Adding value, transforming the space: Stratasys at EuroMold

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EuroMold has become the leading platform for additive manufacturing in Germany and internationally, but its roots are in traditional manufacturing technologies: mould-making, tooling, CNC machining.

Stratasys - one of the world's best-known 3D printing brands - first pitched up at EuroMold in Hall 8.0 along with the dominant manufacturing players while 3D printing was still a relatively obscure technology. Now Hall 11.0 is dedicated to additive manufacturing and Stratasys' two-storey giant of a stand dominates the room. Nevertheless, the company has put its stake back in the traditional manufacturing field by taking a booth in Hall 8.0 once more, content with being both a big fish in the comparatively small 3D printing pond, and a little fish in the much larger manufacturing reservoir.

Stratasys General Manager for the EMEA region Andy Middleton spoke passionately both in EuroMold's inaugural press conference and later on the first day of the show (November 25th 2014) at the opening of Stratasys' press conference about the exciting crossroads the company has found itself at. On the one hand, Stratasys is leading the 3D printing movement, while on the other big industry players are moving away from using the technology simply to produce prototypes and are integrating 3D printing into their supply chains and business models.

After the press conference, EPPM sat down with Vice-President and General Manager of Vertical Solutions at Stratasys Rich Garrity and Business Developmetn Manager Ryan Sybrant to talk more about the company's place alongside traditional industry and its return to Hall 8.0.

Real-world manufacturing

"I think it’s very much strategic that we took this hall," said Sybrant. "When you think about the industry, a lot of people do still think of additive manufacturing as rapid prototyping and really we're trying to step out of that a little bit.

"The advancement of our materials and our machines has elevated us beyond rapid prototyping, so really, to help us move forward and grow into the manufacturing arena we see ourselves on the same playing field as the machine tool companies. It's strategic for us to come here and show off our applications and how real world manufacturing is adopting our technology and putting it to use."

Garrity explained: "I think that's the important thing, the reality is that we see many applications today that companies are using to augment or transform or disrupt the way they are currently doing things. And these aren't applications for in the future - these are things that are happening today and all around the world in various industries, so we felt it was appropriate to have a stand in Hall 8.0 to represent the value we are bringing to manufacturers worldwide."

Outside the lines

Sybrant added that Stratasys is not trying to "cannibalise" injection moulding or CNC machining because there are applications 3D printing is better suited for, and there are those alternative manufacturing technologies are better suited for, but when used correctly, 3D printing can offer the customer a far superior product thanks to the capabilities of advanced additive manufacturing process.

"You know with 3D printing, you can make geometries that otherwise couldn’t be produced, so you can optimise a part that might give it more function or better performance and you don't have to worry so much about how it's going to be manufactured. You can focus more then on the design aspect of that it's going to achieve," he stated.

"These machines will produce whatever you design - obviously there are limitations such as thin walls - but for the most part when I was in engineering school you always have to remember when you're designing [something] you have to think about what technology you'll be using to manufacture it, so with this we're trying to flip the mindsets and say 'hey, don't worry about going outside the lines, you can be very creative and go for the function and the performance that this technology can provide you with'."

Garrity revealed that aerospace is one of the industries to adopt additive manufacturing early on thanks to the reproductive benefits of 3D printing and the ability to create ultra-efficient structures to meet lightweighting targets, in addition to defence, medical, dental and high-end automotive where there is a need for lower volumes and customised parts.

"We see ourselves as the leader in this space," Garrity stated. "We see these applications as extremely valuable and we intend to lead in these markets."

It is hard not to look back, as additive manufacturing has come such a long way in such a short space of time. Sybrant, who joined Stratasys eight years ago, described it as "mind boggling".

"I guess in 20 years from now I can say 'wow, I was here when it was at this level'. When you think about it, 15 years ago people were just gaining confidence in adopting our rapid prototyping technology [and now] we're going back to re-educate those customers and inform them of the manufacturing possibilities."

"Ultimately, we are enabling companies to produce better products," added Garrity, "and get them to market faster. We're at the leading edge of enabling that transformation and it's quite exciting."

Transform your production today

Sybrant revealed that the aerospace sector was ready to move away from prototyping with 3D printing to producing real-world parts even before Stratasys was and that it was purely a matter of applying expert material development that helped Stratasys meet its aerospace customers' needs.

"I think customers in certain markets have really pushed us," Garrity noted. "And that's what we've seen in the last 24 months, with the amount of awareness in the industry, the level of which possibilities have added to what additive manufacturing can do for companies and the level at which that message is resonating worldwide. These companies are interested in investing time and resources, so how do we take what we’ve got today and take that a step further and open up into additional application spaces."

The pair reflected on their EuroMold message 'transform your production today'.

"It's happening today, so we're trying to spread that message. These companies are doing it - so there must be a way you can adopt 3D printing into your own processes," said Sybrant.

"We think it's becoming such an important part of the overall value-added benefit for these customers that we felt it was worthwhile to make sure we're showcasing these applications here in Hall 8.0," remarked Garrity.

"We're solution providers really. And you'll see us working more in that role in the future, so it's not just about the machine, it starts with the application, the material, the software, the systems, all wrapped up in a package in which we can deliver real value and we can speak in a certain language of expertise. We can work with aerospace and automotive companies. That's the direction in which we're moving - to become more specialised."

At Stratasys' booth in Hall 8.0, the focus is less on the machines and more on the applications and the solutions additive manufacturing can provide. It is not about waggling '3D printing' in the faces of visitors, it is about showing what the technology can do in the real world. 

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