Company showcasing additive manufacturing innovations this week at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago

IMTS - Sept 8-13; Stratasys booths N-6144, C-819, and N-6390

MINNEAPOLIS & REHOVOT, Israel — (BUSINESS WIRE) — September 9, 2014 — Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS), a global leader of 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions, says that it observes a growing adoption of 3D printing as a manufacturing process.

Stratasys is showing additive manufacturing innovations this week at the IMTS show in Chicago at Booths N-6144, C-819, and N-6390 (Photo: Business Wire)

Stratasys believes 3D printing (or additive manufacturing) is becoming more frequently adopted as a production process, and is being more widely used by Stratasys customers to make custom manufacturing tools, such as jigs, fixtures, and molds. Stratasys also believes that additive manufacturing is significantly more cost efficient when used in these low-volume production applications. With the help of additive manufacturing, some of Stratasys customers report 40 to 90 percent reductions in lead-times and 70 to 90 percent cost reduction.

According to a global survey by industry consulting and research firm Wohlers Associates, Inc., 26 percent of the parts made with 3D printing (or additive manufacturing) systems last year were custom manufacturing tools such as molds, patterns, jigs and fixtures. This approach is being employed by manufacturers across a range of industries including automotive, aerospace, medical, and consumer products to help significantly reduce lead time and cost.

“We see constantly that manufacturing with 3D printing technologies is transforming how many products are made,” says Gilad Gans, President, Stratasys North American Operations. “Using 3D printers to create manufacturing tools can help companies create a leaner manufacturing environment, enabling them to quickly produce tools when and where they’re needed to speed the manufacturing process and reduce costs.”

Stratasys believes that besides being used for production tools, 3D printing will be used to produce finished goods more and more. 3D printing allows new business models to be developed, and has allowed entreprenuers to start up businesses that would not have been viable using traditional manufacturing methods. An example is Kor Ecologic, maker of the Urbee hybrid automobile, which says it could not have started its business without applying additive manufacturing processes. Benefits of 3D printing as a manufacturing process include elimination of traditional design constraints, cost-efficient low-volume production, and enhanced product functionality.

Stratasys believes greater industry awareness of 3D printers’ capabilities, advancements in materials, and increasing affordability will play a significant role in driving higher adoption by manufacturers worldwide.

IMTS - INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY SHOW, SEPT 8-13, CHICAGO

Stratasys invites manufacturers to the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) at McCormick Place in Chicago this week, where the company will showcase its additive manufacturing technologies. Stratasys will display at IMTS from Sept 8-13 in booths N-6144, C-819, and N-6390. Besides seeing two new 3D printers and a new 3D printing material visitors will see examples of 3D printed production parts and learn how they augment traditional manufacturing processes and reduce cost and lead time.

For more than 25 years, manufacturers in aerospace, automotive, defense, education, consumer goods, electronics, biomedical and other industries have used 3D printing to prototype new products. Today, it is used as a production tool by growing numbers of manufacturers for everything from custom production tools to complex finished goods, on-demand in an efficient process, significantly reducing cost and production time.

NEW STRATASYS 3D PRINTERS

At IMTS Stratasys is also introducing the Objet500 Connex1 and Objet500 Connex2 multi-material 3D printers featuring triple-jetting technology. Triple-jetting technology allows users to build products using up to three different materials in a single run, or even mix multiple material droplets to form new digital materials such as tough Digital ABS. Joining the Objet500 Connex3 Color multi-material 3D Printer launched in January, the Objet500 Connex1 and Objet500 Connex2 offer designers and manufacturers superior versatility for materials, functionality and product realism. Manufacturers are already making use of these attributes to enable leaner more agile manufacturing operations, reducing the price of tooling, reducing inventory and decentralizing manufacturing. The unique material qualities combined with 3D printing technology gives manufacturers a competitive edge, allowing them to create accurate models and prototypes in house, as well as consolidated parts and production tooling.

NEW STRATASYS 3D PRINTING MATERIAL

Stratasys is also introducing the thermoplastic ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate) a new material option for the FDM process, which has UV resistance for outdoor applications and produces FDM parts with an exceptional surface finish. ASA is an all-purpose thermoplastic 3D printing material used to produce prototypes, manufacturing tools and finished goods. Manufacturers in the automotive, electronics, commercial, sporting goods and construction industries can benefit from ASA’s UV stability, strength and durability. Examples of applications include jigs and fixtures, electrical boxes, recreational vehicles and outdoor tools.