At RAPID+TCT 2022, we offered a “live” version of Wohlers Report 2022. The event built upon a similar all-day event held for top management for one of the largest companies in the AM industry. For five consecutive years, it was conducted for the top 30 managers and executives at the company. This year’s event bundled the report to help attendees prepare for the half-day program. It was open to the 93 co-authors and contributors of the report and several took advantage of the offer.

The program was designed to provide as much or more Q&A and discussion as presentation. Shane Collins, Joseph Kowen, Noah Mostow, and I presented, answered questions, and provided our thoughts and opinions on some of the most important trends in AM. Among them: 1) our methods of data collection, 2) the most popular AM processes and pricing of materials, 3) design for AM and scaling the technology, 4) process monitoring, 5) importance of industry standards, 6) investment and M&A, and 7) R&D and what the future holds.

The attendees were mostly veterans in the industry, so the discussions were advanced and interesting. We were exceptionally pleased with how it went. We plan to hold a similar Wohlers Report LIVE event to coincide with Formnext. Stay tuned for details.

At RAPID+TCT 2022, I presented key industry trends found in Wohlers Report 2022 each of the three days of the event. Among them: 1) a growing number of system manufacturers around the world, 2) growth and development of materials for AM, and 3) customer buying trends.