3D SYSTEMS, RAINDROP TO COLLABORATE.Byline: Daily News VALENCIA - 3D Systems Corp. of Valencia and Raindrop Geomagic have signed a development, marketing and sales agreement to provide ready-to-use software and software solutions for rapid manufacturing Building parts out of plastic or metal one layer at a time using a method of additive fabrication such as 3D printing. Multiple pieces, either similar or dissimilar, can be built simultaneously. . The new rapid manufacturing solution will include a 3-D scanner for data capture, Geomagic software for product design, 3D Systems' stereolithography The first 3D printing technology, which was pioneered by Chuck Hull of 3D Systems. See 3D printing. solid imaging systems for rapid development and materials used to produce the end product. The package also will include consulting and training on process, products and technology. ``This agreement reflects a cutting-edge vision of rapid manufacturing,'' said Grant Flaharty, senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing for 3D Systems. ``We are providing a solution that can significantly reduce the time and cost of getting our customers' products to market.'' Under the agreement, 3D Systems and Raindrop Geomagic will contribute equally to costs for developing new software. 3D Systems will sell the turnkey See turnkey system. solution with help from Raindrop Geomagic's sales and technical team. Product marketing will be a joint effort. ``This is a big win for every company that is involved or wants to become involved in rapid manufacturing or mass customization,'' said Ping Fu, president and chief executive officer of Raindrop Geomagic. ``For the first time, the complete solution is available from the best and most-trusted vendors in the industry.'' The initial market will be the early users of rapid manufacturing - makers of medical devices such as customized hearing aids Hearing Aids Definition A hearing aid is a device that can amplify sound waves in order to help a deaf or hard-of-hearing person hear sounds more clearly. , dental devices and prosthetics pros·thet·ics n. The branch of medicine or surgery that deals with the production and application of artificial body parts. pros . The two companies already provide key technology components for Align Technology's manufacturing process. Align expects to produce millions of individually designed Invisalign orthodontic orthodontic (ôr´th  dän´tik),adj devices this year. Raindrop Geomagic develops three-dimensional photography software that enables mass customization. Since 1996, Raindrop Geomagic has provided the best tools for creating polygon polygon, closed plane figure bounded by straight line segments as sides. A polygon is convex if any two points inside the polygon can be connected by a line segment that does not intersect any side. If a side is intersected, the polygon is called concave. models and mathematical representations called NURBS surfaces from scans. Manufacturers worldwide - including Toyota, Harley-Davidson, Align and many others - turn to Raindrop Geomagic as their technology partner for mass customization and quality assurance. Founded in 1986, 3D Systems provides solid imaging products and solutions that help reduce the time and cost of designing products and facilitating manufacturing. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion