CINCINNATI, OHIO, USA, April 30, 2002—Wohlers Associates, Inc. today announced the availability of Wohlers Report 2002, a worldwide progress report on the rapid prototyping (RP) and tooling state of the industry. The 250-page annual study covers all facets of rapid prototyping, including business, product, market, technology, and applications. Forty-nine professionals, 47 service providers, 25 system manufacturers, and countless others assisted with its development. The report includes many new sections and a matrix that compares 24 methods of tooling.
The release of the new report coincides with the Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing 2002 Conference and Exposition, beginning today and ending on May 2 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Terry Wohlers, principal author of the report and president of Wohlers Associates, Inc., presented highlights of the report in his annual Rapid Prototyping & Tooling State of the Industry Executive Update. This briefing occurred during the opening plenary session. The RP&M 2002 event marks the 10th year in which Wohlers has been asked to present his views and opinions on this exciting and fast-developing industry. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers and its Rapid Prototyping Association (RPA/SME) are the sponsors of the event.