Wohlers Report 2001 reveals growth figures and forecasts in the RP industry

Citation

(2001), "Wohlers Report 2001 reveals growth figures and forecasts in the RP industry", Assembly Automation, Vol. 21 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2001.03321dab.001

Wohlers Report 2001 reveals growth figures and forecasts in the RP industry

Wohlers Report 2001 reveals growth figures and forecasts in the RP industry

Keywords: Rapid prototyping

Rapid prototyping (RP) system sales grew to a record high, according to a new report made available today by Wohlers Associates, Inc. Twenty-three system manufacturers worldwide sold 1,320 RP systems in 2000, compared to 1,178 in the previous year (see Figure 1). "This represents an increase of 12.1 per cent and a cumulative total of 6,755 machine installations in 58 countries", said industry consultant, analyst, and author Terry Wohlers, president of Wohlers Associates, Inc. These systems produced a staggering 3,004,006 models and prototype parts last year, according to Wohlers Report 2001.

The report also discusses new technologies and emerging trends. "Focusing on day-to-day business, I had a perception that RP was slowly progressing toward the future", said Todd Grimm of Accelerated Technologies, Inc. of Erlanger, Kentucky and a significant contributor to the new report. After reading Wohlers Report 2001, that perception has changed. "The information and data that the report presents clearly shows that there are many exciting and powerful developments underway", Grimm continued. "Without the report, I would be conducting business wearing blinders", explained Grimm.

Figure 1 RP machine sales worldwide

The report discloses that North America continues to dominate the use of rapid prototyping worldwide. At the end of last year, more than 45 per cent of all RP machines were installed in this region of the world. The estimates are cumulative totals from RP's inception through 2000.

Figure 2 RP use worldwide

Among other regions of the world, Asia/Pacific has shown strong gains. At the end of 2000, 28.6 per cent of the total worldwide installed base of machines was in operation in the Asia/Pacific region, compared to 24.6 per cent in Europe, according to estimates published in Wohlers Report 2001 (see Figure 2). "Many in the industry believe that the use of RP in Asia lags that of Europe", said Dr Ian Gibson of the University of Hong Kong, another important contributor to the report. "At one time, this was true, but not any longer", Gibson remarked.

Wohlers Report 2001 is a 250-page report developed with input from 53 industry experts, 43 service providers, 23 machine manufacturers, and countless others worldwide. It includes 26 charts and graphs, 32 tables, and 80 photographs and illustrations. This annual report has established a tradition of offering high-quality analyses that cover all facets of rapid prototyping, including business, product, market, technology, and applications. The report sells for $395 in the USA and $425 in all other countries. The report's table of contents, as well as additional information on the RP market and industry, are available at wohlersassociates.com.

For more information contact Wohlers Associates, Inc. Tel: 970 225 0086; Fax: 970 225 2027; E-mail: twohlers@compuserve.com; Web site: wohlersassociates.com