Wohlers Associates - Example Consulting Projects

Example Consulting Projects

Terry Wohlers, principal consultant and president of Wohlers Associates, has worked on many consulting projects over the company's 22-year history. The work has involved more than 150 client organizations in 20 countries around the world.

Terry has provided organizations of all types and sizes consulting advice on wide-ranging issues associated with prototyping and rapid product development. Much of this guidance has dealt with equipment purchases, hidden costs, what works and what does not, and growth trends and forecasts. It has also focused on acquisitions, partnerships, product positioning, competitive issues, investment, and whether to enter a particular market segment. The following are examples.

Evaluating Prototype and Tooling Processes

Evaluated approaches to tooling for manufacturers of surgical instruments and mobile phones.
Recommended options for prototyping and tooling to a manufacturer of bar code printers.
Explored options associated with entering the prototyping industry for a large manufacturer of computer products and services.
Evaluated tooling options for a major manufacturer of mobile phones in northern Europe.

Assisting with Process Automation

Developed a laser digitizing solution for a manufacturer of custom-fit in-the-ear hearing aids and explored options for rapid manufacturing.
Identified 3D design and CNC machining software for a manufacturer of footwear and swim fins in Brazil.
Tested new approaches to 3D modeling, prototyping, and reverse engineering for a national laboratory.

Uncovering Key Developments and Trends

Reviewed the current market and competition for a major supplier of prototyping materials.
Provided advice on additive fabrication market developments and trends to many investor companies.
Advised a materials company in Europe on the opportunities and risks associated with entering the prototyping and tooling business.
Helped a Japanese company understand recent developments and trends in prototyping and tooling.
Organized an annual series of international conferences on additive fabrication for a German company.

Guiding Technology Acquisition

Researched the licensing of a tooling process for a large manufacturer of consumer products.
Explored technology acquisition options for a manufacturer of additive fabrication systems.
Researched acquisition candidates for an established prototyping service provider in central Europe.

Assisting with New Product Introduction

Evaluated a European company's products and helped plan a new product family and marketing strategy.
Helped a CAD/CAM company launch a new Internet service.
Reviewed a new additive fabrication system in Asia and provided input on how the company might develop, market, and position the system.
Provided strategic advice to the top management of a company that offers CNC milling machines, 3D digitizers, and other products.
Evaluated the commercial potential of a rapid tooling technology for a manufacturing company.
Helped a Japanese company expand into new markets outside of Japan.

Client List

Terry places the highest degree of importance on honesty, integrity, and customer satisfaction, and he seeks to exceed expectations. All of his clients are references. Terry counts among his clients the following organizations.

3D Scanning and Reverse Engineering
      CGI
      Digibotics
      Idiotic
      EOIS
      Imageware
      InnovMetric Software (Canada)
      Ultimetrics, Ltd.
      VX Technologies (Canada)

Chemicals
      DuPont
        Huntsman (Switzerland)
        UCB Chemicals (Belgium)
      Valspar (Switzerland)

Computers and Business Machines
      Apple Computer
      CalComp
      Compaq
      Cognitive
        Hewlett-Packard

Consumer Products
      Ericsson (Sweden)
      Imaginary Design
      Irwin Industrial (Brazil)
      Nike
      Nokia (Finland)
      Procter & Gamble
      Sigma Innovation (Sweden)

Industrial Equipment and Machinery
      ABB (Finland)
      Belcan Corp.
      Dicon (Denmark)
      Deere & Company
      Exide Electronics
      Honeywell
      Hughes Christensen
      ITS Machinery (Israel)
        National Bearings Company
      United Technologies

Industry Events and Publications
      Ariel Communications
      Communication Technologies
      ConnectPress
      DEMAT GmbH (Germany)
      Euro-Team (England)
      Expoconsul International
      Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
      Marcus Evans (Malaysia)
      MCB University Press (England)
      Miller Freeman
      MoldMaking Expo
      Penton Media
      PennWell
      Rapid News Publications (England)
      Sterling Publications (England)
      Ziff Davis

Investment and Fund Management
     Advent International
        Bares Capital Management
      Champlain Investment Partners
      Chilton Investment Company
      Coleman Research Group
      Daruma Asset
      Dominion Capital Management
      Downtown Associates
      Fidelity Investments
      Friess Associates
      Gerson Lehrman Group
      Lord Abbett
      M.H. Meyerson & Co.
      MFS Investment Management
      North Coast, LLC
      Primary Global Research
      River Cities Capital Funds
      SITRA (Finland)
      TDA Capital Partners
      Telantis Research
      The Monitor Company Group
      Vista Research

Medical and Dental
      Align Technology (Invisalign)
      Dentsply
      Planmeca (Finland)
      Scott Laboratories
      Starkey Labs
      Sulzer Carbomedics

Professional Societies and Associations
      American Mold Builders Association
      Finnish Rapid Prototyping Association (Finland)
      French Rapid Prototyping Association (France)
      Institution of Mechanical Engineers (England)
      Japanese Society of Die and Mold Technology (Japan)
      National Computer Graphics Association
      Rapid Forming Technology Committee of the Chinese
          Mechanical Engineering Society (China)
      Rapid Product Development Association of South Africa (South Africa)
      Society of Manufacturing Engineers
      Toy Manufacturers of America
      3D Systems North American Stereolithography Users Group
      Vocational Industrial Clubs of America

Rapid Product Development
      2Phase Technologies
      3D Systems
      BMP Technology
      Cubital (Israel)
      Desktop Factory
      DTM Corp.
      Ellison Group
      EOS (Germany)
      Ex One
      INCS Inc. (Japan)
      Materialise (Belgium)
      Micromod (Israel)
      Objet Geometries (Israel)
      Opacity
        Primary Systems
      Progressive Components
      Proto Labs
      Roland DGA
      Schneider Prototyping (Germany)
      Solidica
      Solidimension (Israel)
      Stratasys
      Vantus Technology Corp.
      Waikato Innovation Park (New Zealand)
      Z Corporation

Research, Government, and Academia
      Bergen County Technical Schools
      Central University of Technology, Free State (South Africa)
      City of Loveland, Colorado
      Colorado State University
        Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - CSIR (South Africa)
      Fraunhofer Society (Germany)
      Georgia Institute of Technology
      Helsinki University of Technology (Finland)
      Institute Polytechnic of Leiria (Portugal)
      Lawrence Livermore National Labs
      National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
      National Science Foundation (NSF)
        National University of Singapore (Singapore)
      Milwaukee School of Engineering
      Saddleback College
      Sandia National Labs
      Swedish Institute of Production Engineering Research (Sweden)
      Tsinghua University (China)
      University of Dayton
      University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
      U.S. Department of Energy
      U.S. Department of Defense

Software and Web Services
      Autodesk
      Auto-Trol Technology
      CyberPro Engineering
      Computervision
      DeskArtes (Finland)
      Master Graphics
        Micro-Vector
      Muse Technologies Inc.
      Intergraph
      PlanetCAD
      Precision Visuals
      Spatial
      Versacad Corp.