 20 years, he has been invited to present the state of the industry and/or the future of additive manufacturing at the annual RAPID Conference & Exposition, sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. According to SME, this annual presentation is a cornerstone of the industry.

Wohlers served as a keynote speaker at the following events from January 2011 to present:

• SME's RAPID 2012 Conference & Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia
• Laser Additive Manufacturing (LAM) 2012, Houston, Texas
• RAPDASA 2011 in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
• VRAP 2011 in Leiria, Portugal
• TCT Live 2011 in Birmingham, England
• RAPID 2011 Conference and Exposition in Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Pacific Additive Manufacturing Forum (2011) in Brisbane, Australia
• Pacific Additive Manufacturing Forum (2011) in Sydney, Australia
• Pacific Additive Manufacturing Forum (2011) in Adelaide, Australia
• Pacific Additive Manufacturing Forum (2011) in Melbourne, Australia
• SME's RAPID 2011 Conference & Exposition in Minneapolis, Minnesota
• NZ Rapid Product Development Conference 2011 at Auckland University of Technology in Auckland, New Zealand

From 2008 to 2010, Wohlers served as a keynote speaker at the following events:

• Immerse Yourself in 21st Century Manufacturing Expo (2010), Naugatuck Valley Community College, Waterbury, Connecticut
• 11th Annual International Conference on Rapid Product Development (RAPDASA 2010) in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
• International Conference on Additive Technologies (iCAT) 2010 in Nova Gorica, Slovenia
• Factory of the Future (2010) in Brisbane, Australia
• Factory of the Future (2010) in Sydney, Australia
• Factory of the Future (2010) in Adelaide, Australia
• Factory of the Future (2010) in Melbourne, Australia
• SME's RAPID 2010 Conference & Exposition in Anaheim, California
• Collaboration & Interoperability Congress (2010) in Estes Park, Colorado
• Product Visualization Forum at Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing & Technology (2010) in Florence, South Carolina
• 10th Annual International Conference on Rapid Product Development (RAPDASA 2009) near East London, South Africa
• Fourth International Conference on Advanced Research in Virtual and Rapid Prototyping (2009) in Leiria, Portugal
• U.S.–Turkey Workshop on Rapid Technologies (2009) in Istanbul, Turkey
• SME's RAPID 2009 Conference & Exposition in Schaumburg, Illinois
• Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing Workshop (2009) in Washington, DC
• Immerse Yourself in 21st Century Technology Workshop (2009) in Enfield, Connecticut
• Dimension World Expo 2009 in Anaheim, California
• 9th Annual International Conference on Rapid Product Development (RAPDASA 2008) in Bloemfontein, South Africa
• Third International Conference on Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing and Second International Conference on Bio-manufacturing (ICRPM-BM 2008) in Beijing, China
• Objet Users Meeting (2008) in San Diego, California
• TCT 2008 Conference & Exhibition in Coventry, England
• International Conference on Additive Technologies (iCAT 2008) in Ptuj, Slovenia
• National Teacher Training Workshop, Saddleback College (2008) in Mission Viejo, California
• SME's RAPID 2008 Conference & Exposition in Orlando, Florida
• EOS International User Meeting 2008 in Bad Gögging, Germany

From 2005 to 2007, Wohlers was a keynote speaker at:

• 8th Annual International Conference on Rapid Product Development (RAPDASA 2007) in Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa
• Third International Conference on Advanced Research in Virtual and Rapid Prototyping (2007) in Leiria, Portugal
• 18th Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium in Austin, Texas (2007)
• 31st Japanese Rapid Prototyping Symposium in Tokyo, Japan (2007)
• SME's RAPID 2007 Conference & Exposition in Detroit, Michigan
• Rapid Product Development 2006 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• 7th Annual International Conference on Rapid Product Development (RAPDASA 2006) near Cape Town, South Africa
• 3DP User Group Meeting in Providence, Rhode Island (2006)
• International Conference on Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing in Espoo, Finland (2006)
• SME's RAPID 2006 Conference & Exposition in St. Charles, Illinois
• 6th Annual International Conference on Rapid Product Development (RAPDASA 2005) in Pretoria, South Africa
• Stratasys Worldwide User Conference 2005 in Orlando, Florida
• Second International Conference on Advanced Research in Virtual and Rapid Prototyping (2005) in Leiria, Portugal
• 28th Japanese Rapid Prototyping Symposium in Tokyo (2005)

From 2001 to 2004, Wohlers served as a keynote speaker at:

• EuroMold 2004 in Frankfurt, Germany
• 5th Annual International Conference on Rapid Product Development (2004) in Bloemfontein, South Africa
• TCT 2004 in Birmingham, England
• Rapid Prototyping Educators Conference (2004) in Mission Viejo, California
• Central University of Technology's graduation ceremony in Bloemfontein, South Africa (May 2004)
• EuroMold 2003 in Frankfurt, Germany
• 4th Annual International Conference on Rapid Product Development (2003) in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
• First International Conference on Advanced Research in Virtual and Rapid Prototyping (2003) in Leiria, Portugal
• Rapid Prototyping Technologist Workshop (2003) in San Diego, California
• 24th Japan Rapid Prototyping Symposium (2003) in Tokyo, Japan
• EuroMold 2002 in Frankfurt Germany
• 3rd Annual International Conference on Rapid Product Development (2002) in Bloemfontein, South Africa
• Second International Conference on Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing (2002) in Beijing, China
• American Mold Builders Association's National Convention (2002) in San Juan, Puerto Rico
• 2nd Annual Conference on Rapid Technologies (2001) in Stellenbosch, South Africa
• TCT 2001 in Manchester, England
• MoldMaking Expo 2001 in Chicago, Illinois

From 1991 to 2000, Wohlers was a keynote speaker at the following events: 

• EuroMold 2000 in Frankfurt Germany
• 1st Annual Conference and Founding General Meeting of the Rapid Product Development Association of South Africa in Pretoria, South Africa (2000)
• Eighth International Conference on Rapid Prototyping (2000) in Tokyo, Japan
• Eighth European Conference on Rapid Prototyping (2000) in Paris, France
• EuroMold '99 in Frankfurt, Germany
• James Clayton Memorial Lecture (1999) in Warrington, England
• CINTEC '99 in Joinville, Brazil
• uRapid '99 in London, England
• 3D Systems North American Stereolithography User Group Conference (1999) in Orlando, Florida
• First International Conference on Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing (1998) in Beijing, China
• Seventh European Rapid Prototyping Conference (1998) in Aachen, Germany
• Swedish Free-Form Fabrication Conference (1998) in Gothenburg, Sweden
• Third Conference on Rapid Product Development (1997) in Cairns, Australia
• Second International Conference on Manufacturing Automation (1997) in Hong Kong
• International Conference on Rapid Product Development (1995) in Stuttgart, Germany
• Third European Conference on Rapid Prototyping (1994) in Nottingham, England
• European Rapid Prototyping Conference (1993) in Paris, France
• Advanced Applications of Rapid Prototyping International Experts Workshop (1993) in Herzlia, Israel
• Fourth International Conference on Rapid Prototyping (1993) in Dayton, Ohio
• European Rapid Prototyping Conference (1992) in Paris, France
• Sixth International CAD Forum (1991) in Nottingham, England
• Fifth International Patternmaking Congress (1991) in Toronto, Canada

As a visiting lecturer, Wohlers has given presentations and seminars at The Swedish Institute of Production Engineering Research (Stockholm, Sweden), Georgia Institute of Technology, North Carolina State University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Colorado State University, Washington University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, and other institutions. His award-winning presentation in 1986 in London, England accurately predicted the explosive growth of desktop-based systems for computer-aided design and drafting.

Applying Advanced Teaching Skills
Wohlers is one of the world's foremost computer-aided design (CAD) educators. He was the author and instructor of the first self-instructional university independent study courses on AutoCAD and CADKEY. An estimated 2,000 practicing design professionals from around the world enrolled in these top-rated credit courses (1988-1996). 

Previously, Wohlers developed and taught the first graduate and undergraduate courses on CAD at Colorado State University's Department of Industrial Sciences (1981-1986). Also, he has held affiliate faculty positions (1988-1996 and 1999-2002) at Colorado State University's Department of Industrial Sciences.

Educational Background

Wohlers earned a master's degree in industrial sciences from Colorado State University (1982) and a bachelor's degree in industrial technology from the University of Nebraska at Kearney (1980).

In May 2004, Wohlers received an Honorary Doctoral Degree of Mechanical Engineering from Central University of Technology, Free State (Bloemfontein, South Africa). 

Business Philosophy

"I believe strongly in personalized service. That means working as an integral part of a team to develop unique solutions to problems. My clients work directly with me. This ensures that they get the expertise and special attention they deserve. I am always available to answer questions promptly and accurately."