VALENCIA, Calif., Dec. 20, 2002 -
3D Systems Corp. (Nasdaq: TDSC) today announced the availability of LaserForm™ ST-200 material for the SLS® systems. LaserForm ST-200 material is the next generation metals material that enables customers to produce complex parts and tooling inserts in a matter of days.
LaserForm ST-200 material allows customers to go beyond prototype tooling,
enabling the production of tens of thousands of parts, even with aggressive injection molding materials. The material is comprised of 420 stainless steel, which is sintered in the SLS system. The sintered part is then infiltrated with bronze in an oven to produce a fully dense part or tool.
“LaserForm ST-200 material has characteristics similar to P20 steel. This allows customers with tooling applications, such as those in the automotive and aerospace industries, to use it to produce sintered parts and tools that are fully dense, with complex geometries and intricate feature detail, without the thermal stress associated with other technologies,” said Mervyn Rudgley, Sr. Director Product Management. “As
industries move toward Advanced Digital ManufacturingSM (ADM), our development of new materials is designed to provide designers and engineers with the ability to add custom features and complexity to their part designs. For the first time, engineers will be able to design without the necessity to adapt their designs to the limitations of
traditional manufacturing methods,” continued Rudgley. “The new binder system in LaserForm ST-200 material allows customers to produce parts and
inserts with thinner walls and more complex features that were not possible with LaserForm ST-100 material.”
“LaserForm ST-200 material has been well received by customers. North
American and European customers have found the new material a significant step forward in the development of metal parts and inserts. In a recent customer trial, injection molding inserts, slides and rails composed of LaserForm ST-200 material were used to produce 40,000 pieces composed of a 30% glass-filled nylon 6.12, and tooling components showed no significant wear. Advantages for tooling applications include the ability to build in complex geometry without the expense of EDM tooling,” concluded Rudgley.
For more information regarding the LaserForm ST-200 material contact your local representative, or visit the 3D Systems web site at
www.3dsystems.com, or email .
About 3D Systems
Founded in 1986, 3D Systems, the solid imaging companySM, provides solid imaging products and solutions to reduce the time and cost of designing
products and facilitate direct and indirect manufacturing. Its systems utilize patented technologies to create physical objects from digital input used for design communication, prototyping and functional end-use parts.
3D Systems currently offers the ThermoJet® solid object printer,
SLA® (stereolithography), SLS® (selective laser sintering) systems, and Accura™ materials(includes; photopolymers, metals, nylons, engineering plastics, and thermoplastics).
Product pricing in the U.S. ranges from $49,995, for the ThermoJet printer, to $799,000 for the high-end SLA 7000 system. 3D Systems multiple platform product line enables companies to choose the most appropriate systems for applications ranging from the creation of design communication models to prototypes to production parts. More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com, or by phoning
888/337-9786, extension 811, or 661/295-5600 internationally. An investor packet can be obtained by calling 800/757-1799.
3D Systems is the originator of the ADM (Advanced Digital ManufacturingSM) solution for manufacturing applications. ADM is the utilization of 3D Systems solid imaging technologies to accelerate production of smaller volumes of customized/specialized parts. A typical ADM center is expected to contain multiple 3D Systems SLA, MJM and SLS systems dedicated to full time manufacturing applications.
Note
to editors: Advanced Digital Manufacturing and the solid imaging company are
service marks, si2, LaserForm and Accura are trademarks; and ThermoJet, SLA, SLS and the 3D logo are registered trademarks of 3D Systems Inc.
Certain statements in this news release may include forward-looking statements that express the expectation, prediction, belief or projection of 3D Systems. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance and achievement of 3D Systems to be materially and adversely different from any future results, performance or achievement expressed
or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements contained in this release and that may affect the company’s prospects in general include, but are not limited to: the funding of amounts of capital adequate to provide for the working capital needs of the company; actions of competitors and customers; the company’s ability to successfully design and produce new products, customer
acceptance of new products; the company’s ability to enter into successful relationships with new customers to fully exploit its products, the ability to successfully implement all elements of our restructuring and cost savings program, and such other factors as are described in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements.
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