Wohler’s Report 2013 Released
Additive manufacturing (AM) is a rapidly evolving industry. The past few years have seen a number of new developments, with AM becoming a cornerstone of diverse industries including dental, medical and architecture. Part of my job here at Rapid Ready is to keep you informed about current trends in AM, and I would be remiss not to announce the release of Wohler’s Report 2013.
The report, produced on an annual basis by Wohler’s Associates, tracks the 3D printing industry as a whole and offers analysis and company information pertaining to AM along with other useful information. If you happen to be unfamiliar with Wohler’s Associates, the company is run by Terry Wohlers, a recognized expert in AM. Last year I had a conversation with Wohlers about the industry, which you can find here. Continue reading
Play-Doh 3D Printer Hottest New Toy for Kids
Last November, Rapid Ready spoke to additive manufacturing (AM) guru Terry Wohlers, and he predicted the first big home 3D printer would be one made for kids. Now that prediction may come true with the Play-Doh 3D Printer from ThinkGeek. Continue reading
RAPID 2013 Announces Keynote Speakers
As the importance of additive manufacturing (AM) continues to grow, the nature of AM conferences changes. In place of a mainly industry insider feel to the events, more and more professionals interested in discovering what AM can offer for their business will attend to meet AM industry leaders and see AM first-hand. You won’t find a greater concentration of AM in North America than at RAPID.
I was privileged to attend RAPID 2012, and you can find highlights of my coverage here. The annual conference hosted by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers draws attendees from around the world. Along with the impressive exhibitor hall, the main draw to RAPID is the speakers that come to share their knowledge of AM, and to discuss breakthroughs in the technology. Continue reading
A Conversation with Terry Wohlers
I spend nearly every day reading and writing about additive manufacturing (AM). I know the terminology, the players, the processes, and the industries involved. In short, I know plenty about AM. Compared to the encyclopedia of AM knowledge contained in Terry Wohlers’ mind, though, I might have just heard about this whole 3D printing thing for the first time today.
We talk a lot about Wohlers (and his consulting firm, Wohlers Associates) here at Rapid Ready. We’ve asked him about the Stratasys/Objet merger, we frequently quote him, and we (particularly, me) give thanks to your deity of preference that his yearly report exists. It seemed only proper that we ask for a bit of his time to sit down and have a conversation with him. He very graciously accepted. Continue reading
Reading Between the Layers of the Stratasys-Objet Merger
Some unions just make sense: Think Disney-Pixar, Exxon-Mobil, or Bogie and Bacall. Others seem doomed to failure from the start. Did anyone think AOL-Time Warner, Daimler Chrysler, or Kardashian and Humphries were really going to work out?
So when Stratasys and Objet announced they intended to merge to create a giant in the 3D printing arena, it was only natural for design engineers to wonder whether it was a good match—and, more importantly, “What does it mean for me?”
