As the leading analyst in the 3D printing industry, Terry Wohlers and his consulting firm, Wohlers Associates, Inc., have been tracking the growth of additive manufacturing since its inception. Their expertise is showcased in the annual Wohlers Report, which has been in circulation for its 21st consecutive year now. In the latest edition, Wohlers Report 2016, the consulting firm melded together data from 51 industrial system manufacturers, 98 service providers, 15 third-party material producers, and a large number of low-cost desktop 3D printer manufacturers, as well as 80 3D printing experts from 33 differing countries.
This wide-reaching analysis ensures that the entire global market is taken into account. All around the world, the report seems to show that the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the 3D printing industry is trending upwards. “The additive manufacturing (AM) industry, consisting of all AM products and services worldwide, grew 25.9% (CAGR) to $5.165 billion in 2015. The CAGR for the previous three years was 33.8%. Over the past 27 years, the CAGR for the industry is an impressive 26.2%,” the 2016 report states.
Taking a more in-depth look at the segments of the industry, such as metal additive manufacturing and desktop 3D printing, the Wohlers Report still shows continued growth, despite both having quite a few challenges along the way. Compared to the 49 industrial-grade printer manufacturers on the scene in 2014, the report shows that number has grown to 62 over the last year. The Wohlers Report 2016 was authored by Terry Wohlers, senior consultant Tim Caffrey, and associative consultant Ian Campbell, all of whom work at Wohlers Associates and have deep access and trust from those around the 3D printing industry.
This year’s report is 335-pages chock-full charts, graphs, and tables breaking down every aspect of the 3D printing industry, and for you visual learners out there, 322 photographs and illustrations will help you gain a better understanding of this exponentially growing technology. What makes the annual Wohlers Report so valuable, aside from their direct access to those involved within the 3D printing industry, is the 21 years of analysis that helps show how the industry is growing overtime.
With over two decades of quality data, the Wohlers Associates team has become the gold standard for computing growth, analyzing trends, and forecasting the future of additive manufacturing. The jam-packed and informative report can be ordered today for $495 on the Wohlers Associates website.
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