Wohlers Report Documents Additive Fabrication Developments and Trends

By DE Editors

Wohlers Associates, Inc. (Fort Collins, CO) announced the publication of Wohlers Report 2008, a quantitative and qualitative analysis of developments and trends in additive fabrication worldwide. Additive fabrication, or additive manufacturing, is defined as “manufacturing products by building them one tiny layer at a time” (www.pcmagazine.com), and “a term also used generically as a synonym for rapid prototyping” (Castle Island’s Worldwide Guide to Rapid Prototyping at www.home.att.net). Additive fabrication encompasses a wide range of technologies and applications,  including design review, concept modeling, prototyping, pattern making, and tooling and is often used to manufacture products that are difficult or impossible to produce any other way.

The market for additive fabrication, consisting of all products and services globally, grew 16 percent to an estimated $1.141 billion in 2007, according to Wohlers Report 2008. This is up from an estimated $983.7 million generated in 2006. Reaching the $1 billion mark is a first for this industry.

The industry is expected to grow substantially over the next several years. By 2012, annual sales of additive fabrication products and services will reach an estimated $2.3 billion worldwide, with unit sales reaching 12,000 systems for the year, according to Wohlers Associates. By 2015,  the company believes the industry will grow to an estimated $3.5 billion for the year, with unit sales reaching 20,000 systems.

The larger economic impact, however, will be the thousands of organizations that benefit from additive fabrication (AF) technology.

“Additive fabrication significantly reduces labor costs,  making it much easier for organizations in the west to compete with companies in countries where labor rates are low,” said Terry Wohlers, principal author of Wohlers Report 2008 and president of Wohlers Associates. “This will become especially important as companies apply AF technology to the manufacture of end-use products.”

Increasingly, companies are using AF systems for custom and replacement part manufacturing, special edition products, short-run production,  and series production. These systems are also being used to produce manufacturing aids, such as jigs, fixtures, and assembly guides, which are used to make products.

Wohlers Report 2008 addresses many facets of additive fabrication, including its history, the wide mix of applications, the industries embracing the technology, annual revenues from products and services, growth estimates, sales forecasts, and investor information. It also provides current information on service providers and system manufacturers, as well as cast metal parts, direct metal fabrication, advanced approaches to tooling, and exciting new applications of rapid manufacturing.

The study reports on new developments in the U.S., Europe,  Asia, and other parts of the world; documents the growth of CAD solid modeling;  follows the advances in the materials used for additive processes; highlights opportunities in medical modeling; and lists applications and technologies for 3D scanning and reverse engineering.

The final parts of the report cover emerging technologies,  government-sponsored research and development, and college and university education and research. Wohlers Report 2008 concludes with a discussion on the future of additive fabrication—where it is headed and what to expect—to assist in strategic planning and investing.

The 240-page report also includes an enhanced section on China and a new section on the industry’s future prospects. The study was created with support from 53 coauthors, 58 service providers, 26 system manufacturers,  and many others worldwide. To support the review and analysis, the report includes 31 charts and graphs, 44 tables, and 138 photographs and illustrations.

The 2008 edition of the Wohlers Report sells for $475 in the U.S. and $495 in all other countries. The report’s table of contents, as well as additional information on the market and industry, are available at wohlersassociates.com.

Wohlers Associates, Inc. is a 21-year-old independent consulting firm that works closely with manufacturing organizations to identify the best approaches to rapid product development. The company has provided consulting assistance to more than 150 organizations in 20 countries around the world.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.