Wohlers Associates, Inc. released the annual report on the state of the 3D printing market, the Wohlers Report 2019, a "Bible" guide for industry insiders. The report predicts that all AM (additive manufacturing) products and services worldwide will reach $ 15.8 billion. The company expects revenue forecasts to climb to $ 23.9 billion in 2022 and $ 35.6 billion by 2024.
Additive Manufacturing (AM) is generally 3D printing, which combines computer-aided design, material processing and molding technology, based on digital model files, and uses software and numerical control systems to convert special metal materials, non-metal materials, and Medical biological materials are stacked layer by layer in the manner of extrusion, sintering, melting, photo-curing, spraying, etc., to produce a solid article manufacturing technology.
The 2019 report uses data from 2018, and the 2018 report uses data from 2017. Last year's report showed that revenue will reach 7.34 billion US dollars, and it is expected to more than double by 2020.
The 2019 Wohlers Report compiles the contributions of 80 people and organizations from 32 countries and industries. Major contributing companies include NATO, Sandia National Laboratory, EWI, Made in Canada, Made in the USA, EOS, RMIT University, Siemens, Lima, Walt Disney, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The main authors are Terry Wohlers and his team, and the co-authors of the reports outside Wohlers Associates are David Bourell, a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering (MS & E) at the University of Texas at Austin, and Ismail Fidan, a professor of manufacturing technology at the University of Tennessee. And Peter Sander, vice president of emerging technologies and concepts at German Airbus.
The Wohlers Report has been in its 24th year this year. The report reflects the general situation of the industry: the industry's revenue has increased significantly, and it also includes the company's analysis and data on the industry, such as:
Benefits and challenges of AM design.
107 early investments went public, valued at nearly $ 1.3 billion.
The entire Materials Division recorded record growth in 2018.
Metals revenue is estimated to increase by 41.9%, with growth exceeding 40% for five consecutive years.
A major observation of the report is the growth in material development and consumption. As shown in the figure below, the sales of polymer powder bed fusion materials "was at the highest level in history in 2018", reaching a value of about $ 400 million.
Over the past five years, metallic materials such as powder alloys have also grown by approximately 41% throughout 2018.
A more important development is that 135 system manufacturers were reported last year, such as companies that make actual printers and systems. This year, in a 2019 report, Wohlers Associates tracked the growth and sales of 177 industrial AM system manufacturers (products with a price of $ 5,000 or more), an increase of almost one-third from a year ago. Compared with the data reported last year, there are now 42 3D printer system manufacturers. Again, this applies to industrial systems.
However, the annual growth rate of desktop 3D printing systems (printing systems that cost less than $ 5,000) has dropped significantly and even completely shut down.
The overall AM market continues to show an upward trend. Many new players, hundreds of millions of dollars of investment, and innovative products designed for AM were rarely conceived a few years ago.
The report highlights important AM-related activities in many industries, including aerospace. The company collected materials from companies such as Airbus, Boeing, Honeywell, and United Technologies to gain a perspective on the use of AM to produce end-use parts.
These companies, as well as BMW, Deutsche Bahn, FIT, Jabil, Oerlikon, UPS, the US Marine Corps and others, shared emerging trends from their strengths. Trends include knowledge and skills development, cybersecurity, post-processing automation, materials development, partnerships, and industry standards.
The Wohlers Report 2019 draws on the expertise of 80 authors and resource contributors in 32 countries. Wohlers Associates also received input from 127 service providers, 71 industrial system manufacturers, and 30 desktop 3D printer and third-party materials manufacturers worldwide.
According to last year's report, the 2019 report data shows that the industry is healthy and rising significantly.
Wohlers Report 2018: "Wohlers Associates is recognized as one of the world's outstanding 3D printer experts. Their annual report on the state of the 3D printing industry, Wohlers Report 2018, shows significant growth in the metal additive manufacturing (AM) industry this year. Industry revenue exceeds US $ 7.3 billion will achieve a solid growth of 21%, which is what investors will appreciate. "
3D printing experts and fans are eagerly looking forward to the Wohlers Report as an opportunity to understand the pulse of the industry. The report contains global insights into the benefits and challenges of the technology, noting emerging developments, investments, and the production, sales, and pricing of tracking systems, software, and consumables. For many in the industry, this report is the basic source for understanding all aspects of the AM industry.