EOS Laser-Sintering Is Emerging as the Technology of Choice
2010 analyst's report reveals that more than 40 percent of global service providers would select EOS over other AM systems
Frankfurt am Main/ Germany, December 7, 2010 - This year's Wohlers Report on the state of the additive manufacturing (AM) industry includes a striking statistic: When global service providers were asked which technology they would most likely add, the most popular response was laser-sintering from EOS, followed by PolyJet from Objet and FDM from Stratasys, according to Wohlers Report 2010 (see chart below).
For 15 years, Wohlers Associates has compiled an annual comprehensive report on the advances in additive manufacturing technologies and applications. The 2010 report includes field information that provides an extensive overview of the current state of the industry.
"We sent our survey to 150 service providers from around the world," said Terry Wohlers, principal consultant and president of Wohlers Associates. "One of the questions we asked was, 'If you were going to add a new AM technology, which one would you most likely acquire?' We gave them 21 systems to choose from, plus an "Other" option. Sixty-four organizations from 18 countries responded, and the data revealed that 40.4 percent of those chose laser-sintering from EOS over everything else."
Chuck Alexander, Director of Additive Manufacturing at Solid Concepts (Valencia, CA), suggests several possible reasons for the survey results. "We've seen firsthand the accuracy, reliability and minimal downtime of EOS laser-sintering systems," he says. "The company's wide range of plastic and metal materials may also appeal to service bureaus looking to expand what they offer customers."
About Wohlers Associates
Wohlers Associates, Inc. is a 24-year old independent consulting firm in Fort Collins, Colorado. The company provides technical and strategic consulting on the new developments and trends in rapid product development and additive manufacturing. Much of this guidance deals with industrial applications, hidden costs, what works and what does not, industry trends, and growth forecasts. The company also assists with acquisitions, partnerships, product positioning, competitive issues, investment, and whether to enter a particular market segment. The company's past work has involved more than 160 client organizations in 22 countries around the world.
About EOS
EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2009/2010 with revenues of 64 million Euros. The company employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info
Contact
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Claudia Jordan
Group Manager Marketing Communications
Phone: +49 89 893 36 134
Fax: +49 89 893 36 284
e-mail: claudia.jordan@eos.info
Parker Group (editorial contact, US)
Nick O'Donohoe
Tel.: +1 401 272 1510
e-mail: nicko@parkergroup.com
