Wohlers Report 2019 Projects Growth in Additive Manufacturing

Wohlers Associates’ publication, Wohlers Report 2019, is the 24^th annual installment of reports on additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing. The worldwide study provides reporting on the growth, development and the future of AM.

The report includes ranging data on material development and consumption. The overall materials segment of the industry saw record growth in 2018. Revenue from metals grew an estimated 41.9 percent, continuing a five-year streak of more than 40 percent growth each year.

The report highlights AM-related activities in many industries, including aerospace. The team collected insights from companies such as Airbus, Boeing, Honeywell Aerospace and United Technologies to gain perspective on using AM to produce end-use parts. These companies, among others, shared emerging trends from their vantage points. Among the trends are knowledge and skills development, cybersecurity, post process automation, materials development, partnerships and industry standards.

Features of Wohlers’ report include:

• Benefits and challenges of designing for AM
• Listing of 107 early-stage investments valued at nearly $1.3 billion
• Production, pricing and use of metal powders
• Reports from 32 countries
• Tables of systems, third-party materials, software tools and emerging developments

The company tracked growth and sales of 177 producers of industrial AM systems. This is nearly one third more than the 135 system manufacturers reported a year ago. While industrial system manufacturers grew notably, desktop 3D printing systems saw a significant decline in annual growth.

To order a copy of Wohlers Report 2019, click here.