Additive manufacturing market has one-third represented by final-product parts production
Fort Collins, CO - Revenues from the production of parts for final products represents 34.7 percent of the entire market for additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing, according to market research firm Wohlers Associates. Since 2003, this market segment has gone from less than 4 percent to more than one-third of total revenues from AM products and services worldwide. In capturing this share of the market, the use of AM for this application grew by 65.4 percent in 2013 to an estimated $1.065 billion, up from $643.8 million the prior year. This is the first time in the history of AM for this market segment to reach the $1 billion mark.
"We are seeing companies push the limits of additive manufacturing to new levels and apply the technology in entirely new ways," says Terry Wohlers, president of Wohlers Associates and a principal author of Wohlers Report 2014. "Through investment, hard work, and determination, companies in aerospace, medical, dental, and other industries are finding ways to use AM to produce quality parts," he states. Given the vast interest and opportunities that lie ahead, Wohlers Associates strongly believes that the use of AM for series production will grow to become the largest application, by far, in the future.
The 276-page Wohlers Report 2014 is packed with up-to-date and practical information that includes 35 charts and graphs, 60 tables, and 248 images and illustrations. The report, which is available for purchase, was created with support from 82 service providers, 29 system manufacturers, and the contributions of 70 co-authors in 24 countries. The 2014 edition marks the 19th consecutive year of its publication.
For more information, please visit http://wohlersassociates.com.
Industrial Laser Solutions Editors
We edited the content of this article, which was contributed by outside sources, to fit our style and substance requirements. (Editor’s Note: Industrial Laser Solutions has folded as a brand and is now part of Laser Focus World, effective in 2022.)