Wohlers Associates helps organizations take advantage of technologies and strategies that enhance the rapid product development and manufacturing process.
Unless otherwise noted, posts are authored by Terry Wohlers.
By Ray Huff Walking into any one of the four halls at Formnext 2022, it was obvious the AM industry has filled its “lungs” with fresh enthusiasm for present and future opportunities. The aisles were abuzz with discussions of new technologies and applications. Booths were full of handshakes and warm greetings among friends and colleagues, old and new. A surprising plethora of robotic arms whirred about with extrusion heads from…
By Clare Scott A lot of attention surrounding 3D printing has focused on industrial applications in industries such as automotive, aerospace, and medical devices. Another area where the technology is making an impact is in fashion and apparel. 3D-printed wearables have the potential to reduce material waste, create complex shapes and geometric features, and shorten time-to-market. For a while, 3D-printed clothing was typically seen in high-fashion and on the runway…
By Olaf Diegel Engineers tend to think the way they have been taught. It can be difficult to get someone to rethink how to design parts when they have been creating “conventional” designs for decades. They are often based on traditional thought processes, software, and methods of manufacturing. To get the most value from AM, it is important for engineers and designers to think differently and consider methods of design…
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…
By Stephan Mansour Throughout my career, I have always enjoyed unique and challenging projects. My 17 years of experience in the construction sector for a major general contractor based in Athens, Greece, were no exception. My role involved exploring and enabling the adoption of innovative construction solutions that most notably culminated with a 3D-printed house project in Saudi Arabia in 2018. Additive construction is something I take to heart. It…
Creating Wohlers Report 2022 would have been impossible without our team of 93 experts and 250 contributing organizations from around the world. The publication requires months of coordinated planning and effort among the principal and associate authors, contributors, and many others. A key differentiator of Wohlers Report 2022 is the 27 years of data and relationships used to create the undisputed, industry-leading report. Securing industry data is one of the most challenging parts of creating…
by Shane Collins The first time I saw additive manufacturing (AM) was in late 1999 at 3D Systems in the Valencia, California. A stereolithography machine was near the end of a build cycle. I recall seeing parts rise out of a vat of liquid photopolymer. My first position in the AM industry was aerospace market segment manager at 3D Systems. I had previously been involved in high-tech scientific instruments. My…
by Noah Mostow This weekend marks the end of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. I am always impressed by the athletes. Nils van der Poel of Sweden broke his previous world record for speed skating the 10 km (6.2 miles). The U.S. team will return home with many metals in several events, including freestyle skiing and the monobob. Race times continue to improve, which makes me think about…
by Mohsen Seifi The Additive Manufactuirng Centre of Excellence (AM CoE) is a unique program to accelerate standardization through focused research at ASTM International. It has gained significant interest from the AM community over the past three years. I often heard that a lack of standards delays broad adoption of AM. The development of consensus-based standards requires significant time. The primary reason is an absence of robust and reliable data…
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ASTM unites with the Wohlers brand to build on its market influence and access to top AM industry decision-makers worldwide.
Under the leadership of the R&D team, the AM CoE partners plan and conduct coordinated R&D projects, prioritized annually and targeted to expedite...
Provide a comprehensive program that educates and trains the additive manufacturing workforce at all levels, while continually incorporating new advances...
