Wohlers Associates helps organizations take advantage of technologies and strategies that enhance the rapid product development and manufacturing process.
Note: Much of the following was excerpted from Wohlers Report 2022. Additive manufacturing (AM) as defined by the ISO/ASTM 52900 terminology standard is the process of joining materials to make parts from 3D model data. Usually, material is joined layer upon layer, as opposed to subtractive and formative methods of manufacturing. Other terms for AM include 3D printing, additive fabrication, direct digital manufacturing, freeform fabrication, solid freeform fabrication, rapid manufacturing,…
Rapid prototyping is one of the most popular applications of additive manufacturing (AM), a technology used for building physical models and prototype parts from 3D computer-aided design (CAD) and medical scan data. Unlike CNC machines tools, which are subtractive in nature, AM systems join together liquid, powder, and sheet materials to form complex parts. Layer by layer, they fabricate plastic, wood, ceramic, and metal objects based on thin horizontal cross-sections…
Reverse engineering encompasses a variety of approaches to reproducing a physical object with the aid of drawings, documentation, or computer model data. In the broadest sense, reverse engineering is whatever it takes—manual or under computer control—to reproduce an object. [caption id="attachment_614" align="alignnone" width="266"] Reverse engineered human knee, courtesy of Cyberware[/caption] 3D scanning systems are used for the reverse engineering of mechanical parts and organic shapes. Manufacturing professionals apply them to the…
3D scanning permits you to create a digital model from a physical object. The process is appealing because it can be difficult to create computer models of complex shapes. Recreating an existing part from scratch, even with a computer, is like copying a printed page by retyping it, although 3D scanners are not nearly as straightforward as a photocopy machine, the intent is the same. Faro Laser ScanArm, courtesy of Faro…
Note: All schematics are courtesy of Steffen Ritter. Much of the following was excerpted from Wohlers Report 2022. Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, creates a part by adding material layer upon layer. Read What is Additive Manufacturing? for more details on the process. The ISO/ASTM 52900 terminology standard categorizes commercially available AM systems into seven distinct processes by the way layers of material are created. Most AM…
Note: Much of the following was excerpted from Wohlers Report 2022. When additive manufacturing (AM) was introduced, the number of materials was limited. Some may argue that this is still the case. As the industry has advanced, the availability of materials has expanded to include many polymers, composites, metals, ceramics, and biomaterials. According to research for Wohlers Report 2022, polymers remain the most popular, followed by metals. Polymers Many polymers…
In the broadest sense, rapid tooling is any method or technology that enables you to produce tooling quickly. Many business agree, however, that it means tooling driven by an additive manufacturing (AM) process is the key to making it rapid. DirectSteel injection mold and molded parts, courtesy of EOS Two categories of rapid tooling have developed. One is an indirect approach that uses one or more master patterns to produce a tool.…
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...
