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Stratasys Selected by Georgia Tech and DARPA MENTOR Program to Provide 3D Printers for High Schools across U.S.

Dépèche transmise le 2 septembre 2011 par Business Wire

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS) today announced that it has been chosen by the Georgia Institute of Technology to provide its Dimension 3D Printers to select high schools across the U.S. as part of The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Manufacturing Experimentation and Outreach (MENTOR) program.

“And we think that serious interest in 3D printing from an organization like DARPA is evidence of a solid future for additive manufacturing.”

The DARPA MENTOR program is designed to boost engineering skills for high school students, as well as spark an interest in engineering, design, manufacturing, math and science-related university programs. The four-year program is focused on engaging high school-age students in a series of collaborative design and distributed manufacturing experiments, including using additive manufacturing machines (or 3D printers).

“This program will provide students with skills they need to solve future design and engineering challenges, which will aid U.S. industry,” says Dr. David Rosen, Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology. “3D printers play an important role in the hands-on and 'minds-on' learning, which the MENTOR program facilitates. Stratasys FDM technology is instrumental to this program.”

Starting in 2012, Stratasys Dimension and other brand 3D printers will be installed in more than 20 high schools selected by the DARPA program as part of the first phase roll-out. Currently, one system has been implemented by a pilot institution to begin developing curriculum for the program. Additional 3D printers will be placed in subsequent phases over a four year period.

“We estimate this program will generate orders for about 50 Dimension 3D printers over the course of the four year term,” says Stratasys Vice President of Direct Digital Manufacturing, Jeff DeGrange. “And we think that serious interest in 3D printing from an organization like DARPA is evidence of a solid future for additive manufacturing.”

Dimension, a brand of 3D printers by Stratasys, offers computer-aided-design (CAD) users a low-cost, networked alternative for building functional 3D models from the desktop. The 3D printer builds models layer-by-layer using ABS plastic, one of the most widely used thermoplastics in today’s injection-molded products. 3D printing allows users to evaluate design concepts and test models for form, fit, and function. Online at: www.DimensionPrinting.com

Stratasys, Inc., Minneapolis, is a maker of additive manufacturing machines for prototyping and producing plastic parts. The company markets under the brands Dimension 3D Printers and Fortus Production 3D Printers. The company also operates RedEye On Demand, a digital manufacturing service for prototypes and production parts. Stratasys manufactures 3D printers for Hewlett Packard, which it sells under the brand Designjet3D. In 2011 Stratasys acquired 3D printer maker, Solidscape, Inc. According to Wohlers Report 2011, Stratasys had a 41 percent market share in 2010, and has been the unit market leader for the ninth consecutive year. Stratasys patented and owns the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM^®) process. The process creates functional prototypes and manufactured goods directly from any 3D CAD program, using high-performance industrial thermoplastics. The company holds more than 285 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents globally. Stratasys products are used in the aerospace, defense, automotive, medical, business & industrial equipment, education, architecture, and consumer-product industries. Online at: www.Stratasys.com

FDM, Dimension, and Stratasys are registered trademarks of Stratasys, Inc.

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