With the surprising acquisition of Wohlers Associates by ASTM International last year, the industry waited to see what the future would look like for the pioneering market research and consulting group. Now, the public is getting its first glimpse at the newly branded Wohlers Associates, powered by ASTM International, with the publication of Wohlers Report 2022.
The 27th edition of the report indicates a 19.5 percent in growth for the additive manufacturing (AM) industry in 2021. This is more than double 7.5 percent growth in 2020, during which time the 3D printing sector and the economy as a whole slowed dramatically as a result of COVID-19.
“As expected, the industry has returned to a period of advancement and investment,” said Terry Wohlers, head of advisory services and market intelligence at Wohlers Associates, powered by ASTM International. “This expansion cuts across aerospace, healthcare, automotive, consumer products, energy, and other sectors.”
This year’s report spans 425 pages and includes 26 years of data, growing as the industry does. Topics in the newest edition include Women in 3D Printing (Wi3DP), workforce development and sustainability, scaling AM into production, research and development, reports from experts across 34 countries, and the future of the sector.
While there’s little made public from the report, Wohlers was able to share one additional metric publicly. Polymer powder consumption, according to Wohlers Report 2022, grew by 43.3 percent to surpass photopolymers as the most widely used AM material.
At 3DPrint.com, we’ve of course tracked these same developments, including the exciting success of Wi3DP and the AM Green Trade Association, as well as changes in the workforce and, of course, the technology itself. For that reason, we’re looking forward to getting our hands on the new report.