Wohlers Associates to conduct course on design for additive manufacturing in cooperation with Airbus and ZAL

Wohlers Associates, Inc. is taking its internationally acclaimed course on design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) to Hamburg, Germany. The 13-14 June 2019 course is being supported by Airbus and ZAL Center of Applied Aeronautical Research. The two-day course, hosted by ZAL, will offer designers, engineers, and managers an opportunity to learn and practice methods and strategies that maximize the benefits of AM.

Wohlers Associates, publisher of the popular Wohlers Report, has identified DfAM as one of the key barriers to companies adopting AM, more commonly known as 3D printing. Wohlers Associates’ instructor and world-renowned DfAM expert Dr. Olaf Diegel will lead the course. The company has conducted this highly rated course in Australia, Belgium, Canada, South Africa, and the U.S. The course has received an overall average score of 4.7 (with 5 being the best) from all past participants.

“We are excited to be the first to host this course in Germany,” said Dr. Thorsten Scharowsky, Senior Development Manager of Additive Manufacturing at ZAL. “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.” Course participants will receive a tour of the ZAL TechCenter, gaining a window into the benefits and implementation of AM in the aerospace industry.

Topics covered in the training include the consolidation of many parts into one and methods to reduce material and weight, such as topology optimization and lattice/mesh structures. It covers ways to reduce expensive support material to minimize pre- and post-processing of parts. The course includes design considerations pertinent to all methods of polymer and metal AM and includes many best practices and DfAM guidelines. Participants will gain valuable hands-on experience by designing industrial parts and building them on AM equipment during the course.

“DfAM is one of the most important considerations when adopting AM for series production applications,” said 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.”