Top Stories of 2008: Part 3

The Future

Our industry began with Chuck Hull’s invention of Stereolithography in 1986. Twenty-two years later, we are still in our infancy. Here are four things to look forward to in 2009 and beyond:

1. 3-D Printing: Since “Consumer Reports” does not cover 3-D printing, we appreciated this trend piece by Joe Ogando of Design News magazine that talks about the wide range of offerings involving 3-D printers.

2. High-Speed Sintering: The new sPro SLS Center amazed the crowd at EuroMold. We are looking forward to a new age of sintering in 2009.

3. Materials Development: In this interview with RapidToday.com, our CEO Abe Reichental gives a glimpse into the future of Additive Fabrication materials.
4. Dream It. Design It. V-Flash It.: We told you in October that we have phased rollout plans through the first quarter for this revolutionary desktop modeler. With a base price below $10,000, this compact, fast and convenient 3-D printer is ideal for Additive Fabrication in offices, schools and homes.

Tell us what you’re looking forward to seeing from Additive Fabrication in 2009. E-mail the blog editor.

Top Stories of 2008: Part 2

The Activity

We have a blast promoting our Additive Fabrication solutions to the world. Here is a sampling of the comings and goings of 3D Systems in 2008:

1. 3D Systems World Conference: A fantastic week of learning, exploring and networking with old and new friends. The stats say it all – 400 people, 35 countries, 50 interactive presentations/technical lectures, 18 hands-on training sessions.

2. Conventions and Expositions – including Drupa, RAPID, Japan’s DMS, EuroMold: Time savings and cost savings are understood in every language. From introducing 3-D to the 2-D world with Xerox at Drupa 2008 in Germany to well-known industry events like RAPID in Orlando, FL, DMS in Japan and EuroMold in Germany, we showcased our technologies around the globe. And we had so much fun talking about the benefits of Additive Fabrication in ___ (enter language here)___.

3. Design & Build Times 2: Teens rarely reveal that they enjoy learning. That’s why we supported York Technical College’s “Design and Build 3D Competition.” Twice in 2008, teams of high schoolers designed, built and tested functional windmill models to generate energy. They used RP technology. They loved it. They even smiled.

4. ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”: This story tugs at the heart. The hosts of this popular TV show wanted blind college student Patrick Henry Hughes to “see” his new home so they gave him a 3-D model to touch and feel the renovations. Patrick Henry celebrated the moment with his family. Read the full story.

Share with us your exciting Additive Fabrication events in 2008. Email the blog editor.

Top Stories of 2008: Part 1

The Technology

"Year-in-Review" entries are fun. They give us the opportunity to celebrate new products and other happenings of the past year. It's also cool to look into the future (covered in Part 3).

Part 1 focuses on some of the new products that we introduced in 2008:

1. The new iPro Stereolithography Family: Spelled with a little “i” and big “P” for iPro. Mid-sized to XL precision centers. High-definition. Fast installs and new imaging technology of the iPro 9000 are making customers smile.

"The install went unbelievably well and before I knew it, we were building parts for revenue. It's good when you get a machine in and make revenue the same week."
– Gary Mitchell, Owner of Acu-Cast Technologies

2. ProJet Wax Printers: That’s right – all wax for direct investment casting! The ProJet CPX got the attention of Desktop Engineering magazine’s Lockwood. Read why he chose this printer as his “Editor’s Pick of the Week.”

3. Polypropylene Parts: DuraForm PP 100 was first shown at Japan’s DMS Expo in June. The automotive folks went crazy. And ever since people cannot stop talking about it. After all, it’s the first polypropylene material in the industry.

4. We Heart Metal: The Sinterstation Pro DM100 and DM250 SLM Systems build metal parts direct from metal alloys, including aluminum and titanium. Low-volume/custom manufacturing is fast. Digital dentistry is a reality. What’s not to love?

What 3D Systems’ products/technologies do you want to learn more about? E-mail the blog editor at 3dsystemsblog@gmail.com.

Additive Fabrication Today

Click here to read our CEO Abe Reichental’s commentary on Additive Fabrication that was published in the December 2008 issue of Design World magazine.

For the full web cast on this topic, click on "3D Systems Presents at 3D Systems World Conference 2008 - Charlotte, October 21, 2008," on our Investors page at this address: www.3dsystems.com/investors/archived_events.asp.

What do you think? How can we bring RP/RM technology into the "main street" of manufacturing? E-mail your ideas to the 3D Systems Blog Editor.

Discover Manufacturing

Karen Owens stopped by 3D Systems last week to talk to us about “Discover Manufacturing," an education initiative from top companies in South Carolina.

“America’s brainpower has made this country great,” said Karen, the President of Silver Crescent Foundation, the group leading the initiative. “We are building the next generation of manufacturers.”

But teachers and parents aren’t encouraging young people to pursue careers in manufacturing. Negative perceptions – including manual labor, outsourced jobs, assembly lines – surround the industry.

“Knowledge, creativity, innovation, engineering, high-paying jobs are today’s manufacturing jobs, not dirty work in old mills,” she said.

So “Discover Manufacturing” is partnering with manufacturing businesses and technical colleges to build greater awareness of the opportunities that exist in the manufacturing sector.

3D Systems plans to assist in this initiative to encourage more young people to pursue careers in engineering, technology, science, manufacturing and supporting fields. We all have to work together to promote our industry.

Have a suggestion on how to show young people that careers in design and engineering are fun? E-mail your ideas to the 3D Systems Blog Editor.

Story of a Dental Lab, 3M & 3D Systems

Need a crown? Coping? Bridge? 3D Systems can help. Read how D&S Laboratories has invested in 3M ESPE and 3D Systems’ technologies to provide precision dental restorations to customers.

These Wisconsin-based laboratories are using 3D Systems’ printers to print wax copings for casting or pressing.

The full story is in Dental Lab Products magazine.

Holiday Message

3D Systems wishes you a safe, joyous, and happy holiday season!

MESSAGE FROM ABE REICHENTAL, PRESIDENT & CEO, TO EMPLOYEES:

Dear Fellow Employee:

As we join our family and friends to celebrate this Holiday season, I want to thank you for your extraordinary support, dedication and commitment during a very challenging and unprecedented period. I am deeply grateful to have each and every one of you on this journey with me.

It's been a very turbulent year for our economy at home and abroad, and we at 3D were not spared the devastating impact of imploding world markets.... Nevertheless, in my daily contacts with you, I sense that all of us have confidence in our future and in the future of the marketplaces we serve. Despite the shaky economy, and the dramatic reshaping of global markets, our team remains focused on what we can control: doing what's right for our customers. It's this strong commitment that gives us confidence; it’s this sharp focus that will ultimately help all of us grow stronger and more prosperous together. We are part of a young industry that will emerge as a leader in future economic growth, and we should be proud of our leadership in this industry.

At 3D Systems, this year was framed as the year of building a much stronger more complete product portfolio for the benefit of our customers. It was also a year of monumental tests of our strength, moral fabric and company spirit as we adjusted to new marketplace realities while continuing to move forward with our key strategic initiatives. I am deeply grateful that through all of these challenges, we have emerged stronger, more capable and well‑positioned for the opportunities ahead.

Looking ahead, it is reassuring to see that there is a clear alignment between our customers’ most pressing needs and the areas of our most ambitious investments. Our technologies and products are poised to enable a new era of energy efficiency and greater performance for the aerospace and automotive industries. Our leadership in health-care applications puts us on the front lines of the Rapid Manufacturing transformation…. a revolution in how we as a company and a society can improve quality of life conditions such as hearing and dental care. I believe that our recent innovations position us at the forefront of new manufacturing processes with potential so great that the world is just beginning to grasp the possibilities.

Beyond these market-facing efforts, particularly during these trying times, we believe that we can have a positive effect on our environment through the way we manage ourselves within our own walls, conserving resources and positioning 3D Systems favorably for the economic recovery ahead.

As we join our families and friends to celebrate the Holiday season, please join me in thanking our customers, without whom none of this would be possible, for entrusting 3D Systems with their business.

I would particularly like to thank our families, our spouses, partners and loved ones who stood by us and supported us throughout a very, very challenging year. On behalf of our entire 3D Systems family, I want to wish you and your family a safe, joyous and happy Holiday season and a prosperous New Year.

Season’s Greetings

Abe

3D Systems Brings Old-Fashioned Holiday Cheer during Uncertain Economic Period

Two employee-driven holiday events here at 3D Systems.


3D employees participated in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program to deliver Christmas to 30 children of needy families. We packed the break room in Rock Hill last Friday with all kinds of gifts, doubling our Angel Tree donations from last year.

The 3DS Angel Tree coordinator said: “Every child who asked for a bike got one. We gave 11 total. Other children wanted the basics – clothing and shoes. And we went above and beyond their lists to get items to make the holidays special for everyone in their family – like family board games and a “Cookies for Santa” plate. 3D Systems’ employees are truly generous and kind people, and I am so proud that we are bringing a wonderful, memorable Christmas to each of our angels!”





This past Saturday night we celebrated the holiday season together with our families in Rock Hill. Given the uncertain economic environment, we decided to scale back our dinner, and we used an in-house DJ … our assistant general counsel … to provide music for dancing. Yet our team brought extra holiday cheer and real inner joy to the party as spouses, partners and friends tore up the dance floor, celebrating the season together old-fashioned style!

High Tech Cycle

A slide from Chuck's presentation on the "High Tech Cycle" & Chuck with his 3D Systems business partner and the original Stereolithography system (1986). Read more about the inventor of Stereolithography & STL on Wikipedia.

Chuck Hull’s presentation "Confessions of a Serial Inventor" at the 3D Systems World Conference caught the attention of Randall Newton, Editor-in-Chief of CADCAMNet. Here are some excerpts from his article, "STL Inventor Chuck Hull Describes the High Tech Cycle":

"... Once he got past the introductions and into the story of his life's work, Hull gave the assembled crowd of engineers an overview that was at once modest and fascinating, sharing the lessons of hindsight as the father of rapid manufacturing. ..."

"Invention is creating something new; innovation is the creative application of what is known. 'Innovation happens when you figure out how to make money from an invention,' Hull said, paraphrasing a comment he attributed to AT&T. ..."

"Hull sees the development and selling of high tech products as three elements of a continuous cycle which he calls The High Tech Cycle. The first step is invention, the second is innovation, the third is entrepreneurship. To complete the cycle, entrepreneurship cycles back to invention. All three are required to bring new products to market, and each must be free to pursue excellence. ..."

"'If there is a path to money there must be an enterprise to take invention to innovation,' said Hull. 'The first spark of invention is not enough to bring a product to market.' ... "

"'High technology companies must constantly invent and innovate,' Hull notes. 'It is expected by customers and required by competitors.' ..."

Click here for the full article.

Future Engineers

Design & Build competition at 3D Systems University in Rock Hill, SC, USA:

They looked like a non-threatening group at lunch. High school students -- mostly boys. Hovering over free pizza and cookies. Talking about some new video game and other kid stuff.

Then, they suddenly turned into engineers when they got out their thumb drives and gave detailed PowerPoint presentations on the process of designing and building a functional 3-D windmill model capable of generating power. They confidently answered tough questions on surface area, hubs, tolerances, lift & drag, theory ... from acclaimed college professors.

Each of the five high school teams researched, documented and designed. To start, most googled anything and everything that has blades and spins. They made decisions. They used CAD software to design. Their best designs were "printed" using 3D Systems' Stereolithography systems and materials (Accura Xtreme), then tested. Designs evolved for optimal power and a final model was built and tested during the competition.

Why the students liked RP:
--"Our first two-blade design didn't work at all. It didn't collect enough energy. With the prototype, it was fast and easy to figure out it wouldn't work."
--"We had many mistakes in our first build. Rapid prototyping helped us design, especially the blades."
--"The model showed us that four small wings don't catch much air and won't produce a volt of energy. We re-designed."

And the winner was ... Rock Hill High School. They went with Design 1 -- a six-blade windmill -- that generated more than 18 volts. Check out this video, courtesy of CN2.

Live @ 3D Systems

We experienced great success with "Live @ EuroMold" and learned so much.

Like:
1. People love short news entries, photos and video clips. Rumor around here is that Chuck Hull (CTO/Founder/Serial Inventor/Busiest Man in Stereolithography) was even checking in.
2. Our industry is fast-paced and innovation is constant -- this requires daily coverage.
3. We have a lot to share.

So we decided to continue the momentum of "Live @ EuroMold" with this continuous news feed of the latest and greatest in 3-D Printing, Rapid Prototyping and Direct Manufacturing.

Welcome to "Live @ 3D Systems." Check back frequently.

EuroMold Post-Game Wrap-Up

Some notes and quotes:

-- A passerby: “WOW, 3D really has a lot of new products!” 3D Systems demonstrated new products in all three product lines.

-- The program manager for the ProJet 5000 was hoarse after just two days because of all of the interest shown in the new, multiple materials 3-D Printer.

-- Lee Dockstader, VP of Stereolithography, proudly slid his hand over a really long iPro XL part and proudly declared, “Baby smooth!” He then encouraged customers to pose for photos next to the part, which they did. (see photo)

-- Attendees kept our experts engaged in technical, performance and quality-related discussions.

Visit our EuroMold photo gallery!

New Video Clips Uploaded

New clips of the iPro 8000 SLA Center and a brand new clip of the ProJet 5000 building a part - check them out!

Mainstream Manufacturing

What’s the buzz in Hall 8.0? Abe Reichental, President & CEO of 3D Systems, answers:

“The buzz this year is Rapid Manufacturing! It seems that for the first time in the history of Additive Fabrication and this EuroMold season, the emphasis is shifting squarely to Rapid Manufacturing, direct and indirect ... and we certainly have the goods. EuroMold attendees are experiencing a full range of manufacturing solutions, including our higher definition, higher speed sPro manufacturing center making real PP parts; our new, RealWax investment casting production system is a hit with many who have been waiting for this solution to become available; and our new V-Flash HA (hearing aid) manufacturing system is attracting the attention of producers looking for a compact production unit for their satellite locations. All told this year, what is on everyone’s mind is – How can I mass customize and produce it here and now? Not – How can I prototype it? From a EuroMold perspective, it appears that at long last our industry is coming of age as our Additive Fabrication solutions are crossing the chasm to mainstream manufacturing.”

Doubling Build Speed Challenge

An update on the sPro SLS Center from Thomas Pang, a Sintering expert with a long job title and many college degrees:
"Existing users are highly impressed with the upgrades, especially the TruTemp (thermal system), and very impressed with the formerly 70-watt laser boosted to 200 watts to achieve the doubling of build speed. Many people did not believe that we have doubled build speed with the new sPro, so we are taking the challenge and running estimation for anyone willing to check a build packet."

A DuraForm PP 100 update:
"Many people have never seen real polypropylene in SLS. Positioning vs. (DuraForm) EX has been asked, and I have shown the lower rigidity (softer, but good for general prototyping), greatly increased elongation, and stress-whitening that is a characteristic of PP, and the anticipated stability in mechanical properties and color over time. Several end-use applications of the material have been suggested, and potential new applications for consumer and automotive use may evolve from this new material. After seeing 3D System’s capability for new powder development, several customers have expressed optimism for other innovative Sintering plastics for the future."

And when there's time:
"Excellent sandwiches and drinks are brought right into the booth so that we can maximize our interaction time with customers."

New Video Clips Uploaded

New clips of the sPro SLS Center and a brand new clip of the iPro 9000 XL building a part - check them out here!

Redefining High Definition

One minute with Lee Dockstader – full-time VP of Stereolithography, part-time photographer:

Q: What are visitors saying about the new iPro 8000 running at the booth?
A: It’s a great mid-range package.

Q: What about Accura ClearVue?
A: Is that bottle really made with a SLA System?
Q: What is it like at the 3D Systems booth and EuroMold?
A: Great line-up of equipment – all new within the last few months.

Q: Final thoughts?
A: The iPro-built parts at CNC Speedform are awesome! I took photos!

Video Clips Are Now Up

Check them out!

ProJet 5000


V-Flash Desktop Modeler


iPro 8000 and Accura Materials (German)


ProJet 5000 (Italian)


ProJet 3000 (Italian)


V-Flash Desktop Modeler (Italian)

Sintering & Sore Feet

Making history! Our new sPro SLS Center is running our new DuraForm PP 100 Plastic (the industry’s first polypropylene material).

Some commentary from Greg Elfering – VP of Sales & Marketing for Sintering – after the first day of EuroMold:

“Visitors are coming to our booth to see the sPro. Many existing customers are impressed, saying that we have raised the bar. DuraForm PP is getting a lot of attention. Customers like the mechanical properties. The 3D Systems’ booth is very impressive and very busy. Traffic is coming and going so it has been exciting. We all have sore feet. The show runs from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and we enjoy staying after-hours to socialize. We had a birthday party for Rozenn Sellin (of 3D Systems’ Marketing) tonight complete with a cake and song.”

Editors' Note: Happy Birthday - Joyeux Anniversaire, Rozenn!

Exhibiting for the First Time in Europe -- ProJet CPX

The ProJet CPX produces high-definition wax patterns for direct investment casting.

4D Concepts is a 3-D Printing service bureau and 3D Systems’ reseller in Germany. Visit 4D Concepts' Web site (in German).

Here’s what company President Rainer Neumann has to say about the 3D Systems’ ProJet CPX RealWax 3-D Printer:

“We are excited to own and showcase the first time ProJet CPX 3-D Printer in Europe – a RealWax production system that is ideal for casting applications and a nice addition to our RP/RM system offerings. During the first day of EuroMold 2008, we received numerous inquiries for printers and parts from a wide range of industries. We look forward to bringing this revolutionary printer to the European market.”

Welcome to Hall 8.0, Stand G154

Two chairs produced in 3D Systems' Stereolithography material are set on the iPro XL platform. At 59 inches wide, it is the largest commercially available SLA platform in the world.




Hello from EuroMold 2008!

3D Systems is so excited to be part of this event that we decided to bring Frankfurt, Germany, to you through "Live @ EuroMold!" EuroMold is the World Fair for Moldmaking and Tooling, Design and Application Development. It has more than 65,000 attendees and 1,600 exhibitors. It runs from December 3-6. Read more about Euromold.

So, for our first entry, it is fitting that we welcome you to Hall 8.0, Stand G154. This area is also known as the 3D Systems booth. Here, we have the cutting-edge technologies – 3-D Printing, Stereolithography and Sintering.

Take a tour of our booth!