Dr. Dave Bourell wrote:
> Can anyone estimate the total number of RP/SFF/FFF commercial machines
that
> have been sold worldwide (since the start of the technology, all
companies)?
As Marshall mentioned, my company produces a publication titled Rapid
Prototyping & Tooling State of the Industry: 1999 Worldwide Progress
Report. It includes the estimates you are looking for. The numbers are
presented by RP system manufacturer and year, beginning in 1988 -- the year
that 3D Systems sold 32 systems and NTT Data CMET (Japan) sold 2 systems.
The most current edition reports that in 1998, 990 RP machines were sold by
22 system manufacturers worldwide, compared to 1036 the year before.
Through the end of 1998, a total of 4259 machines had been sold.
Additional information is available at WohlersAssociates.com. The web site
includes 73 articles, technical papers, reports, and other documents (all
free to read on-line), as well as links to 182 related web sites. I hope
this helps!
Terry
**********************
Terry Wohlers
Wohlers Associates, Inc.
OakRidge Business Park
1511 River Oak Drive
Fort Collins, Colorado 80525 USA
970-225-0086
Fax 970-225-2027
twohlers@compuserve.com
www.WohlersAssociates.com
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