Wohlers Associates expands its Design for Additive Manufacturing training offering
June 26, 2019
In response to the impact of design on the economics and adoption rate of Additive Manufacturing and the shortage of workforce experience in the industry, consulting firm Wohlers Associates, Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, is expanding its Design for AM (DfAM) training offering with two hands-on courses this summer.
In its annual Wohlers Report 2019, the firm found that more than 26% of an AM part’s cost, both for metal and polymer, comes from the post-processing stage of the workflow. This includes powder removal, thermal stress relief, support removal, surface treatment and finishing, and inspection. Build time and cost are also determined largely by shape, mass, support material and build orientation. Each of these characteristics is heavily influenced by the design of a part, making DfAM a critical factor in the economical and successful adoption of AM.
Wohlers Associates will hold a course from August 14–16, 2019, in Austin, Texas, USA, in connection with the 30th Annual Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium sponsored by the University of Texas at Austin. The firm will also hold its second ever Design at Elevation course in the mountain setting of Frisco, Colorado, USA, from September 11–13, 2019.
Both courses will focus on practical design knowledge and skills that make metal and polymer AM both economical and advantageous to companies. The lead instructor will be Olaf Diegel, alongside Terry Wohlers, Principal Consultant and President of Wohlers Associates, and Ray Huff, Associate Engineer and Instructor at Wohlers Associates.
