“How do your customers use the parts built on your AM systems?”
What are people using industrial AM parts for?
The chart shows how organisations are using industrial additive manufacturing systems for a range of applications. The information presented in the chart came from a Wohlers Associates' survey question “How do your customers use the parts built on your AM systems?” The survey included the following options:
o Visual aids (for engineers, designers, medical professionals, etc.)
o Presentation models (including architectural)
o Prototypes for fit and assembly
o Patterns for prototype tooling (including silicone rubber molds)
o Patterns for metal castings
o Tooling components (created directly on an AM system)
o Functional parts (for short run, series production, prototyping, etc.)
o Education/research
o Other
The survey results show that companies use AM technology to produce functional parts more than anything else. The second most popular application for AM parts is as prototypes for fit and assembly.
