Functional Injection-Molded Prototypes
In the product development process, molders must react quickly and accurately to engineering changes, and delays in the schedule can make a difference between success and failure. Functional prototypes gives the product designer or the original equipment manufacturer a best-results approach to proving product integrity and providing answers to critical questions needed for a production path.
Mark Rathbone

Patents as Key Information Sources for Competitive Intelligence and Business Strategy
While there is a strong inclination to treat intellectual property simply as an expense to be endured, it really should be considered to be an integral part of an organization’s business goals, just like a business plan. Pursuing an IP strategy that is consonant with a company’s business strategy can improve the stability and competitive stance of a business, enhance its market value and provide a source of revenue.
Edward P. Grenda

New ULTRARapid Casting: The True Rapid Manufacturing Technology for 125cc Two Strokes Engine Cylinder
ULTRArapid casting is an evolution on the rapid casting process, optimized for aluminum alloys.
Livia Cevolini

3DScanCo and Reverse Engineering Help Bell
The scanning services performed by 3DScanCo offered Bell Helicopter the ability to successfully transfer production of the “ Huey” from their Amarillo plant to Crestview’s without losing production time.
Karol Hatzilias

VITEC Modeling Process Increases Accuracy and Cuts
A new process for modeling fuel tanks is delivering greater design supplier VITEC up to 40 percent in product development time.
Jill R. Aitoro

Steam Power Meets the Power of 3D
Spirax Sarco streamlines product prototyping with enterprise 3D printing.
Kevin Lach

Materials Special Feature: Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic—Material for Strong Lightweights
Low weight, high tensile strength and rigidity as well as low thermal expansion—with these properties, carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are being applied in more and more industries. Effective new processes for simulation and production have also made an economic series production of CFRP components possible.
Doris Schulz

Materials Special Feature: Cheetah Tool Creates Production Parts For Rivet System with DuraForm® Plastic
3D Systems

Material Special Feature: Corporate Profile CRP Technology S.R.L.
CRP Technology S.R.L.

Materials Special Feature: Corporate Profile DSM Somos
DSM Somos

Materials Special Features: Materials/Products
-3D Systems' Viper Pro SLA System -CRP Technology's Windform PS -Stratasys' ABS-M30i

Next Generation Stereolithography Materials Improve Prototype Functionality
Significant advances in materials performance have the potential for expanding the use of stereolithography for the production of ultra-durable prototypes and initial parts. -LAURENCE MESSÉ

Materials Special Feature: Cheetah Tool Creates Production Parts For Rivet System With Duraform Plastic
Cheetah Tool Systems (Waco, TX) developed a revolutionary new riveting system using rapid prototyping to quickly and inexpensively evolve the design.

Materials Special Feature: A New Direction in 3D Printing
New technology enables printing parts and assemblies made of multiple model materials, all in a single build. -OMER SAGI

Materials Special Feature: RePliForm Inc.
RePliForm Inc. Enhancing RP Model Performance

Materials Special Feature: FDM Helps Deliver Shorter R&D Times and High Quality
Hanil E-Hwa Company, Ltd. (Seoul, Korea) specializes in automotive interior components for passenger, commercial, recreational and heavy construction vehicles. For more than three decades, it has grown into a $668 million (USD) tier one supplier with facilities in the U.S., China, Turkey and India.

Viewpoint: History Of Additive Fabrication (Part 2)
This two-part series provides a timeline that shows how additive fabrication technologies have developed from their inception in 1987 to 2007. This part picks up where Part 1 ended. The following was excerpted from Wohlers Report 2007. -TERRY WOHLERS AND TIM GORNET

TCT Corner
CRP TECHNOLOGY ATTENDS THE 2008 3D SYSTEMS USERS’ GROUP CONFERENCE IN COSTA MESA, CA FROM APRIL 6 - 10 -- BCC PRODUCTS WELCOMES JULIA TANNER -- 3DSCANCO IS MOVING -- HUNTSMAN INTRODUCES CLEAR SL RESIN

TCT Focus
Profiles of thinkers, achievers, movers and shakers in the rapid product development industry--BRENT E. STUCKER

Tips & Tricks
The Benefits of Fused Deposition Modeling for Direct Digital Manufacturing-- Many RP technologies are well suited to perform manufacturing functions. However, FDM has a key advantage over other technologies—repeatability.