Wohlers Associates to hold Design for Additive Manufacturing course in Germany

Wohlers Associates, Inc., Colorado, USA, is set to conduct its Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) course in Hamburg, Germany. The course will take place on June 13–14, 2019, and is supported by Airbus and ZAL Center of Applied Aeronautical Research, Hamburg, Germany. It will be hosted by ZAL and offer designers, engineers, and managers the opportunity to learn and practise design methods and strategies that maximise the benefits of AM.

Topics which are expected to be covered include the consolidation of many parts into one and methods to reduce material and weight, such as topology optimisation and lattice/mesh structures; ways to reduce expensive support material to minimise pre- and post-processing of parts; and design considerations pertinent to all methods of polymer and metal Additive Manufacturing, including best practices and DfAM guidelines.

Dr Thorsten Scharowsky, Senior Development Manager of Additive Manufacturing at ZAL, stated, “We are excited to be the first to host this course in Germany. Wohlers Associates represents a reputation and caliber that is among the highest in AM and DfAM. We expect the response from German companies to be substantial.”

During the course, participants are expected to gain experience by designing industrial parts and additively manufacturing them. They will also receive a tour of the ZAL TechCenter, allowing them to learn about the benefits and implementation of AM in the aerospace industry. Dr Olaf Diegel, Wohlers Associates’ instructor and DfAM expert, will lead the course.

“DfAM is one of the most important considerations when adopting Additive Manufacturing for series production applications,” commented Martin Dehn, Head of Emerging Technologies & Concepts at Airbus. “Wohlers Associates first worked with Airbus management in March 2014, so we understand the company’s unique capabilities and deep-rooted perspective.”

Wohlers Associates has previously conducted its DfAM course in Australia, Belgium, Canada, South Africa, and the USA. Further information about the course is available on the company’s website.