Corporate Listings
Afit Corp. (Japan) Afit does research and development in electrophotography (xerography) and has developed a rapid prototyping method based on that technology. Their web site shows a number of applications, especially in terrain modeling.
C.A.Core (UK) The company offers a process for forming geometrically-complex technical ceramics. Green parts are said to have comparable densities to those formed by ceramic injection molding and parts can be sintered to 99% of theoretical density. The technique is likely based on inkjet printing methods developed by company personnel associated with Manchester Materials Science Centre.
Desktop Factory The company was accepting reservations for an additive fabrication system which it expected to start delivering in 2009 with a price of less than US$5,000. Unfortunately, DTF was unable to secure additional financing and closed its doors in August, 2009. The assets and technology have been sold to 3D Systems and development may continue. The technology uses a scheme which transfers partially melted, 0.010 in thick, powder layers to the top of a build stack using a drum. Selective exposure is by halogen light source and the parts are said to be quite robust.
Envisiontec GmbH (Germany) Produces the BioplotterTM, a system to build 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. This machine is based on hypodermic dispensing of a curing material into a liquid medium. The company also makes photopolymer-based RP systems.
fcubic AB (Sweden) The company is developing an inkjet-based production system for manufacturing small stainless steel parts. Currently fcubic is operating as a service bureau. Parts are typically 2 to 25mm, and can be manufactured in volumes of one or two thousand per day. The goal is to eventually license turnkey systems for high-volume production systems capable of 10,000 parts per day for parts fitting within a 10mm cube.
H&R Technology Inc. The company provides an additive method, called Precison Metal Deposition.TM PMD is based on robotic laser welding of flat wire stock. Originally developed for making steel rule dies for cutting cardboard, plastics and similar sheet materials, the technology is now largely used as method of repairing and modifying high value parts for aerospace, military and similar applications. The main advantages claimed are low heat-affected zone and low distortion for thin-walled parts. The company largely acts as a service bureau for the manufacture of cut sheet products using their technology.
ITP (Germany) Commercializing MJS (Multiphase Jet System) technology developed at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. No web site found. Contact info: ITP, Am Brandberg 50, D-27721 Ritterhude, Germany; Tel: +49(0)421/6383-153; FX: +49(0)421/6383-190; email: pi@ifam.fhg.de
Microfabrica Inc. The company has commercialized the Electrochemical Fabrication (EFAB) technology developed at the University of Southern California. The process is aimed at fabricating mesoscale metal parts.
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the directory pages for low-cost systems.
A1 Technologies Ltd. (UK) Offers the RapMan fused deposition modeling system kit for US$1,100 which is based on open-source hardware and software with much in common with the RepRap Darwin. Like that machine, it can print some of its own parts for replacement or maintenance purposes. Materials available include ABS, high- and low-density polyethylenes, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride and other plastics, with 500 gram spools of filament starting at about US$30.
- Fab@Home An open-source project to design, develop and manufacture an inexpensive syringe-based additive fabrication machine and related software. The components to build the device can be had for as little as US$2,500, and a variety of materials can be used for building, from silicone to chocolate. The project is led from Cornell University, but there are participants from all over the world.
- NextFab Store The company provides kits for fab@home machines priced in the range of US$3,100. It also sells major machine structural part kits for those wishing to procure their own electronic and mechanical components or to experiment. An (almost) completely assembled version of the machine can be purchased for about US$3,700.
- Automated Creation Technologies ACT provides a range of parts and assembled systems similar to and competitive with NextFab, above. In addition, a two head version of the machine is also available which allows for the possibility of using a support material during the build.
- Liquid Metal Jet Printing Being developed at the University of Texas at Arlington, LMJP is similar to ink jet printing where individual molten droplets are controlled and printed to specific locations. Work is on-going to build mechanical parts and electronic interconnect systems. Similar and/or related work is also being carried out by:
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- MIT
- University of California, Irvine
- University of Toronto
- MicroFab Technologies, Inc.
MakerBot Industries The CupCake is a small open source fused deposition modeling kit that's called the CupCake because its build envelope is about the size of a cupcake - a nice big one that would fit in a 4 inch cube. The US$750 kit comes with 5 lbs of ABS plastic. The company has set up an extensive framework of blogs, wikis, etc., and also a web-site reminscent of Shapeways for users to exchange designs called the Thingiverse.
- RepRap RepRap Stands for replicating rapid-prototyper. It's an open-source 3D printer design project headed by Adrian Bowyer at the University of Bath (UK). RepRap is intended to make plastic, ceramic, and metal parts, and eventually to have the ability to make copies of itself. The technology is based on multi-axis robotic deposition of filamentary material, similar to fused deposition modeling. The parts cost is said to be on the order of US$400.
- Bits From Bytes (UK) Sells complete kits of mechanical parts for about US$600.
- RepRap: Store US vendor selling mostly parts and sub-system kits.
