Yesterday, Wohlers Associates, Inc., the industry's leading consulting firm, released its latest annual report, Wohlers Report 2018. The report analyzes the global situation of the 3D printing industry. It has 344 pages and contains 36 analysis charts, 110 forms and 192 illustrations, and more than 160 pages of additional information.
The latest report shows that the total sales of metal 3D printing systems in 2017 were 1,768 sets, while the sales volume in 2016 was only 983 sets, an increase of nearly 80%. Sales of metal 3D printing systems have skyrocketed, which has been accompanied by increased demand for process supervision and quality assurance. Today, more and more global manufacturers are beginning to realize the advantages of metal parts produced by additive manufacturing.
In addition, 135 companies worldwide produced and sold industrial-grade 3D printing systems priced above $ 5,000 in 2017, compared with 97 companies in 2016. In the past year, more and more new system manufacturers have entered the additive manufacturing market. They not only provide faster printing equipment, but also open source material platforms, and they are more competitively priced.
Wohlers Associates, Inc. has been in existence for 31 years and is a well-known consulting company in the industry. It provides technical, market and strategic advice on the development and trends of rapid product development and additive manufacturing. Wohlers Associates, Inc. has released its annual report on the additive manufacturing industry for the 23rd consecutive year.