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Two High-Powered Executives Bring Z Corp. Employee Count to 161
BOSTON (News Release) -- Z Corporation announced the addition of two new senior executives to build on the company's momentum in the 3D printing and scanning markets.
Technology sales veteran Ed DeArias, most recently of Nokia, has joined Z Corporation as Vice President of Global Sales, responsible for driving all sales programs and revenue for the company, and Olimpio DeMarco, most recently of Autodesk Inc., joined as Director of Business Development, responsible for expanding business in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) and education markets.
The company has hired 22 employees since January, bringing employee count to 161. "We warmly welcome Ed, Olimpio and our other new professionals to what we believe is the right company in the right industry at the right time," said John M. Kawola, Chief Executive Officer. "Our 3D printing technology is becoming a standard best practice in product development organizations and is heating up in architecture, GIS, entertainment, arts and medicine. A key success factor for us is having the right people, and these new colleagues are shining examples who will help us drive more expansion going forward."
DeArias reports to Kawola. DeMarco reports to Vice President of Business Development Scott Harmon.
TCT RAPID Manufacturing Conference Set For October 2008 in Coventry, UK
Registration is now open and initial details have been released for the October 2008 TCT Rapid Manufacturing Conference to be held in Coventry, England.
TCT promises an impressive range of presentations covering many aspects of additive fabrication across a broad spectrum of industries. Schedule speakers include: Geoff Hollington, Barron Gould Hollington; Bob Hemmings, Assystem UK; Eric Jones, Stryker; Paul du Plessis, Saab Avitronics; Lionel Dean, Future Factories; and Max Ruffo from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing.
The full program can be found online at the event website www.tctshow.com.
TCT said that Terry Wohlers is slated to present the conference keynote address entitled “An Outlook to Endless Possibilities”, on the first morning of the conference, which will be held October 21 and October 22 at the Ricoh Arena.
Both days of the show will conclude with a panel review session giving delegates the opportunity to openly discuss pertinent issues that they would like addressed, TCT said.
Stratasys is First Addititive Fabriciation Equipment Maker to Sell 10,000 Machines
NEW YORK (June 2, 2008): There was cause for celebration this afternoon when Stratasys Inc. was honored by the NASDAQ stock exchange as the company heralded the sale of its 10,000th additive fabrication machine.
The Eden Prairie, MN-based Stratasys, founded in 1989 and trading as SSYS, said that PSA Peugeot Citroen of Brazil purchased a high-precision FDM 400mc, making Stratasys the only one of 34 global additive fabrication equipment makers to reach 10,000 installations.
To mark the achievement, Scott Crump, Stratasys CEO and co-founder, rang the ceremonial closing bell at NASDAQ. (See photo.)
Its latest purchase brings the number of Stratasys additive fabrication machines now owned by PSA Peugeot Citroen to 14, including six Dimension 3D printers and eight high-precision FDM systems, Stratasys said in a news release.
The company's news release quoted industry consultant Terry Wohlers, president of Wohlers Associates Inc., saying: "No other company in the business has come close to selling similar volumes in recent years." Stratasys did not indicate whether Wohlers is a paid company consultant.
On the day, Stratasys shares fell 2.62% to close at $21.20 a share.
The Eden Prairie, MN-based Stratasys, founded in 1989 and trading as SSYS, said that PSA Peugeot Citroen of Brazil purchased a high-precision FDM 400mc, making Stratasys the only one of 34 global additive fabrication equipment makers to reach 10,000 installations.To mark the achievement, Scott Crump, Stratasys CEO and co-founder, rang the ceremonial closing bell at NASDAQ. (See photo.)
Its latest purchase brings the number of Stratasys additive fabrication machines now owned by PSA Peugeot Citroen to 14, including six Dimension 3D printers and eight high-precision FDM systems, Stratasys said in a news release.
The company's news release quoted industry consultant Terry Wohlers, president of Wohlers Associates Inc., saying: "No other company in the business has come close to selling similar volumes in recent years." Stratasys did not indicate whether Wohlers is a paid company consultant.
On the day, Stratasys shares fell 2.62% to close at $21.20 a share.
L-VMA Gets Results: Initial Articles Based Upon L-VMA's Story About Boris Fritz and Utility Fog
The Low-Volume Manufacturers Association can help you and your company spread your message to the world. For free! For more information, contact Dean Rotbart, director, at 1-866-541-RPRM (7776).
Amazing But True: Hold Your Breath for 4 Hours
It seems like science fiction but it's not. Boris Fritz, a ...
6 min -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=--J99VtI034
astrotips.com/index.php?module=MyHeadlines&func=view&myh=user&myh_op=click&cid=304681 - 41k
www.memebox.com/futureblogger/show/565 - 31k
markacadey.net/youtube/tag/manufacturing - 83k
zeroinfluence.wikidot.com/nmc-research:manufacturing - 80k -
Amazing But True: Hold Your Breath for 4 Hours
It seems like science fiction but it's not. Boris Fritz, a ...6 min -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=--J99VtI034
Amazing But True: Expert Forecasts You Will Hold Your Breath for 4 ...
This is not science fiction, according to Boris Fritz, an aerospace engineer, ... A video interview with Fritz is available now on the Low-Volume ...astrotips.com/index.php?module=MyHeadlines&
Future Blogger - May 31
At the recent Low-Volume Manufacturers Association conference, Boris Fritz, a senior engineer technical specialist at Northrop Grumman, said he expects ...www.memebox.com/futureblogger/show/565 - 31k
manufacturing Videos at MarkaCadey. manufacturing Free Videos
Boris Fritz, a senior engineer technical specialist at Northrop Grumman, tells the . ... Tags: RPM L-VMA low-volume manufacturing additive Redeye rapid ...markacadey.net/youtube/tag/manufacturing - 83k
Zero Influence Wiki: Manufacturing
Boris Fritz, a senior engineer technical specialist at Northrop Grumman, tells the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association that in our lifetime, we will likely ...zeroinfluence.wikidot.com/nmc-research:manufacturing - 80k -
L-VMA Investigates: Are Todd A. Grimm and SME Too Cushy for the Organization's Good?
EXCERPT: Who decided that Todd Grimm, who is scheduled to become the 2009 Chair of SME's RTAM Community Steering Committee, should be a keynote speaker for this year's conference and exhibition? Doesn't this group already know Todd and what he has to say?
How about some fresh blood and fresh ideas?
Moreover, I'd like to know who else who spoke at this year's RAPID conference is a client of Todd's? Does SME load its panels with friends and clients of its steering committee members? Both SME and Todd are mum on this issue.
Even as I was preparing this post the mailman came and delivered to my house a flyer for SME's bookstore. The book that is most visible on the cover is Todd Grimm's User's Guide to Rapid Prototyping (black cover, center).
 |
| Flyer for Todd's 'Rapid' Book |
I will be asking the IRS these and other questions about SME in the coming days and weeks. So far, the written questions I've asked to Todd and most of the written and verbal questions I've asked to SME have been ignored.
As a veteran journalist, that comes as no surprise.
SME and Todd Grimm won't begin answering any uncomfortable questions until other SME members begin posing them or until an independent auditor - such as the IRS, comes knocking at their door and says, 'Gee, L-VMA has a point, what steps do you take to prevent SME from functioning as the tax-advantaged marketing arm of T.A. Grimm & Associates, Inc.?"
Be patient. We will get to the bottom of all this together.
TO READ THE FULL TEXT OF THIS POST, CLICK ON 'MORE' NOW!
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What's Wrong With This News Release from SME? Just About Everything!
The news release that follows was issued by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers last week to promote the fact that a professor at the University of Oklahoma won an award from SME for a paper she wrote on the innovative use of rapid prototyping in the field of skull reconstruction.
If I were the professor, I'd ask for my money back.
The release by SME, which aims to promote the additive fabrication industry among its various goals, is guilty of almost all variety of poor writing. Sad to say, however, the SME news release is typical of news releases being written in our industry: 1.) Boring 2.) Self-Serving 3.) Of interest to few people, if anyone. 4.) Laden with jargon. 5.) Boring.
Okay, so I mentioned boring twice. It is worth emphasizing.
If we are ever going to grow this industry into the global powerhouse that it can be, we've got to do a much, much better job telling our story -- especially to the mainstream news media.
To be as clear as possible, I will once again comment in blue after providing you the exact text of the SME news release.
========================================================================
[This headline sucks! I hate to be that blunt, but it's true. Who, especially among journalists, has any idea in the world who Dr. Jayanthi Parthasarathy is? Moreover, who other than SME and Dick Aubin's family have any idea what is a 'Dick Aubin Distinguished Paper Award'? It is like a Pulitzer Prize or a Nobel Prize?
Try this headline I crafted instead:
Professor Honored For Her Study Of Innovative Ways To Help Rebuild Shattered Skulls
Oh my! My version doesn't name the professor, the award, the group that is honoring her, or even the industry that is sponsoring the award.
Exactly.
Read SME's headline again and read mine. Then pretend you are a normal human being, not an SME insider. Which headline makes you want to read on?]
5,000-Year-Old Iraqi Artifacts Are Object of Major 3D Scanning and Rapid Prototyping Project
A multi-national effort to preserve the historical significance of thousands of ancient Iraqi cuneiform clay models is pinning its hopes on state-of-the-art 3D scanners and additive fabrication systems.
As reported by Discovery News, a team of scientists aims to gain access to the early Iraqi writing artifacts now housed at the National Museum in Badgad but no longer available for public viewing due to security concerns. Among the items to be scanned and reproduced are some of the earliest known written documents in existence.
Those behind the project say that they favor the additive fabrication technology over silicon or latex casts because AF allows them to make perfect replicas of the original cuneiforms without ever coming into direct physical contact with the fragile clay writings.
"The tablets were written on the front, back and sides, thus you need to rotate them to properly read the text," according to Paola Negri, an Italian engineer working on the project. "It is something not so easy to do with two-dimensional photography," he told Discovery News.
The work, itself, is reminiscent of the kind of work that Owings Mills, MD-based Direct Dimensions has undertaken for other significant preservation projects in the United States. Michael Raphael, president and chief engineer of Direct Dimensions, is an active member in the Society of Manufacturing Engineers rapid prototyping community.
How to Write an Effective RAPID Industry News Release
The additive fabrication industry has a great story to tell the world and yet is one of the worst storytellers imaginable. News release after news release issued by members of this industry read as if they were written by engineers -- which they probably were.But while engineers can design systems and parts that wow the imagination -- i.e. 'build a better mousetrap' -- the world will not beat a path to our doors unless we do a better job of telling our story.
Writing news releases is an art -- not a science. So my guidelines herein are intended as just that -- guides. In general, the most important insights that RAPID owners and executives can take away from this lesson are these.
- Write a Grabbing Headline for Your News Release, Even if that Means Leaving Your Company's Name/Product Out of the Headline.
- In the first paragraph or two, get immediately to the 'so what' of your announcement -- leaving the details (who, what, when, where) for further down. If readers don't know the import of your announcement upfront, they likely won't bother reading deep into your news release to discover it.
- Write as if you are telling a story to your neighbor or a member of your church. Your audience needs to be enticed.
Amazing But True: Expert Forecasts You Will Hold Your Breath for 4 Hours
[Headline is intended to get journalists and others to read further. Take note that I don't mention any name or company in the headline, so as not to bog it down. If you see this headline, it is hard not to read on -- don't you think?]
Orlando, Fl. (May 30, 2008) -- An expert in nanomanufacturing says that researchers are developing molecular-sized machines that in our lifetimes will allow humans to live without a fresh intake of oxygen for as much as four hours.
[I don't say who the expert is yet because until the readers care about this news release, they won't care who the expert is or where he works. I also don't weigh down this first sentence with technical jargon -- such as respirocytes. Instead, I refer to them as 'molecular-sized' machines. Even your neighbor can picture that.]
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Voxals, Utility Fog and Other RAPID Wonders: A Conversation with Boris Fritz of Northrup Grumman
The future holds the promise of allowing heart attack victims to take their sweet time in getting to a hospital; underwater divers swimming for hours without any equipment whatsoever; and homes that pack themselves up when you go on vacation and serve as a park until your return.
All that might seem like pure bunk if it weren't coming from the mouth of Boris Fritz, a senior engineer technical specialist in the material and process laboratory of Northrop Grumman Corp. Boris, who also served as a RAPID 2008 conference advisor, regaled this year's SME gathering with a peek into what may become a reality in our lifetimes.
Following his remarks to the entire assembly, Dean Rotbart, director of the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association, had the opportunity to ask Boris to repeat some of his more amazing forecasts. Dean's report, now available on YouTube, can be accessed here as well.
L-VMA Interviews Jodie Davis of Redeye RPM at RAPID 2008
The Low-Volume Manufacturers Association interviewed Jodie Davis, a senior marketing specialist for Redeye RPM at the RAPID 2008 conference and exposition in Orlando, FL. The interview was conducted by Dean Rotbart, founder and director of L-VMA.
In the interview, Jodie gives a broad overview of the many services offered by Redeye RPM. Other companies in the additive fabrication industry wishing to have their story told by L-VMA are invited to contact Rotbart at director@l-vma.org or phone him at 1-866-522-RPRM (7776). There is no fee for this service.
Materialise Sets Competition for Innovate Use of its RP-RM Software
To mark the 15th anniversary of its Rapid Prototyping and Rapid Manufacturing software (RP-RM), Materialise said it is sponsoring a contest to honor those users who have shown the most innovative and creative uses for its Magics and 3-matic software.
In a news release, the Leuven, Belgium-based company announced the inaugural edition of the Materialise Pyramid Awards and invited companies to submit a case describing their RP-RM innovation.
"By means of these Awards we hope to stimulate an open minded use of our software and to further increase innovation in additive manufacturing," explains Wim Michiels, vice president of Materialise Software. Winners will be evaluated by a jury and announced in September 2008 at the company's Innovation Forum.
Materialise said the top prize in each of its two categories will be 2,000 Euro. Full details can be found on its website, www.materialise.com.
In a news release, the Leuven, Belgium-based company announced the inaugural edition of the Materialise Pyramid Awards and invited companies to submit a case describing their RP-RM innovation.
"By means of these Awards we hope to stimulate an open minded use of our software and to further increase innovation in additive manufacturing," explains Wim Michiels, vice president of Materialise Software. Winners will be evaluated by a jury and announced in September 2008 at the company's Innovation Forum.
Materialise said the top prize in each of its two categories will be 2,000 Euro. Full details can be found on its website, www.materialise.com.
3M Veteran Elected to the Board of 3D Systems
ROCK HILL, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE) -- 3D Systems Corporation (Nasdaq: TDSC), a leading provider of 3-D Printing, Rapid Prototyping and Direct Manufacturing solutions, elected Karen E. Welke as an additional director of the company, increasing the size of the Board to nine.
Ms. Welke held executive positions for more than 25 years at 3M Corporation where she last served as Group Vice President of its Medical Markets Group. During her tenure at 3M, she also had significant international experience, having served as Managing Director of 3M France for four years and previously as the European Healthcare Group Product Director headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. She is retired and currently serves as a director of Millipore Corporation (NYSE: MIL).
“We are very pleased to have a person of Karen’s caliber join our Board of Directors,” said Walter Loewenbaum, 3D Systems’ Chairman. “Karen brings a unique blend of business experience that we expect to enhance the range of skills and expertise within our Board of Directors.”
“The addition of Karen Welke to our Board underscores our commitment and drive to improving all aspects of our business,” said Abe Reichental, 3D Systems’ President and CEO. “The medical systems’ sector is of great interest to our company and its future growth plans, particularly in the areas of 3-D Printing and Direct Digital Manufacturing. We expect that Karen’s extensive industry experience, coupled with her comprehensive strategic, operating and international background, will make her a valuable addition to our Board.”
Ms. Welke held executive positions for more than 25 years at 3M Corporation where she last served as Group Vice President of its Medical Markets Group. During her tenure at 3M, she also had significant international experience, having served as Managing Director of 3M France for four years and previously as the European Healthcare Group Product Director headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. She is retired and currently serves as a director of Millipore Corporation (NYSE: MIL).
“We are very pleased to have a person of Karen’s caliber join our Board of Directors,” said Walter Loewenbaum, 3D Systems’ Chairman. “Karen brings a unique blend of business experience that we expect to enhance the range of skills and expertise within our Board of Directors.”
“The addition of Karen Welke to our Board underscores our commitment and drive to improving all aspects of our business,” said Abe Reichental, 3D Systems’ President and CEO. “The medical systems’ sector is of great interest to our company and its future growth plans, particularly in the areas of 3-D Printing and Direct Digital Manufacturing. We expect that Karen’s extensive industry experience, coupled with her comprehensive strategic, operating and international background, will make her a valuable addition to our Board.”
RedEye RPM and Alibre Form Partnership to Offer Instant Rapid Prototyping Quotes
ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- RedEye RPM (www.redeyerpm.com), a business unit of Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS), and Alibre, Inc. (www.alibre.com) today announced – from the RAPID show in Orlando – a new partnership that enables users of Alibre Design 3D CAD software to obtain instant quotes for designs using RedEye’s Web-based quoting system.
As part of the partnership, RedEye created a software add-on for Alibre Design that generates instant quotes for parts and assemblies directly inside the Alibre Design interface. In addition, designers securely can transmit the design to RedEye to build after receiving a quote. The quotes are based on services offered by RedEye RPM, which houses nearly 100 additive fabrication systems in its facilities worldwide, most of which are fused deposition modeling® systems manufactured by Stratasys.
“Designers now have direct access to prototypes and custom manufactured parts that can be made and shipped to them in a matter of days,” says Tim Thellin, RedEye RPM product manager. “This add-on offers a simple, direct connection for designers to get quotes instantly without having to upload files to our Web site.”
As part of the partnership, RedEye created a software add-on for Alibre Design that generates instant quotes for parts and assemblies directly inside the Alibre Design interface. In addition, designers securely can transmit the design to RedEye to build after receiving a quote. The quotes are based on services offered by RedEye RPM, which houses nearly 100 additive fabrication systems in its facilities worldwide, most of which are fused deposition modeling® systems manufactured by Stratasys.
“Designers now have direct access to prototypes and custom manufactured parts that can be made and shipped to them in a matter of days,” says Tim Thellin, RedEye RPM product manager. “This add-on offers a simple, direct connection for designers to get quotes instantly without having to upload files to our Web site.”
Questions and Some Initial Answers About Todd A. Grimm and His SME Role
Last Friday, May 23, I sent the following note to the public relations department of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers:
This morning I phoned SME in Detroit to follow up on my email. I spoke with Lori Dick, senior PR representative, who did provide me some initial answers.
Ms. Dick says that Todd was not paid for his keynote address and that none of his expenses were reimbursed by SME. In addition, she says that the selection of speakers is controlled by a 20-member advisory board and that each of the members votes on possible speakers.
I've asked her for the names of those 20 members and if there is a chair of the group. I'll let you know when I hear back from her.
Ms. Dick told me that Todd would have recused himself from any discussion of including him as a keynote speaker, assuming he is one of the 20 advisory members.
For now, I have no reason not to take Ms. Dick at her word, although I have asked her to provide me additional information to help verify her responses. I have also sent a list of related email questions to Todd.
Meanwhile, Ms. Dick asked me to verify who I say I am, including the fact that I used to report for The Wall Street Journal and was nominated by the paper for a Pulitzer Prize. Ms. Dick says the only proof she has been able to find so far to corroborate my biographical claims comes from my own postings.
I suggested that SME call The Wall Street Journal directly and ask about me. I even gave her the phone number!
There is no doubt that SME is suspicious of me and my intentions. I've got nothing to hide. Hopefully, SME can say the same thing.
I am working on an article for our web site about Todd A. Grimm, who was one of this year's keynote speakers at RAPID 2008 in Orlando. Todd is Vice Chair of SME's RTAM community and gave the keynote address on the morning of Wednesday, March 21.
As an SME member and a reporter working on a story, I'd like to inquire as to whether Mr. Grimm was paid or in any way compensated/reimbursed for his presentation? If so, I would like to know specifics.
More broadly, I'm interested in how SME and RTAM address issues of possible conflicts of interest when leaders of the organization are involved in decisions such as who is invited to speak and who isn't. I want to know how fairness is applied such that two groups don't arise -- "insiders" and everyone else.
I'm happy to discuss this with you further by phone if you prefer. I will be back in my Los Angeles office on Tuesday, May 27th. My deadline is COB next Thursday, May 29th.
Thank you in advance,
DEAN
As an SME member and a reporter working on a story, I'd like to inquire as to whether Mr. Grimm was paid or in any way compensated/reimbursed for his presentation? If so, I would like to know specifics.
More broadly, I'm interested in how SME and RTAM address issues of possible conflicts of interest when leaders of the organization are involved in decisions such as who is invited to speak and who isn't. I want to know how fairness is applied such that two groups don't arise -- "insiders" and everyone else.
I'm happy to discuss this with you further by phone if you prefer. I will be back in my Los Angeles office on Tuesday, May 27th. My deadline is COB next Thursday, May 29th.
Thank you in advance,
DEAN
This morning I phoned SME in Detroit to follow up on my email. I spoke with Lori Dick, senior PR representative, who did provide me some initial answers.
Ms. Dick says that Todd was not paid for his keynote address and that none of his expenses were reimbursed by SME. In addition, she says that the selection of speakers is controlled by a 20-member advisory board and that each of the members votes on possible speakers.
I've asked her for the names of those 20 members and if there is a chair of the group. I'll let you know when I hear back from her.
Ms. Dick told me that Todd would have recused himself from any discussion of including him as a keynote speaker, assuming he is one of the 20 advisory members.
For now, I have no reason not to take Ms. Dick at her word, although I have asked her to provide me additional information to help verify her responses. I have also sent a list of related email questions to Todd.
Meanwhile, Ms. Dick asked me to verify who I say I am, including the fact that I used to report for The Wall Street Journal and was nominated by the paper for a Pulitzer Prize. Ms. Dick says the only proof she has been able to find so far to corroborate my biographical claims comes from my own postings.
I suggested that SME call The Wall Street Journal directly and ask about me. I even gave her the phone number!
There is no doubt that SME is suspicious of me and my intentions. I've got nothing to hide. Hopefully, SME can say the same thing.
More Photos from the RAPID 2008 Exhibition
Harry Abramson, head of business development at Direct Dimensions (far left) and Michael Raphael, president and chief engineer (far right), with members of their Owings Mills, MD-based team. Direct Dimensions excels at finding solutions to the most challenging RAPID and 3D Scanning and Production problems.
===================================
 |  |
| Kevin Ayers (l) of the FBI and Peter Klink of EOS GmbH | Boris Fritz of Northrop Grumman |
 |  |
| Scott Schermer of SC Johnson & Sons | Jeff DeGrange of The Boeing Co. |
================================
Photo: Graham Tromans of Loughborough University (l)
and Scott Schermer of SC Johnson & Sons (c). Advisor at
right is unidentified -- let us know her name and affilation!
======================================Photo: Dr. Jayanthi Parthasarathy, B.D.S., M.S. of the University of Oklahoma School of Industrial Engineering accepting the Dick Aubin Distinguished Paper Award for 2008
'We Are Here' - The Bottom Line of Rapid 2008
Orlando - As the final keynote speaker at this year's RAPID 2008, consultant Terry Wohlers offered his forecast for the continued growth of the additive fabrication industry.
By 2012, Wohlers predicts, revenues for the industry will surpass $2.3 billion. This may be, by his own admission, a conservative estimate.
Those who work in the additive fabrication sector - including system manufacturers and service providers, can be proud of their achievements and the percentage increases they've generated in recent years.
But - and this is a BIG BUT - any objective evaluation of the AF-RAPID industry would have to admit that other industries that were created long, long after ours - such as the online advertising industry - already dwarf the additive fabrication world in only a few short years of existence.
Every SME member attending Wohlers speech received an eight-page executive summary of his definitive industry analysis - Wohlers Report 2008. The full 240-page softbound publication sells for $475 and offers a broad and deep view of the entire industry. (To order, visit: www.wohlerassociates.com)
By most measures, additive fabrication has developed and evolved impressively," Wohlers writes in the executive summary. Witness the fact that during the four-year period, 2004-2007, Wohlers says that sales of additive fabrication products and services surged by 116%.
But that surge amounted to a four-year total increase of $612 million in absolute dollars, about the amount Google, Inc. spends annually on fuel for its fleet of jets.
Okay, so that's an exaggeration. Google probably doesn't spend that much on fuel. But the point is that our industry hasn't set its sights high enough and we are too easily satisfied with the kind of growth that Wohlers is tracking.
Given the potential for additive fabrication to revolutionize manufacturing globally, how is it that we are still starring starry-eyed at that day -- a few years hence, when we'll cross the $2.3 billion in annual revenues threshold?
The problem is that most of the world has no clue how additive fabrication technologies can be deployed to help their businesses succeed. Entrepreneurs have not yet recognized that AF opens the door to a wide array of new investment opportunities. And members of our industry have been so focused on developing our technologies, that they've lost site of the need to effectively market them.
Our industry needs to undertake an informational and marketing effort to shout at the world - "We Are Here."
My impression of this year's RAPID conference, presented by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, is that it is a fantastic event for those individuals who are already members of the "choir." But the event preaches to itself.
My goal, and it should be one shared by everyone in the Additive Fabrication industry, is to reach out to the uninitiated and show them what a powerful industry ours can and will be.
"We Are Here." Remember that!
Photo: Terry Wohlers by Dean Rotbart
By 2012, Wohlers predicts, revenues for the industry will surpass $2.3 billion. This may be, by his own admission, a conservative estimate.
Those who work in the additive fabrication sector - including system manufacturers and service providers, can be proud of their achievements and the percentage increases they've generated in recent years.
But - and this is a BIG BUT - any objective evaluation of the AF-RAPID industry would have to admit that other industries that were created long, long after ours - such as the online advertising industry - already dwarf the additive fabrication world in only a few short years of existence.Every SME member attending Wohlers speech received an eight-page executive summary of his definitive industry analysis - Wohlers Report 2008. The full 240-page softbound publication sells for $475 and offers a broad and deep view of the entire industry. (To order, visit: www.wohlerassociates.com)
By most measures, additive fabrication has developed and evolved impressively," Wohlers writes in the executive summary. Witness the fact that during the four-year period, 2004-2007, Wohlers says that sales of additive fabrication products and services surged by 116%.
But that surge amounted to a four-year total increase of $612 million in absolute dollars, about the amount Google, Inc. spends annually on fuel for its fleet of jets.
Okay, so that's an exaggeration. Google probably doesn't spend that much on fuel. But the point is that our industry hasn't set its sights high enough and we are too easily satisfied with the kind of growth that Wohlers is tracking.
Given the potential for additive fabrication to revolutionize manufacturing globally, how is it that we are still starring starry-eyed at that day -- a few years hence, when we'll cross the $2.3 billion in annual revenues threshold?
The problem is that most of the world has no clue how additive fabrication technologies can be deployed to help their businesses succeed. Entrepreneurs have not yet recognized that AF opens the door to a wide array of new investment opportunities. And members of our industry have been so focused on developing our technologies, that they've lost site of the need to effectively market them.
Our industry needs to undertake an informational and marketing effort to shout at the world - "We Are Here."
My impression of this year's RAPID conference, presented by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, is that it is a fantastic event for those individuals who are already members of the "choir." But the event preaches to itself.
My goal, and it should be one shared by everyone in the Additive Fabrication industry, is to reach out to the uninitiated and show them what a powerful industry ours can and will be.
"We Are Here." Remember that!
Photo: Terry Wohlers by Dean Rotbart
Gideon Levy Honored for His Contribution to Additive Manufacturing Industry
Orlando -- The Society of Manufacturing Engineers' Rapid Technologies and Additive Manufacturing Community presented Gideon Levy with its first Industry Achievement Award.
Dr. Levy led a team in the development of new, groundbreaking selective laser sintering materials, the SME said. "In doing so, he addressed key barriers, which resulted in the greater utilization of the technology. Users within the industry are constantly demanding more and more quality materials. Levy's team answered that call by making advances that delivered a combination of processing characteristics and quality," the group noted in bestowing the honor on Dr. Levy.
Established in 2008, the RTAM Industry Achievement Award was developed to recognize an individual, team or company for outstanding accomplishments that have had significant impact within the additive manufacturing industry or in any industry through the application of additive manufacturing technologies. Winners are selected with consideration for the scope and scale of benefits realized and the potential future impact their work will have on the industry, SME said in a news release.
According to SME, Dr. Levy holds 20 patents and has published 150 scientific and technical articles, was the 2007 recipient of the prestigious VR@P award in the field of virtual rapid prototyping and was named one of Time-Compression Technologies' (UK) 25 Most Influential People in Rapid Manufacturing.
Dr. Levy led a team in the development of new, groundbreaking selective laser sintering materials, the SME said. "In doing so, he addressed key barriers, which resulted in the greater utilization of the technology. Users within the industry are constantly demanding more and more quality materials. Levy's team answered that call by making advances that delivered a combination of processing characteristics and quality," the group noted in bestowing the honor on Dr. Levy.Established in 2008, the RTAM Industry Achievement Award was developed to recognize an individual, team or company for outstanding accomplishments that have had significant impact within the additive manufacturing industry or in any industry through the application of additive manufacturing technologies. Winners are selected with consideration for the scope and scale of benefits realized and the potential future impact their work will have on the industry, SME said in a news release.
According to SME, Dr. Levy holds 20 patents and has published 150 scientific and technical articles, was the 2007 recipient of the prestigious VR@P award in the field of virtual rapid prototyping and was named one of Time-Compression Technologies' (UK) 25 Most Influential People in Rapid Manufacturing.
Photo: Dr. Gideon Levy by Dean Rotbart
RAPID 3D Scanning Report: My Head on a White Platter
This is my head on a white platter. It has been digitally scanned thanks to the great team at Santa Monica-based NextEngine. During RAPID 2008, Brad Bryker, NextEngine's VP of Business Development and his friendly colleagues were scanning all sorts of 3 Dimensional items -- most inanimate but including some body parts -- to illustrate the sophistication and simplicity of this great new technology.Paul Noceti, a NextEngine applications engineer, did the actual scan of my noggin, which required a few extra passes due to the density of my skull. That, by the way, is just a joke.
Paul, who joined NextEngine after his graduation from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in mechanical engineering, is a shining example of tomorrow's RAPID industry leaders already working in the field today. Paul, who also studied abroad in Italy, wants to return to school eventually to get his MBA. For now, he is soaking in all our amazing industry has to offer and returning it to those, like me, who are just getting acquainted with 3D scanning.
I'll be writing more about my experience as a 'model' when time permits.
Todd A. Grimm's Unexpected 'Welcome' to RAPID 2008: You Better Watch Out!
Orlando (May 22, 2008): In his official pictures Todd A. Grimm of T.A. Grimm & Associates looks so friendly. He has a warm smile and an earnest disposition. So I was taken by surprise this morning when I went up to Todd to introduce myself face-to-face and discovered a less smiley facade.Grim, indeed, was Todd's assessment of me and the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association, which I founded and work for as a volunteer. Todd told me flat out -- just an instant or two before he turned his back on me and walked away -- that he views me as "the competition" and doesn't like my style of business.
Fair enough. Todd is entitled to pick and choose who he associates with and if he doesn't want to speak with me it is his option.
The one nit I have to pick, however, is with the fact that Todd also is a senior representative of the SME's RAPID conference and Vice Chairman of its RTAM community. Indeed, next year, Todd will become chairman of the RTAM community steering committee.
Will he choose not to speak to anyone he competes with or anyone who competes with those he consults with during his tenure? I wasn't approaching Todd because I wanted his rapid prototyping consulting and marketing services. I approached him because I wanted to greet him as a highly regarded leader of SME's RTAM. (Indeed, Todd was honored as one of this year's keynote speakers.)
Todd can tell you directly what his problem is with me and L-VMA. You may agree with his views or may not. But as best as I can ascertain, he is most concerned that I may one day find a way to make money from my work with the L-VMA. Not that he, as a respected RTAM leader, makes any money from the high visibility his volunteer work for the group brings him!
In all trade associations I've been affiliated with in the past, the fact that one member competes with another is not grounds for an official snub. I do wonder how Todd can justify this unusual position and who else he has blown off in his role as a RTAM leader because he doesn't approve of their style of doing business?
What do you think is the likelihood that RTAM will give me a speaking opportunity at a future RAPID conference so long as my "competitor" is in charge of the community and won't even stand still to speak with me?
Officially, I am a paid member of SME and don't think it right to be excluded because I may -- at least in Todd's view -- compete with him. Tough.
Douglas B. Mitchell, who currently chairs RTAM and works for Ford, seems to have no problem working alongside Thomas A. Sorovetz of Chrysler in a civil fashion. Why would Todd treat me any differently?
Todd, who provided me a telephone interview for L-VMA some months back, told me he went so far as to call SME members he knows and speak poorly of me and L-VMA, suggesting that somehow I am up to no good. I pointed out that I did free PR for him and promoted his interview without charge -- an offer I extend to any company or individual in the RAPID industry. (Does T.A. Grimm & Associates make a similar free offer for its marketing services?)
Todd would have none of this. Even as I asked him to recall how much I invoiced him for my work on his behalf -- a big fat zero -- he just skulked away.
More about Todd and his consultancy in the coming days.
Photo: Todd A. Grimm by Dean Rotbart
Pictures at a RAPID Exhibition
Orlando (May 20, 2008) -- The future of rapid prototyping, rapid manufacturing and all related additive fabrication technologies is on display now in the exhibition hall of SME's RAPID 2008 conference. Dozens of exhibitors from around the globe have turned out in force to show their wares and meet current and prospective customers.
RAPID 2008 is being held May 20-22 at the Coronado Springs Resort in the Disney World complex here. EOS GmbH of Germany is the conference's presenting sponsor and enjoys a showcase exhibition booth. Other large sponsors include www.approto.com, Huntsman, Raymor, Stratasys, DSM Somos and Object. Media partners for the event include Manufacturing Engineering, The TCT Magazine and Desktop Engineering.
Left: Jodie Davis, Senior Marketing Specialist -- Redeye RPM
Right: Carl K. Deckker, President, Met-L-Flo, Inc. and a Conference Advisor
Left: The EOS exhibit at RAPID 2008. At center, in the red striped tie, is Peter Klink, executive vice president of global sales and support.
Right: A wider view of the EOS booth.
The 3D Systems booth and (R) uniform parts made on the company's Viper Pro -- show in the background on the left.
Left: Brad Bryker of NextEngine (black shirt) offers a demonstration of three-dimensional scanning.
Right: The DSM Somos booth.
RAPID 2008 is being held May 20-22 at the Coronado Springs Resort in the Disney World complex here. EOS GmbH of Germany is the conference's presenting sponsor and enjoys a showcase exhibition booth. Other large sponsors include www.approto.com, Huntsman, Raymor, Stratasys, DSM Somos and Object. Media partners for the event include Manufacturing Engineering, The TCT Magazine and Desktop Engineering.
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Left: Jodie Davis, Senior Marketing Specialist -- Redeye RPM
Right: Carl K. Deckker, President, Met-L-Flo, Inc. and a Conference Advisor
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Left: The EOS exhibit at RAPID 2008. At center, in the red striped tie, is Peter Klink, executive vice president of global sales and support.
Right: A wider view of the EOS booth.
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The 3D Systems booth and (R) uniform parts made on the company's Viper Pro -- show in the background on the left.
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Left: Brad Bryker of NextEngine (black shirt) offers a demonstration of three-dimensional scanning.
Right: The DSM Somos booth.
SME's RAPID 2008 Kicks Off With Look Toward the Future
Orlando (May 20, 2008) -- The 19th annual RAPID product development and manufacturing solutions conference kicked off today with speakers showcasing the amazing future for additive fabrication technologies in areas such as medicine, aerospace and consumer products.
Already, the event feels more like a science fiction confab than a gathering of engineers. What does the future hold? Among other developments: nano-size blood droplets that can let a person survive for as much as four hours without fresh oxygen intake; programmable matter that can be a "chair" in the morning and be reprogrammed to be a "blanket" at night; electrical conductive material as strong as diamonds; and replacement bones and body tissue to order.
And it's only lunch break!
Brigadier General Nick Halley gave the keynote address challenging industry members to show leadership in their stewardship of the emerging technologies. General Halley, author of Leadership Under Fire!, stressed that leaders must 1. Control their egos. 2. Learn to be better listeners. 3. Lead by example.
The General, who served two tours of duty in Vietnam, told the audience of the courageous leadership he witnessed of a North Vietnamese commander who continued to fight to the death even after the commander has lost a leg.
Douglas B. Mitchell, 2008 Chair of the event, joined with Todd A. Grimm of T.A. Grimm & Associates in honoring several individuals for their outstanding contributions to the industry.
Already, the event feels more like a science fiction confab than a gathering of engineers. What does the future hold? Among other developments: nano-size blood droplets that can let a person survive for as much as four hours without fresh oxygen intake; programmable matter that can be a "chair" in the morning and be reprogrammed to be a "blanket" at night; electrical conductive material as strong as diamonds; and replacement bones and body tissue to order.
And it's only lunch break!
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| Keynote speaker: Halley | Attendees at the RTAM Plenary session | ||
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| Chair: Douglas B. Mitchell | Dr. Stephen Schmitt on dental uses |
Brigadier General Nick Halley gave the keynote address challenging industry members to show leadership in their stewardship of the emerging technologies. General Halley, author of Leadership Under Fire!, stressed that leaders must 1. Control their egos. 2. Learn to be better listeners. 3. Lead by example.
The General, who served two tours of duty in Vietnam, told the audience of the courageous leadership he witnessed of a North Vietnamese commander who continued to fight to the death even after the commander has lost a leg.
Douglas B. Mitchell, 2008 Chair of the event, joined with Todd A. Grimm of T.A. Grimm & Associates in honoring several individuals for their outstanding contributions to the industry.
Stratasys Expands Lead in the Additive Fabrication Industry for 2007, According to Industry Report
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Stratasys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSYS) today announced it has expanded its market leadership position in units shipped within the additive fabrication (AF) industry, according to the recently issued Wohlers Report 2008. Published by Wohlers Associates, Inc., the report offers a detailed review and analysis of additive fabrication technologies, applications and markets.
According to the report, Stratasys shipped 44 percent of all systems worldwide in 2007 compared to 42 percent in 2006, and it maintains the highest global installed base of additive systems. The report also indicated that within the 3D printer segment of the AF industry, Stratasys shipped 53 percent of all 3D printers in 2007 compared to 52 percent in 2006.
“Once again, we strengthened our leadership position within the industry,” says Stratasys CEO Scott Crump. “This reflects the ongoing success of our 3D printer strategy, which is focused on providing an affordable and reliable system to designers and engineers worldwide. We continue to believe the global market potential for 3D printers could exceed 500,000 systems.
The report indicated that direct digital manufacturing (DDM) -- the manufacture of end-use parts -- was one of the fastest growing industry applications in 2007, representing 14.9% of applications last year versus 11.7% the year before.
“In addition, new opportunities have emerged for applications within direct digital manufacturing. These applications are providing incremental sales opportunities for our high-end system business. We are increasingly optimistic about the potential of this emerging market.
“We are pleased that our company has grown its leadership position within the AF industry during 2007. Our success is a result of the dedication and hard work of our employees and strategic partners. We look forward to continued success in 2008,” Crump concluded.
According to the report, Stratasys shipped 44 percent of all systems worldwide in 2007 compared to 42 percent in 2006, and it maintains the highest global installed base of additive systems. The report also indicated that within the 3D printer segment of the AF industry, Stratasys shipped 53 percent of all 3D printers in 2007 compared to 52 percent in 2006.
“Once again, we strengthened our leadership position within the industry,” says Stratasys CEO Scott Crump. “This reflects the ongoing success of our 3D printer strategy, which is focused on providing an affordable and reliable system to designers and engineers worldwide. We continue to believe the global market potential for 3D printers could exceed 500,000 systems.
The report indicated that direct digital manufacturing (DDM) -- the manufacture of end-use parts -- was one of the fastest growing industry applications in 2007, representing 14.9% of applications last year versus 11.7% the year before.
“In addition, new opportunities have emerged for applications within direct digital manufacturing. These applications are providing incremental sales opportunities for our high-end system business. We are increasingly optimistic about the potential of this emerging market.
“We are pleased that our company has grown its leadership position within the AF industry during 2007. Our success is a result of the dedication and hard work of our employees and strategic partners. We look forward to continued success in 2008,” Crump concluded.
'Cheers' Star is an Advocate for 'Made in America' Manufacturing
John Ratzenberger Tells It Like It is in Manufacturing Today on Podcast - Predicts an Industrial Tsunami
Star of Cheers, Made in America, Dancing with the Stars, Pixar among other Hollywood shows talks on the Better Process Podcast about his favorite topic - Manufacturing in the USA.
Denver, CO (PRWEB) March 17, 2008 -- John Ratzenberger discusses the past, present, and future of manufacturing in America. John has vast experience visiting many many factory floors with Travel Channel and John Ratzenberger's Made in America.
John stated optimistically that the future of manufacturing in this country is in our youth. Organizations such as the FMA Foundation (http://www.fma-foundation.org) and the Nuts Bolts and Thingamajigs Foundation (http://www.nutsandboltsfoundation.org) strive to bring kids into manufacturing by bringing the fun of manufacturing to them. "It is a national hunger right now for our youth to get hands on and actually create something," said John. These organizations organize and fund camps that allow kids to create something they can build and actually feel good about making rather than just showing up and breathing.
Ratzenberger also introduces Florida teenage race car driver and welder Brennan Palmiter as the new face of youth manufacturing for the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA). The FMA and its publication Practical Welding Today will sponsor Palmiter for the 2008 racing season as well.
Hosted by Ken Rayment, the Better Process Podcast is a daily podcast focusing on manufacturing and industry. "American manufacturing is the engine of our economy," says Rayment. "As an engineer working in industry, I got tired of hearing only bad news about American manufacturing. I launched the Better Process Podcast to share the success stories and be the voice of the small and mid-sized manufacturing firm. John's discussion about what is needed for manufacturing today is the kick in the pants that our country needs to hear. This is exactly the kind of story I want to tell on my program."
The free podcast can be heard at:
http://www.podcasternews.com/bpp/4985/industry-report-john-ratzenberger-fma-foundation/
Preview: See For Yourself L-VMA's Dean Rotbart's Course
Dean Rotbart, who will be offering free media relations training during RAPID 2008 in May in Orlando, is a nationally recognized tier one communications consultant.
In this video, part of his training course called Newsroom Confidential, Rotbart discusses how to prepare for a media interview.
To set up a one-to-one meeting with Rotbart at RAPID 2008, contact him directly at 866-541-RPRM (7776). He will not be selling or pitching any products or services -- only providing free consultations to bona fide companies and RAPID industry executives.
L-VMA and Rotbart are not part of the official SME and RAPID 2008 events schedule.
Nanotechnology Alters the Course of Rapid Prototyping -- DSM Somos
A recent article posted at www.engineerlive.com by Paul Stevens explores the impact nanotechnology is having on the additive fabrication industry. In the adaptation below, L-VMA's Peter Nevland endeavors to make Stevens' highly technical article accessible to those among us without engineering degrees:
After barging its tiny little dimensions into everyday consumer products, nanotechnology has already begun to invade another arena: the world of rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing. From tooling and modeling to improving the performance of standard materials, product development teams are overjoyed at their nano-options.
Traditionally, the world of tooling has suffered from either long turnaround times or poorly finished parts suitable only for testing or marketing studies. But thanks to Nanotool, a resin heavily filled with non-crystalline nanoparticles, DSM Somos says they have a solution to both problems.
Nanotool’s high hardness and heat resistance (260°C) combined with low volume change due to temperature make it an ideal candidate for the purpose of injection molds. In some cases, these tooling inserts have proved capable of withstanding the heating cycles necessary to form thousands of parts made from thermoplastics.
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Tier-One PR Expert, Dean Rotbart, To Provide Free Training and Consulting at Florida Conference
Dean Rotbart, founder and director of the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association, will be offering free media relations training and one-to-one consultations from May 20 to May 22.
The L-VMA's events coincide with the annual conference on additive fabrication technologies organized by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, which this year will be held in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. More than 100 of the additive fabrication industry's top companies and services providers are expected to participate in the conference.
Rotbart, a former Pulitzer Prize-nominated reporter and columnist for The Wall Street Journal, has personally coached more than 5,000 senior-level executives and business owners on how to effectively raise their media profiles and improve their effectiveness in garnering free, positive publicity. The Low-Volume Manufacturing Association, founded in 2007, offers free membership to all bona fide additive fabrication companies and works to showcase the benefits of rapid-prototyping, rapid-manufacturing and other emerging additive fabrication technologies.
Rotbart will be scheduling workshops and one-on-one consultations with those who are in Florida to attend the SME event. L-VMA's activities, while coinciding with the conference, are not sanctioned by SME. "If you attend the conference with an eye toward best practices and how to boost your business, then don't overlook letting the world know you are out here," Rotbart says.
To book a one-to-one consultation with L-VMA or to attend one of its after-hours or pre-hours group workshops, contact Rotbart at 1-866-541-RPRM (7776) or email him at director@l-vma.org.
L-VMA notes that its training is 100% free and without any obligation whatsoever. Those who participate will not be solicited or induced to do anything other than improve their public image and enrich their own businesses.
L-VMA's Dean Rotbart is Featured Interview Guest on Better Process Podcast
Dean Rotbart, founder and director of the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association, is the featured guest on the Better Process Podcast, voice of the small and mid-sized manufacturing firm.
Rotbart was interviewed in February 2008. To hear the interview, which lasts under ten minutes.
Rotbart was interviewed in February 2008. To hear the interview, which lasts under ten minutes.
Now Post Your 'RAPID' Job Openings for FREE at L-VMA
"Our RAPID Jobs site will quickly become the go-to location for both employers and prospective employees," says Dean Rotbart, L-VMA's director. "Everyone in our industry benefits from having a single, central location to recruit new employees and find jobs in this exciting industry."
L-VMA members wishing to list their open jobs with RAPID Jobs can email their posts to director@l-vma.org and they will typically be posted same business day. Listings will remain on the site for 5 weeks and can be renewed.
For more information, contact Rotbart at director@l-vma.org or phone him at 1-866-541-RPRM (7776).
DOWNLOAD L-VMA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION NOW! CLICK HERE
‘RAPID’ Expert Carl Dekker to Address February 27th RedEye RPM Webcast
RedEye RPM will feature ‘RAPID’ industry expert Carl Dekker in a free, one-hour webcast slated for Wednesday, February 27, at 2 p.m. (EST)/ 11 a.m. (PST).
Dekker, a past chairperson of the SME’s Rapid Technologies and Additive Manufacturing Community (RTAM), will explore successful applications for direct digital manufacturing, including: non-critical, simple geometries; non-critical, complex geometries; structural, non-critical parts; and high complexity, critical parts.
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| Met-L-Flo's Carl Dekker |
The one-hour webcast is produced by RedEye RPM, the world’s largest rapid prototyping and parts building service, and will include a Q&A period at the end of Dekker’s remarks.
Dekker is currently president of Met-L-Flo, Inc., a growing additive manufacturing service center based in Sugar Grove, IL. He teaches the Rapid Technologies and Additive Manufacturing Technologies Certificate Programs and is a steering committee member and chair of RTAM’s Direct Digital Manufacturing Tech Group.
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Medical Modeling: McCoy's 'Sickbay' Seems Almost Quaint By Comparison
Golden, CO - The scene is one borrowed directly from science fiction.
In a storefront setting, attended not by physicians but by well-trained, casually dressed craftspeople, "bionic" body parts are being sculpted and readied for study and implantation.
On one computer screen, a patient is having a new hip joint engineered to order. On a second screen, a customized titanium plate is being perfectly paired to match the missing tip of an injured patient's skull.
A periodontist, himself spared an early retirement following a serious accident thanks to model-based, precisely planned wrist surgery, checks in as three-dimensional translucent models of his patients' teeth and jaws are computer designed to make the implantation of new teeth implants a safer, faster, more accurate procedure.
More than four years after Medical Modeling helped surgeons successfully separate Egyptian twins who were cojoined at the head (top) Andy Christensen, president (bottom), reports the boys continue to make progress.
Nearby, a blue laser beam dances over a pool of liquefied photopolymer resin darting from one computer-guided target to another. Slowly, but steadily, out of the glop will emerge the anatomically exact model of a patient's heart and vascular structure - allowing the patient's surgeon to accurately plan his approach to the surgery on the model - even while the patient lies - chest open - on the operating table.
This isn't science fiction. It is just another typical day at Medical Modeling, the rapidly expanding tactile imaging company that is using rapid additive fabrication and electron beam melting technologies to engineer customized body replacement parts and provide physicians and dentists highly accurate bone models produced from their patients' CT scan data.
L-VMA's director, Dean Rotbart, recently toured the Medical Modeling facilities situated along the eastern foothills of Colorado's Rocky Mountains. Rotbart met with Andy Christensen, president, and Nicolas Flannery, Manufacturing Operations Manager.
Rotbart reports that Medical Modeling, named a finalist in L-VMA's 2007 Rapid Innovator of the Year awards, has outgrown its original facility and is now split between two nearby office-laboratories.
"Andy Christensen clearly understands the vast opportunity that awaits his company and others involved in the 'rapid' healthcare industry," Rotbart says. "Andy has pulled together a team of talented and visionary individuals and outfitted them with state-of-the art technologies to produce true, daily medical miracles."
Medical customization allows surgeons to more accurately place replacement joints and bone parts while reducing the amount of cutting and sawing and thereby speeding the procedures and their recovery.
Medical Modeling first came to national prominence for its role in helping surgeons approach surgery with anatomically perfect models and some skull parts used to successfully separate Egyptian twin toddlers who were conjoined at the head. Since that time Christensen reports the Medical Modeling team has been involved in providing tactile planning models to surgical teams working to separate more than 20 different sets of conjoined twins - a huge number by any standard.
Impressive as Medical Modeling's work is with cojoined twins, that is really a tiny part of the daily wonderments manufactured by Medical Modeling.
"The smiling bus driver who greets you each morning may very well be the beneficiary of a mouthful of Medical Modeling-aided tooth implants, just as the Iraqi war veteran who is indistinguishable from all the other 27-year-olds on his basketball team can thank his Medical Modeling titanium skull implant for his outward normalcy," Rotbart says. "All around us, people are living longer, more productive, higher quality lives thanks to the work that Medical Modeling quietly pursues each day," he adds.
To learn more about Medical Modeling and what it offers surgeons and health care providers, visit the company's website at www.medicalmodeling.com or contact Christensen at andy@medicalmodeling.com.
Low-Volume Manufacturers Association Names Tangible Express 'Rapid' Innovator of the Year
Tangible Express was selected as the recipient of the first annual 'Rapid' Innovator of the Year on the strength of its multi-million dollar embrace of state-of-the-art additive fabrication equipment and its unique decision to make ownership shares of that equipment available to its global client base.
There were many great companies in the running for this year's 'Rapid' Innovator award, including Desktop Factory, which began accepting online orders for its breakthrough 125ci 3D Printer, priced at under $5,000. Other finalists on the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association ballot included Materialise Group, the Belgium-based provider of innovative software solutions; Medical Modeling LLC, which from its base in Golden, Colorado is at the forefront of using 'rapid' technologies to revolutionize the medical and health fields; and Stratasys Inc., the Eden Prairie, MN maker of systems and parts.<< MORE >>
Frost & Sullivan Honors Object Geometries with Annual Excellence Award
Object Geometries, Ltd., which is a pioneer in photopolymer jetting, was recognized by Frost & Sullivan with its Growth Excellence of the Year Award, the company said.
"Object Geometries is continuously striving to innovate and enhance its product line but more importantly, it is constantly adapting to changes in end-user industries it caters to and introduces new products at the right time, in-tune with the market dynamics," says S. Vidyasankar, a senior research analyst with Frost & Sullivan.
Frost & Sullivan cited the growing acceptance of the company's Polyjet technology, which allows additive fabricators to produce fully cured models ready for immediate use, without post-curing.
Since launching its Polyjet technology in early 2000, Object Geometries has enjoyed rapid success. It has delivered double-digit growth for each of the past three years, the company says. The company holds more than 50 patents and patent pending inventions.
Frost & Sullivan each year names one company that it feels has demonstrated excellence in implementing and sustaining growth through unique growth strategies.
Exclusive Interview with Bert Kenyon, VP Sales of Tangible Express
Dean Rotbart, director of the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association, recently traveled to Springville, UT to meet with key executives of Tangible Express, a global leader in rapid-prototyping, rapid-manufacturing and rapid-tooling services.
Rotbart interviewed Bert Kenyon, Tangible Express's VP of Sales, who is charged with helping Tangible Express clients fully take advantage of all the opportunities and savings available to them from rapid-fabricating. Rotbart's interview: