On 3D Printing

Motorola Mobility, a Google company, is building a 3D printed modular phone, and has partnered with 3D Systems for commercial fulfillment. More »

The Captured Dimensions pop-up studio was located in the Smithsonian Castle and featured approximately 80 digital cameras all connected to 3D software. More »

Microsoft expanded their support for 3D printing by launching a Windows 8 app called 3D Builder. It includes a library of objects you can edit and 3D print. More »

3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) announced the availability of the Sense 3D scanner, the first 3D scanner designed for the consumer and optimized for 3D printing. More »

With rumors circling that 3D Systems will be purchased by IBM, the stock soars. We look at why IBM might be interested in the 3D printing giant. More »

3D Printing is a Game Changer: Feature Published by The Atlantic

June 12, 2012 News

American iconic magazine The Atlantic invited Hugh Evans, vice president at T. Rowe Price Associates to publish an article about a technology or trend changing the markets. His topic: 3D Printing is a Game Changer.

From my vantage point, 3D printing is right up there as one of the most exciting innovations I’ve seen in the 20 years I’ve been around here. I think it’s going to change the way goods are manufactured across many industries.

Evans starts with the back story on 3D printing, how the technology evolved from producing wax-like prototypes to durable goods.

The revolution took place when companies like 3D Systems started designing radically new materials. They came up with nanocomposites, different blends of plastics, and different blends of powdered metals. They were then able to create a part that, if you held it in your hand, you’d think it was steel. You can throw it down on the ground against cement, and it looks and acts just like steel.

Later Evans mentions various industries that are embracing 3D printing.

These new materials allow this 3D printing to be adopted by aerospace, automotive. Jaguar is using the technology for rapid product development. So is the Bell Helicopter division of Textron.

It’s pretty intuitive to apply this technology to the automotive and aerospace industries, and jewelry has always been a big market. But one of the most exciting areas is actually dental fabrication.

One company I’m excited about is using 3D printing to make prostheses. It’s a venture-backed company in San Francisco called Bespoke Innovations. There are a large number of amputees in America and around the world–I believe something like two million people have some sort of prosthetic limb or device.

Finally, Evans talks about falling 3D printer prices, enabling consumer adoption.

Six years ago the cheapest machine out there was $30,000, but most were $100,000. Today you can get a capable 3D printer for around $1,299, which launched at the Consumer Electronics Show this year.

That’s why 3D printing is so interesting. It’s not just tied up in the engineering world anymore. It’s impacting a large number of industries, and becoming more relevant to consumers. I’m seeing that even high schools now have 3D printers. I just ran into a high school teacher the other day who teaches software classes, and he was telling me, “Oh, I just bought my first 3D printer.”

It’s exciting to see this technology begin to reach its full potential. A few years ago it was a little ahead of its time, but not anymore. It’s here today.

Read the full article at The Atlantic.

Deck of cards photo by aftab used under Creative Commons license.

Stratasys and Objet Merger: Accretive to Earnings by $0.04 Per Share

June 12, 2012 News

Leading 3D printer manufacturers Stratasys and Objet announced a $1.4 billion merger agreement in April 2012. Today they filed a proxy statement for Q1 financial results and pro forma 2011 results.

“We are pleased with the progress we are making as we move forward with the combination of our two companies, creating a leader within the high-growth 3D printing and direct digital manufacturing industry,” said Scott Crump, chief executive officer and chairman of Stratasys. “We are confident that this transaction will build significant long-term value for all stakeholders of both companies, including stockholders, channel partners, customers, and employees.”

The proxy statement provides certain pro forma financial results that outline the combined performance for Stratasys and Objet during prior periods. Included in this press release are certain financial tables that outline the pro forma results on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis for the 3-month period ended March 31, 2012, and the 12-month period ended December 31, 2011. Stratasys standalone results for the same periods, which were previously released, are also provided in the financial tables of this press release for comparative purposes.

The Stratasys and Objet combined pro forma revenue and earnings per share for the 3-month period ended March 31, 2012 on a non-GAAP basis are $83.0 million and $0.32 per share, respectively, compared to Stratasys standalone reported non-GAAP revenue and earnings of $45.0 million and $0.28 per share.

The combined pro forma revenue and earnings per share for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2011 on a non-GAAP basis are $277.0 million and $0.94 per share, respectively, compared to Stratasys standalone reported non-GAAP revenue and earnings of $155.9 million and $1.04 per share.

The non-GAAP financial measures, which exclude certain charges, expenses and income, are outlined in more detail in the tables provided at the end of this press release.

Via MarketWatch.

Fab Lab of the Week: Fox Valley Technical College in Wisconsin

June 11, 2012 Fab Labs

This week’s featured Fab Lab is at the Fox Valley Technical College in Wisconsin.

The FAB LAB (Fabrication Laboratory) is a unique Learning Center that enhances student classes and provides for an outreach program in the Fox Valley. Local schools join the fab lab in creating and constructing projects that relate to their curriculum and learn science, technology, engineering and math along the way. FAB LAB’s give students the opportunity to connect and collaborate with other fab labs around the world.

The FAB LAB concept was created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Dr. Neil Gershenfeld and documented in his book “FAB: The Coming Revolution on Your Desktop.” In the summer of 2007, the FAB LAB at FVTC became the 17th in the world.

The FVTC FAB LAB team researched Gershenfeld’s work at the Center for Bits and Atoms at MITand began planning how to set up a FAB LAB at the college. In 2005, the team developed a customized approach to adapting the FAB LAB concept for FVTC, which included global consultation and digital fabrication technology to create almost anything.

Thanks to the partnership with MIT, FVTC FAB LAB users have the ability to link with students and experts worldwide via Web video access to Norway, South Africa, India, Barcelona and other locations. Other partners also include Century College in Minnesota and Loraine County Community College near Cleveland. Inventors, students and businesses can share knowledge to collectively learn from successes and failures.

There is a critical need for Wisconsin manufacturers to become more innovative, efficient, and flexible and future employees will need the knowledge of digital fabrication, the FVTC FAB LAB is taking a leadership role in innovation. Our future economy in Wisconsin and beyond depends on leveraging the power and innovation of leading-edge technologies found in the FVTC FAB LAB. Wisconsin is home to 24 statewide manufacturing driver industries, many of which depend on some form of fabrication (per Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership-WMEP research).

This Fab Lab hosts an Alaris Objet 30 and Stratasys 3D printer, among other equipment.

You can see the FVTC Fab Lab in the video below.