Global additive manufacturing market tops $5 billion

The global market for additive manufacturing and 3-D printing grew by 25.9 percent to top $5 billion in 2015 — driven in part by more than 278,000 desktop printers, those priced under $5,000 — according to the newest Wohlers Report. The total was $5.16 billion.

Wohlers Associates Inc. announced the new version of the report on April 5. The consulting firm focused on additive manufacturing, 3-D printing and rapid product development, is based in Fort Collins, Colo.

Wohlers reports percent-growth in terms of compounded annual growth rates (CAGR). The firm measures all additive manufacturing and products and services, worldwide. The CAGR for the previous three years was 33.8 percent. Over the past 27 years, the CAGR for the industry is what Wohler reports as “an impressive” 26.2 percent.

Wohlers Associates reports that, despite challenges, growth continued in many industry segments, especially in the metal additive manufacturing and the desktop 3D printer segments.

In 2015, the firm said, 62 manufacturers sold industrial-grade systems (those valued at more than $5,000), compared to 49 in 2014 — and double the 2011 number of 31 sellers of industrial systems.

For Wohlers Report 2016, researchers collected input from 51 industrial system manufacturers, 98 service providers, 15 third-party material producers, and many manufacturers of low-cost desktop 3D printers. The 2016 report includes contributions from 80 experts in 33 countries.

The principal authors of the report are Tim Caffrey, senior consultant, Ian Campbell, associate consultant, and Terry Wohlers, principal consultant and president — all of Wohlers Associates. The 335-page 2016 report includes 35 charts and graphs, 68 tables, and 322 photographs and illustrations. It also includes more than 160 pages of supplemental online information, available to the buyers of the report.

This is the 21st consecutive year for the Wohlers Report.