Insights Success The 10 Most innovative 3D Printing Solution Providers 2017

www.insightssuccess.com
August 2017
The way of business solutions
10
The
MOST INNOVATIVE
p r i n t i n g
Solution Providers
3D Gestalt
Decoding the Past,
Present and Future
of 3D Printing
Trends to watch
Trends that will
Shape the Future
of 3D Printing
Clayton Webster
CEO
SIMPLIFY
Leading Universal Software Makes Printing Easy

A perfect
Day
start with
Coffee

Editorial
hile 3D printing appears to be well suited in the plot of a
Wfuturistic science fiction novel, it is well within our grasp.
Using an assortment of materials that incorporate wood,
plastics, metal, and textures, we are now ready to print different threedimensional
items; ranging from food, weapons, spare parts, homes,
organs, medicinal gadgets, apparel and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
Moving faster into the mainstream than its forerunner, this new
technology has immediately blossomed as a result of new printing
methods, a consistently developing scope of new materials and simple
access to the specialized printing devices.
Is 3D Printing
Really Printing
the Future?
While FDM has enhanced as the years progressed — printing in thinner
layers and different materials like clay and rubber — a number of
alternatives, more intricate techniques have risen. Having the capacity to
yield in more materials has likewise propelled 3D printing, which makes
metal alloys, plastic, chocolate, glass, sugar, pharmaceuticals and even
human tissue, 3D printable. What’s more; innovators have used these
materials to print objects as varied as wristwatch bands and human heart
valves. Notwithstanding material alternatives, color selection has also
made strides. Contingent upon the printing strategy and materials used,
objects can even be yield in full color, with different hues appearing up on
a similar object, using the similar materials.
Be that as it may, for some users, an ever better alternative than
purchasing a little, economical 3D printer is to not own one by any means.
Online printing solutions let users create objects without investing in the
technology whatsoever. All they need to do is simply upload their
exceptional file through an Internet-based service, select the suitable
output choices, and press “buy.”
No doubt, 3D printing technology has made some amazing progress and is
still advancing and developing. The technology has a considerable
measure to offer particularly to entrepreneurs since it decreases the
expenses of large scale manufacturing, making it possible for people to
get into business without the need to have high start-up capital. In this
manner, 3D printing has created and is still anticipated to create more
business opportunities in the future.
Abhijeet Parade

Insights Success Media Tech LLC
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Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal
Senior Editor
Managing Editor
Co-Editors
David Smith
Kaustav Roy
Andy, David, Peter,
Kevin, John, Brian
Research Analyst Jennifer
Circulation Manager Robert
Database Management Steve
Corporate Ofces:
Ariana Lawrence
Abhijeet Parade
Sourav Mukherjee
Visualiser David King
Art & Design Director Amol Kamble
Co-designer Alex Noel
Picture Editor Poonam Mahajan
Art Editor Vinod Alhat
Business Development Manager Mike Thomas
Nick Adams
Marketing Manager Philip Walker
Business Development Executives
Technology Consultant Vishal More
sales@insightssuccess.com
August, 2017
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7
,

Cover Story
B R A N D O F T H E M O N T H
16
BMW Group:
Pioneer in Additive
Manufacturing
COMPANY OF THE MONTH
22
Local Motors:
Manufacturing Future
Ready Vehicles
CXO Standpoint
46
In an Ever Faster Changing
World Extreme Congurability
is the Answer
30
Make the Change
Or become the
change
08
Simplify3D:
Leading Universal Software
that Makes Printing Easy
Articles
40
3D GESTALT
Decoding the Past,
Present and Future
of 3D Printing
20
TRENDS TO WATCH
Trends that will
Shape the Future
of 3D Printing

Contents
26
3D Platform:
A Leading and
Trusted Manufacturer
of 3D Printers
BigRep:
A Newfangled
Startup Printing the
Future of Tomorrow
28
34
Cytosurge AG:
Redening Scientic
Measurements and
Robotic Systems
Genius Printers:
Facilitating the Revolution
of 3D Printing with its
Future Solutions
36
42
German RepRap:
Building World’s 1st
Open Platform 3D
Printers
ReDeTec:
Offering Integrated
Recycling Technology
for 3D Printing
44

3D Printing:
The Manufacturing Revolution
s 3-D printers become faster, easier to use, handle multiple materials, and print active components or
Asystems, they are finding usage beyond rapid prototyping. Several technology trends are feeding these
expectancies. An evolving class of mid-level 3-D printers is starting to offer many high-end system
features in a desktop form factor at lower price points. What’s more; Printer speeds are increasing across the
product spectrum; at least one high-end system under development could print up to 500 times faster than today’s
top machines. And essential patents are about to expire, an event likely to hasten the pace of innovation. The 3D
printing solution providers are amidst of the sea of opportunities, and from here, it will only increase further.
To showcase the innovative companies those are using novel approaches to 3D printing solutions, we have come
up with the annual listing of The 10 Most innovative 3D Printing Solution Providers, 2017. In this issue, we have
shortlisted 3D printing companies, which make printing easy, affordable and efficient.
As our cover story, we have Simplify3D for providing industry leading 3D printing software that converts 3D
models into real physical parts using a wide range of desktop 3D printers. Clayton Webster, company’s CEO set
out to tackle the software challenges faced by 3D printing companies and took place the formation of Simplify3D
in 2013. The software analyzes your digital 3D models to determine the best way to fabricate these parts through
additive manufacturing. Acting as the brain of the 3D printer, the software precisely controls speed, temperature,
cooling, extrusion, and positioning to ensure the highest quality of output.
Apart from this in our special issues, we have BMW Group as Brands of the Month and Local Motors as
Company of the Month. BMW Group was one of the earlier adopters of 3D printing and additive manufacturing
technology, while founded in 2007, Local Motors has already created the World’s first 3D Printed car, the Strati,
which took only 44 hours to print.
In our listing, we have BigRep, which is one of the well-known as The World’s Largest Standardized 3D Printer
Manufacturer. CYTOSURGE AG, is fast growing high-tech company develops and distributes scientific
measuring instruments and robotic systems based on the patented FluidFM technology. Genius Printers is a 3D
printing technology solution provider, which boasts an unmatched profile of pending patent features. German
RepRap makes the world’s first industrial quality, open platform 3D Printers capable of printing all materials on
large build platforms and finally, ReDeTec which recycles the 3D printer waste back into filament for FDM 3D
printing.
Going forward, we have 3D Gestald – Decoding the Past, Present and Future of 3D Printing and Trends to
Watch – Trends that will Shape the Future of 3D Printing from our in-house writers.
Let’s get started, then!

Cover Story
Leading Universal Software
3 Makes D Printing Easy
We have tested and optimized our
software on hundreds of 3D printers so
that users will have exceptional
results right out-of-the-box

Clayton Webster
CEO

Cover Story
The popularity of 3D printers has expanded
extraordinarily in the past couple of years. Machine
reliability has increased dramatically, and new
materials for printing are being introduced each day, with
printers now being capable of delivering one-off prints in
everything from plastic to metal. Some forward-thinking
research groups have even begun working on creating 3D
printed chocolate structures and human tissue.
Today’s desktop printers are significantly closer to the
quality and features of industrial 3D printers. A high rate of
innovation has resulted in faster printing speeds, greater
reliability, and the availability of unique new materials.
This makes Additive Manufacturing an appropriate
technology for new applications in more sectors. While
desktop 3D printers were earlier used by hobbyists or for
constrained utilization in the education sector, these printers
are progressively discovering applications in different
industries, for example, engineering, art, jewelry, product
design, dentistry, architecture, biomedical and consumer
products.
The desktop 3D printing segment is less than a decade old,
with many of the most significant advancements occurring
in the last 5 years. Industrial 3D printing had been in use for
over three decades, but high-cost entry constrained it to be
used by trained technicians in well-funded corporate
environments. As desktop printers came into the picture, a
much broader audience was able to experience the thrill of
an object coming to life before their eyes. These new
printers were smaller, more user-friendly, and could be
purchased for a fraction of the cost. The market was taking
root, but a need for reliable software to make the most of
this technology was rising as well.
Truth be told, the potential for success exists for those who
seize the opportunity before anyone else. Clayton Webster
set out to tackle these software challenges by founding
Simplify3D in 2013. Today, Simplify3D provides industryleading
3D printing software that is trusted by professionals
worldwide. The software analyzes your digital 3D models
to determine the best way to fabricate these parts through
additive manufacturing. Acting as the brain of the 3D
printer, the software precisely controls speed, temperature,
cooling, extrusion, and positioning to ensure the highest
quality of output.
The team at Simplify3D is driven to empower innovation
through 3D printing. They strive to simplify the process and
improve the results, thereby
enabling more designers,
inventors, and engineers to harness
the power of additive manufacturing. At
present, Simplify3D is trusted by users in
over 120 countries to provide total control over
the printing process and consistently deliver the
best results.
A Visionary Set Out to Make a Difference
Nearly a decade ago, Webster was studying Engineering at
Purdue University when he got his first taste of 3D printing.
At the time, 3D printers were very costly and were typically
only accessible to skilled technicians. Purdue offered a
Computer Aided Design (CAD) course that allowed
students to design digital models on their computers, and
then fabricate those models using one of the SLA 3D
printers at the university. “I remember having to pay $20 to
use the machine and waiting about three weeks to receive
the finished parts”, Webster recounted. “The parts were
quite brittle, and if a change was needed, you were stuck
waiting several more weeks before you could get a
replacement.” Despite these constraints, watching a digital
design come to life in a real physical part was a
transformative experience, and he quickly started looking at
ways to make this technology more accessible.
Great leaders do not set out to be a leader; they set out to
make a difference. Webster wanted to make a difference so
that 3D printing would be more accessible and thus became
a part of the early group of pioneers in the personal 3D
printing sector, working to lay a foundation for the industry.
There were no off-the-shelf machines or kits back then that
could be purchased, so Webster took a leap of faith, and
designed and fabricated his first 3D printer in his college
dorm room. “After the printer was built, raw materials
became the next hurdle. I convinced a local plastics
company to create a small batch of specialty filament that
would work with this new type of 3D printer. It was
expensive, but it worked!”
The next two years were spent on electronics and control
systems development. One of his largest contributions
during this time was the development of the printer
firmware that handles communication, motor control,
sensors, and printer kinematics. He released the code to the
open-source community, and many printers on the market
today are still powered by a variant of this firmware. With
an intimate knowledge of hardware, electronics, and

We provide the most extensive
print settings, allowing you
to achieve the highest
level of quality even with
the most complex prints
firmware control
systems, Webster
turned his efforts to
software – the final piece of
the puzzle and something that
would consume his energies for
several years to come. In order for 3D
printing to truly empower innovation at
the grassroots level, it would require
software that could tap the power of
these revolutionary machines.
Making 3D Printing Much More
Accessible to a Global Audience
The road to the destination was not
always easy. Webster had confidence
that it was only a matter of time before
the challenges could vanish. It needed
patience, a lot of it, and a dogged
determination to stay focused on the
goal, and he had both.
One of the challenges Webster and the
team faced was the Fragmented
Industry. Hundreds of 3D printing
companies created a fragmented global
groundswell of hardware options
across the industry. There were very
few standards in this new market.
Different machines used different
commands, various file formats, and
offered completely different sets of
capabilities. Yet since
its inception, Simplify3D
was committed to the goal of
universal software compatibility,
allowing the software to work with
nearly any desktop 3D printer on the
market.
To tackle this complexity and provide
3D printing companies with a single
universal software interface,
Simplify3D partnered with 3D printing
companies around the globe to provide
a single software solution for desktop
3D printers. This unifying effort
involves constant collaboration with
hardware manufacturers and a
continuous effort to integrate the latest
advancements into the software.
As a result of partnerships formed
between
Simplify3D and
OEM companies, end
users have one-click
access to optimized settings
for the most popular 3D printers.
With support added for almost 100
new printers in just the last year,
Simplify3D is the one-stop software
solution to operate all users’ machines
all around the globe.

Cover Story
Another major challenge that the company faced was the
rapid adoption of 3D printing around the world. To support
a growing global market, Simplify3D is now available in 6
different languages. Also, the company works with
distributors in over 30 countries who sell Simplify3D with
their own 3D printers and provide skilled support for their
local markets. Expanded language support and OEM
partnerships have made 3D printing and Simplify3D much
more accessible to a global audience.
Offering the Freedom that Customers Need
Simplify3D is recognized for complete control over the 3D
printing process – giving customers the freedom they need
to optimize results even for the most complex projects. This
has led to groundbreaking applications such as surgeons
using the software to build an accurate replica of a human
heart, visualization of complex protein molecules, or even
prototyping for next generation engine designs. The latest
release of the Simpify3D software, Version 4.0, has
unlocked even more functionality by allowing customers to
apply different physical properties within a single model.
By altering how the part is printed, users can now optimize
strength, weight, or finish quality within different regions of
the model. The software enables customers to push the
limits of additive manufacturing and focus on their creative
ideas.
how to achieve the best results from your 3D printer. In
keeping with the goals of the company founder, these
resources are shared freely with the entire community to
advance the adoption of 3D printing. The company also
offers a highly-skilled support team that is available to help
schools, businesses, and consumers achieve greater success
with their 3D printing projects.
Values that Drive Simplify3D Ahead
Developing long-term relationships with their customers is
always their top priority, and they achieve this by listening
to the customers’ needs to determine the most popular
feature requests to integrate into the software. The entire
Simplify3D team knows the importance of this customerfocused
attitude, and they consistently use this feedback to
plan their future development roadmap. With more than 25
software updates since 2013, the software continues to keep
pace with customer suggestions. Additional online tools
help customers know how to apply software settings to
achieve the best results. For example, the widely
Offering Specialized Programs to Students, Teachers,
and Labs
The last two years have witnessed a significant rise of
educational interest in Simplify3D, with many schools and
universities now offering courses dedicated to 3D printing.
These institutions have recognized the importance of
training the next generation understand how to integrate
additive manufacturing into the design process. To assist
schools that are incorporating 3D printing into their
curriculum, Simplify3D also offers specialized packages for
students, teachers, and labs. Schools typically own multiple
brands and styles of 3D printers, so having Simplify3D act
as a single software interface for all their machines provides
significant efficiencies in teaching and student learning.
The Team that Uses their Vast Knowledge to Develop
Extensive Resources
It does not take strength; rather takes the true heart of the
team to win. The expert team at Simplify3D has calibrated
and optimized hundreds of 3D printers, and they are
arguably the world leader in this expertise. Their knowledge
became the foundation for extensive resources that explain

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Company Name
Management
Brief
3D Platform
3dplatform.com
Jonathan Schroeder
President
3D Platform is a leading manufacturer of large-scale,
industrial-class 3D printers.
BigRep
bigrep.com
René Gurka
CEO & Co-founder
BigRep is a Berlin-based technology start-up that develops and
manufactures the world’s largest standardized 3D printer.
BMW Group
bmwgroup.com
Cytosurge AG
cytosurge.com
FluidFM.com
Dr. Jens Ertel
Head of the BMW Group’s Additive
Manufacturing Centre
Dr.-Ing. Udo Hänle
Senior Vice President BMW Group
Production Strategy &
Technical Integration
Pascal Behr
Co-founder & CEO
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of
automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium
financial and mobility services.
Cytosurge AG is a fast-growing high-tech company based in
Zurich, Switzerland which develops and distributes scientific
measuring instruments and robotic systems based on its
patented FluidFM technology.
Genius Printers
geniusprinters.com
Markus Ulrich
CEO & Founder
Genius Printers is a 3D printing technology solution provider
which possesses an unrivaled list of future innovations in
printing.
German RepRap
germanreprap.com
Florian Bautz
Managing Director
German RepRap makes the world’s first industrial quality, open
platform 3D Printers capable of printing all materials on huge
build platforms.
Local Motors
localmotors.com
Jay Rogers
CEO & Co-founder
Local Motors is an American headquartered technology
company focused on low volume manufacturing of crowd
created vehicle designs, using multiple microfactories.
ReDeTec
redetec.com
Dennon Oosterman
CEO
ReDeTec recycles the 3D printer waste back into filament for
FDM 3D printing.
Rize Inc.
rize3d.com
Simpify3D
simplify3d.com
Eugene Giller
Founder & President
Clayton Webster
CEO
Rize’s patented dual extrusion/jetting APD platform delivers an
innovative combination of unique material properties and
process that expands additive manufacturing beyond the lab to
entirely new applications not possible with any other 3D printer.
Simplify3D Software, based in Cincinnati, OH, provides
industry leading 3D printing software that converts 3D models
into real physical parts using a wide range of desktop 3D
printers.

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| August 2017 |

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17

18
| August 2017 |

3D Printing has quickly become one
of the fastest embraced
manufacturing and prototyping
innovations throughout the automotive
industry. Recently, it has been utilized to
manufacture engine parts, a replica of
historical race cars, customized exhaust
systems and even whole street prepared
cars. While 3D printing is not another
innovation by any methods, it is just in
the last half-decade that it has begun to
be plainly received by a large portion of
the automobile industry. However, not
everyone currently is jumping on the 3D
printing fad; a few organizations can be
considered pioneers and have been using
it for decades.
German automobile giant, BMW Group
was one of the earlier adopters of 3D
printing and additive manufacturing
technology. When they opened their
Rapid Technologies Center in 1990, the
firm essentially used their stereo
lithography machine to 3D print early
ideas and part models. The parts would
frequently be used as a proof of concept
before they proceeded onward to
traditional tooling, or be used for model
vehicles. In the beginning, the additively
produced parts were mostly used for
concept cars but were further developed
for additional purposes over the years.
Depending on the component
specifications, BMW Group applies
different procedures and materials. Be
that as it may, as per BMW, those early
positive experiences with 3D printing for
a quarter of a century helped shaped how
the organization used 3D printing today,
and how they will be using it later on.
Refining Additive Manufacturing
Processes
The BMW Group is in constant work of
refining additive manufacturing
processes for series production.
Dominating the conventional point-topoint
3D printing methods, the new,
planar printing technologies enable
considerably faster production times, and
go above and beyond to ease the printing
process. Beamers or infrared sources are
used to expose the full surface, rather
than point-to-point, high-priced light
sources, such CO2 or UV lasers.
Dr. Jens Ertel, head of the BMW Group’s
Additive Manufacturing Centre says,
“Planar technologies are central to the
use of additive processes in series
production. The most recent example can
be found in the preliminary trials of the
HP Multi Jet Fusion technology. The
process will initially be used in
prototyping, but we plan to extend it into
series production over the long term.”
The process utilizes print heads and
liquid agents, like a conventional inkjet
printer.
At the start of the process, a thin layer of
base powder material is applied. The
print head then sprays fusing and
detailing agents onto the powder bed.
What is unusual is that at the same time,
the respective layer of the component is
fused using infrared radiation. This
speeds up production time and increases
flexibility.
Using CLIP Technology to its Fullest
Potential
Last year saw the introduction of CLIP
technology (Continuous Liquid Interface
Production) – a breakthrough in the field
of planar 3D printing process. Since this
method works with planar exposure from
a beamer, it shortens production times
considerably. The BMW Group used the
process for the first time to produce
individualized side indicators for the
“DriveNow” car-sharing fleet. In a social
media campaign, German customers
voted on names for a total of 100 MINIs
in the fleet. CLIP technology was then
used to integrate these in the indicator
body of the vehicles being tested on the
roads in Germany.
The Additive Manufacturing Centre at
the company’s Research and Innovation
Centre (FIZ) has also been using these
forming processes to produce parts for
the new Rolls-Royce Dawn since the
start of the year. The team at the FIZ
handles nearly 25,000 prototype orders
annually and delivers more than 100,000
components per year to customers within
the BMW Group. The spectrum ranges
from small plastic holders to design
samples to metal chassis components for
functional testing. Depending on the
process used and size of the parts,
components are often available within
just a few days.
Decades of Experience Helping
Overcome Every Hurdle
With more than a quarter of a century
usage, many areas have enjoyed the
benefits of additively-manufactured
components from BMW Group. Classic
examples of additive manufacturing are
areas where customized and, in some
cases, highly complex components are
required in small quantities – mainly in
pre-development, vehicle validation and
testing or for concept and show cars, but
also small series production. Along these
lines, the company is constantly working
to harness new additive methods for
vehicles from prototypes to classic cars.
However, the methods are also utilized in
tool-making and manufacturing
equipment. The BMW Group celebrated
the first successful use of this technology
in small-series production in 2010, with
the additively-manufactured water pump
wheel still fitted in Deutsche
Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) vehicles to
this day.
Expanding its Pioneering Role into the
Future
The BMW Group is bit by bit pursuing
the evolution and use of advanced
additive-manufacturing methods. The
BMW Group is confident that planar 3D
printing technologies will enable much
faster production times and more
economical production in the future and
the company aims to continue expanding
this pioneering role in the future.
About the Key Executive
Dr.-Ing. Udo Hänle, is Senior Vice
President, Production Strategy and
Technical Integration at BMW Group.
Born in Friedrichshafen/Bodensee, Dr.
Udo completed his studies and master
degree in Aerospace Engineering, from
the University of Stuttgart. From the
same university, he later got his Ph.D.
Since then, he has been at forefront of
BMW Group, performing every role he
was given to successfully. At his current
role, he looks after production strategy
and technical integration at BMW.
| August 2017 |
19

Trends that will
Shape the
Future of
Trends to Watch
3D Printing
Nowadays, the tech world is mostly focusing
on AI, big data, machine learning, and how
all these will affect our daily lives later on.
However, developing with the same pace, but with
slightly less hype is 3D printing, a technology which
is going to have a massive impact on our daily lives
in the near future. It is a small step from spraying
toner on paper to putting down layers of plastic resin
until they add up to an object, by empowering a
machine to make objects of any shape and size, on
the spot as needed by the user.
One of the early innovators of the 3D printing
technology is Singapore Airlines, which is wellknown
for the amount of luxury it provides on its
long-haul flights. Its subsidiary, Singapore Airlines
Engineering Company, signed a deal with Stratasys
recently in order to explore the world of 3D printing
technology for research, design, and production of
various aircraft parts. However, at first the airline
company will use the technology in various interior
parts rather than printing any structural elements of
the frame or any engine parts. Right now, the
organization needs to maintain inventories which
include a ton of different parts that need to be
replaced across the fleet once the fleet is replaced.
This makes the airliner’s life harder, thanks to the
problems related to logistics and replacements.
20
| August 2017 |

So, with the technology adaption from companies like
Singapore Airlines, BMW, etc. the 3D printing platform is
expected to grow massively over the next few years. So,
here are few trends that will eventually shape up the
industry in the near future.
When it comes to materials, soon the industry is going to
see vendors putting more importance into development,
chemistry and delivery of those materials. It might be the
availability of higher-temperature materials, materials with
more structural strength and integrity, and materials that are
more flexible. Additionally, the new kind of materials will
reflect more and more about the way how people want to
create and use different parts. Recently few researchers
have developed a 3D printed gel that mimics cartilage of
humans when dried. Other than that, another group of
researchers from Madrid has come up with printable human
skin, that will eventually help in skin transplants.
Soon users can expect increased availability of affordable
and widely adopted usage of materials for metal
manufacturing. Until now, most available metal 3D printing
technologies have been quite expensive, which used to act
as a barrier while prototyping or mass producing. With
much lower price points and better availability of
materials, organizations can fully explore the world of 3D
printing.
With the better availability of materials, soon prosthetics,
are now also getting printed. 3D printed prosthetics are
cheaper and much lighter than their regular counter parts,
which are much more easier to use especially for children
and pets. Kids normally outgrow their mechanical limbs
within a year, so being able to replace those limbs
affordably could eventually revolutionize the market.
started to print low volume products that weren't viable
before. The medical sector will be the one of the most
benefited sectors, thanks to the ability of these printers to
print surgical instruments without the burden of high
production cost.
3D printers can also be used for architectural purposes.
Last year, a China based company built ten 3D-printed
concrete houses in a day and each of them cost around
$4800. Recently, the company took 3D printing to new
heights by building a five-story apartment building and a
1,100-square meter villa. The structures were made by
printing large portions of the building and then by
assembling them. As per the company, it used fiberglass,
rubble, steel, and cement binder to make the ink.
With cheaper printing costs, the adoption of the
technology would be much wider. Back in 2015, a 3D
printed supercar was revealed, and a year later the company
partnered with French manufacturer Peugeot signaling a
wider acceptance of 3D printing in the automotive sector.
Later in 2016, a 3D printed superbike was also unveiled at
the LA Auto Show. Which makes it clear that the
automotive industry is embracing the technology.
So, here we have pointed out few of the trends that could
change the course of various industries. However, 3D
printing is not the answer to all the manufacturing issues
that we face today. For now, it is mainly being adopted in
sectors like healthcare, automotive, aviation, and energy
sectors. But one can expect that over the time production
cost will fall, and it will transform various sectors including
clothing, manufacturing, healthcare, and others.
The best innovation must have to be the 3D printed coral
reefs. As everyone knows coral reefs are very important for
the marine ecosystem. However, according to various
agencies around seventy percent of world's coral reef is
either damaged or destroyed, thanks to industrial
development and pollution. So, a Bahrain based
organization is countering the destruction by printing reefs
in 3D printers and installing those along the coast line of
Persian Gulf. So, if the printing cost goes down, then the
environment will also be benefited.
Off late, 3D printing has been a game changer for the
manufacturing sector, especially for those companies that
had ideas in mind but couldn't sell enough to justify large
industrial scale manufacturing. Now organizations have
| August 2017 |
21

Jay Rogers
CEO & Co-founder
22
| August 2017 |

Company of the Month
Local Motors:
Manufacturing Future
Ready Vehicles
In the early 1980s, an engineer named Chuck Hull went to his boss
with an idea; to build a machine that printed items people could hold
in their hands. However, his idea was not approved by his manager
and he was only discouraged because of the same — after all, the
company was producing UV lamps, not “Star Trek” replicators. However,
the world wasn’t ready to wait, and the two men eventually reached to a
compromise; by day, Chuck would dedicate himself to the company’s
lamps; at night, he'd cobble together his dream machine.
Fast forward to thirty years, 3D printing has made its way in our lives, and
its practical applications are endless. Today, 3D printing is being widely
used by small start-up companies to large OEM vehicle and aircraft
manufacturers allowing faster and more cost effective alternatives to
traditional manufacturing methods. However, this wasn’t the case back in
2007, when only a few knew how effective 3D printing could be if used to
its true potential. One of those talented minds who believed in 3D printing
was John B. Rogers Jr. (Jay Rogers), who – after serving for seven
years in the United States Marine Corps, where he was an Infantry
Company Commander – founded Local Motors as a way to bring
manufacturing and customization to the people.
Ten years later, with headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona Local Motors is a
leading technology company that designs, builds and sells vehicles. Local
Motors has already created the World’s first 3D Printed car, the Strati,
which took only 44 hours in production. 3D Printing was seen as the
future and Jay saw it for what it’s true worth only to lead that movement
from the forefront.
An Entrepreneur who saw Future before it Arrived
Rogers has entrepreneurship in his DNA. From his grandfather who was
an entrepreneur, he drew inspiration. After graduating from Princeton
along with a Masters’ degree in Business Administration from Harvard
Business School, and having spent time in consulting and in banking,
Rogers headed down an academic and professional route that seemed
appropriate for a future entrepreneur. However, a seven year stint in the
We are unlike any manufacturer
“ you have ever seen
“
| August 2017 |
23

United States Marine Corps had the
most profound impact on his career
where he learned about leading in
precarious situations with imperfect
information.
In his career, he has worked as a
consultant for McKinsey & Co., as an
investment analyst at Ewing &
Partners, and at a startup medical
device company in the People’s
Republic of China. He also serves as
the Chief Investment Officer and
Director of the RBR Foundation, a
philanthropic foundation focused on
education and healthcare.
Driving the Commercialization of
High Technology Products
Local Motors is focused on lowvolume
manufacturing of open source
motor vehicles designed using microfactories.
Using co-creation and micro
manufacturing, it drives the
commercialization of high technology
products. “When you drive the
commercialization of technology
products, which we do for own
accounts and some other large
businesses that have similarly complex
high technology products, it is about
changing a hundred-year paradigm in
mass manufacturing. We are now using
the crowd. We are using a bespoke
community that we build with
suppliers and customers. Then we are
changing the way we think about
manufacturing. We have a mass
oriented way of thinking about product
commercialization,” asserts Rogers.
Making the World Ready For the
Future
Amongst Local Motors’ greatest
achievements is Olli, a self-driving bus
which not only carries passengers, but
also talks to them. To enable such level
of human interaction, Olli leverages
four Watson APIs — Speech to Text,
Entity Extraction, Natural Language
Classifier and Text to Speech.
Olli uses laser sensors that can detect
the distance of objects in order to get
around town, and also analyzes and
learns from the high volumes of
transportation data the sensors
produce. Olli has a maximum speed of
25 mph and can transport up to 12
people. Local Motors has incorporated
30 sensors in this self-driving bus to
collect the data, allowing it to make
quick decisions.
“Olli offers a smart, safe and
sustainable transportation solution that
is long overdue,” Rogers says. “Olli
with Watson acts as our entry into the
world of self-driving vehicles,
something we’ve been quietly working
on with our co-creative community for
the past year,” he adds on Olli.
Understanding the Wants and Needs
of Consumers
Being an open source company, Local
Motors brings thoughts, ideas and
solutions together on its online
community SaaS platform, Launch
Forth. The manufacturing company cocreates
its vehicles and products to
understand the wants and needs of
consumers of today and the future.
Local Motors collaborates with
prestigious companies such as IBM,
Siemens, GE and Airbus to redefine
not only the process but the outcome.
Leading from the front, Rogers still
considers Local Motors as a fairly
small company, especially in
comparison to OEM Manufacturers.
“We have to educate our critics on
what differentiates us from our
competitors and constantly push the
envelope and show that what Local
Motors is doing, is the future,” he adds.
Values that Drive the Innovation
Local Motors’ core values are cocreation,
open source technology and
Direct Digital Manufacturing with 3D
printing in Micro-factories. They
believe that everyone has valuable
ideas and thoughts, and they want to
not only make them heard, but also to
make them a reality.
For instance, an electrical engineer at a
large company is asked to only provide
feedback and information on electrical,
but they believe that this person may
also have a great idea for the way an
interior can be designed. Local Motors
believes in giving everyone the ability
to “have a seat at the table” and
bringing their ideas, thoughts and
experiences to light, which will only
help to create a better vehicle product
in the end.
“The future is unknown, but we are
trying to pave that path as we move
forward. We see 3D printing becoming
the standard in manufacturing, instead
of the exception,” concludes Rogers on
the future of 3D printing.
24
| August 2017 |

A Leading and Trusted Manufacturer
of 3D Printers
Imagine printing a new plate when
a small kid in the house drops your
favorite dish. Envision a gift
printed with your own hands for your
friends and family members’ birthday.
Visualize printing your favorite design
or quote on a T-shirt of your own. If
you would have asked anyone a few
years back, they would have said, ‘it’s
impossible.’ But that’s what technology
is for – to make its way into reality
through our imagination and bring us
closer towards a better tomorrow.
Thanks to the way 3D printing has
evolved over the course of time and the
promises it has made along the way,
we are already here, in the World of 3D
Printing.
However, it’s the manufacturing sector
that is getting benefitted because of this
Jetsonian technology. The large-scale
3D printers are making it ridiculously
easy for the companies to produce
widgets in very short order, make
required variations to those parts and
lay them into assembly. 3D Platform
(3DP) is a trusted global leader in
designing and manufacturing of
industrial, large & extra-large format,
and FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication)
type 3D printer. Based in Roscoe,
Illinois, USA, 3D Platform is focused
on driving advancements in technology
to innovate, design, and build nextgeneration
equipment for additive
manufacturing. Its global distribution
network supported by Certified Service
Providers has helped 3D Platform
deploy more large-format, open-market
3D printers than any of its competitors
and provide fast, local support to its
customers than anyone else.
Products that are ahead of the
League
3D Platform has always seen the future
long before it arrived, and their
products are a testament of this point.
Their distinctive products include –
3D Printers: The company’s flagship
large-format printers are now in their
th
5 generation and are available for sale
as a family of printers. The most
economical printer in the family, the
WorkTable, starts at just $14,999 USD
with a 1 x 1 x 0.5-meter print volume.
The WorkbenchExtreme offers the
highest performance and the largest
print volume (1 x 1.5 x 0.7 meters)
starting at $36,999 USD. One of the
keys to 3DP’s affordability is the
amount of customization available to
3DP's customers – the machines are
designed in a configurable manner and
customers can choose the options and
upgrades that are needed for their
specific application. For customers
needing an extra-large format printer,
3DP’s Excel machine has a starting
print bed size of 1.2 x 2.4 meters (4x8
feet!) and the machine can be adapted
to customer needs as wide as 16 feet
and as long as 100 meters (330 feet!).
The Excel machine can even have
multiple gantries to print a part much
faster or to divide the bed and print
different objects.
Extruders: 3D Platform’s HFA and
HFE extruders are the fastest filament
extruders in the market with up to 16x
more speed than that of its competitors.
It’s Quick-Swap dual extruder heads
deliver high quality 3D prints and are
independently controlled for speed and
extruded material amounts.
Filament: Every 3D printing work
requires dependable, quality filament
to finish the job. 3D Platform has a
wide selection of material and colors
that gives clients choices for their
industrial 3D printing work. With
diverse open market filament material
selections, the client can print exactly
as they design.
The Key Traits that make 3D
Platform Unique
3D Platform is one of the pioneers in
the large format, open market category
and has a wider installed base than
anyone else in this category which
gives them better economies of scale.
This 3D printing firm has been
growing rapidly since its formation in
2014. However, the key attributes that
have helped 3D Platform lead the
market in a short span of 3 years are –
Big, Fast, Affordable. Unlike other
companies who get one or two out of
these three, 3D Platform successfully
delivers all of them. With 20-54x the
build volume of a typical desktop
printer, their WorkSeries printers are
some of the biggest printers in the
market you can buy. The savings that
3D Platform realizes through large
volume purchases and production runs
are passed on to its customers. Also, a
lower purchase price with faster
26
| August 2017 |

Jonathan Schroeder
President
We are committed to
affordable flexibility
with open market
software and control
solutions
production allows its customers to achieve a better/faster
ROI – making 3DP’s printers the most affordable option!
An Intellect Who Leads the Pack
Jonathan Schroeder, is the President of 3D Platform. He
has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Rose-Hulman
Institute of Technology and an MBA from Kellogg’s
Executive Program (EMBA). He is a licensed, professional
engineer (PE) and has more than ten patents.
“We are driven to help our customers succeed. We have
pushed our machine to have the best ROI of any large
format 3D printer on the market – and we continue to push
it to be better. We have customers that have told us that
their ROI is only a single project or just a few months,” –
asserts Jonathan.
Knowing the Applications of 3D Printing Better
Despite the popularity 3D printing has gained over the
years, people are yet to realize how big is 3D printing.
Jonathan, thus believes that one of the greatest challenges is
going beyond the word “3D Printer.” In his opinion, buying
a 3D Printer is like buying a car. Like a car has different
options to choose from; 2 doors or 4, sports car, a family
transporter or a truck, 3D printer also has many options
available which people are yet to know. ISO/ASTM52900-
15 defines seven unique additive processes (3D Printer).
Each one is ideal for certain types of end use parts with
little overlap between each type. FFF/FDM machines are
great for larger polymer parts. In contrast, SLA is good at
small parts with fine detail. SLS is used to produce metal
parts. However, 3D Platform also believes that as these
processes are used more, consumers will begin to ask for
the specific machine by their type and they will have a
better understanding of the capabilities of each type of
machine.
Fully-Prepared for the Future
Additive manufacturing is continually pushing the
boundaries; most typically in materials, size and/or speed,
and 3D Platform is well prepared.
Materials: 3D Platform machines are ‘open market
materials’, meaning their customers can use pellets and
filament from any manufacturer. As new materials come to
market, they can be used on 3D Platform’s machines to
produce more complex and higher performing end user
parts.
Size: While some companies are trying to capture the
micro- and nano- additive manufacturing trend, 3D
Platform has a niche in large format printing. It's Excel
machine can produce a 100-meter-long part.
Speed: Unlike pellet fed extruders that are fast but are not
suitable for all customers/applications, 3D Platform has
developed its own spoon-fed extruders that offer more than
30X throughout the standard desktop printers.
While other 3D printing companies are trying to find the
base in the market, 3D Platform is leading the market with
pride.
| August 2017 |
27

A Newfangled Startup Printing
the Future of Tomorrow
In 1909, the master of efficiency
and standardization, Henry Ford
popularly said, “any customer can
have a car painted any color so long as
it is black.” The machines were
introduced in the First Industrial
Revolution to replace hand labor when
Ford helped usher in what was
eventually the core of mass production.
While the first revolution was all about
introducing machines, the later era –
the Second Industrial Revolution took
place using those machines to produce
massive quantities of standardized
products.
Today, more than hundred years later
since Ford’s industry-defining
statement, 3D printing is here and is
making its way into the mainstream
while allowing anyone to create
customized products at affordable
prices. It has enabled us to tailor our
products that meet our individual needs
at little or no cost at all. However, the
additive manufacturing has been
around for the last 30 years. But only
in the past five years has it gained this
great recognition. With the promise:
everyone can print objects at home
with a 3D printer and become a
designer, BigRep entered the market in
2014 only to lead the industry later.
Within a short span of over three years,
BigRep is already one of the wellknown
names in the 3D Printing
industry.
The World’s Largest Standardized
3D Printer Manufacturer
Headquartered in Berlin-Kreuzberg,
with offices in New York and
Singapore, BigRep develops and
manufactures the world’s largest
standardized 3D printer. One of the
groundbreaking developments of this
startup is the BigRep ONE, which is
supplemented by the smaller BigRep
STUDIO. A lot of new features have
been introduced to the latest version of
the BigRep ONE large scale 3D printer
aimed to achieve the best possible
conditions for printing large objects.
BigRep has redesigned the modular
print which in combination with a
larger flexible spool holder which
provides the ideal 3D printer for
manufacturing large-scale objects. The
company’s new high throughput
extruder for 1 and 2mm nozzles allows
for the highest performances, making
the BigRep ONE v3, one of the fastest
large-scale 3D printers on the market.
Apart from these, the company has Pro
HT Filament, world’s first high
temperature filament for 3D printing in
an open and unheated design space
with heat resistance of 115°C and Pro
HS Filament that reduces printing time
by up to 50 percent.
Revolutionizing Design, Prototyping
and Industrial Production
Interdisciplinarity and well-founded
experience in the field of additive
production has been the key factor of
this ever-growing company which
characterizes the multi-national team
of more than 60 employees. In addition
to new products, the company is now
concentrating on complete solutions
for industrial customers in the form of
integrated additive manufacturing
systems – such as the continuous
printing project with TNO – announced
in Autumn 2016. A highly innovative
engineering company that BigRep is,
aims to revolutionize design,
prototyping and industrial production
from the ground up. Over the next five
years, BigRep intends to become a
leading international supplier of
additive manufacturing systems.
René Gurka: A Visionary Actively
Involved in Additive Manufacturing
René Gurka, the CEO, and co-founder
of BigRep has been actively involved
in the future of additive manufacturing
28 | August 2017 |

René Gurka
CEO & Co-founder
SMART SOLUTIONS
FOR BIG IDEAS.
THINK BIG – GO BigRep!
together with his international interdisciplinary team for the
last three years. In the past, he worked among other
positions as CEO for Berlin Partner GmbH which is
responsible for the business development of the German
capital as well as for the German-American Chamber of
Trade in San Francisco.
“We listen carefully when our customers talk about their
wishes and needs. This has also led to the development of
another compact office solution. With the BigRep Studio,
we are opening up a new dimension of 3D printing. The
print volume of 500 x 1000 x 500 mm provides an adequate
area for large-format prints, setting new standards in speed
and precision. The perfect combination of design, size and
functionality allows printing in almost all places such as
office, studio or loft,” explains René Gurka on the current
industry trends.
Developing an End-to-End AM System
Today, BigRep not only builds the largest series-produced
FFF machines in the world but, together with the Dutch
TNO, is developing an end-to-end AM system which aims
to raise the industrial production of additive parts to an
entirely new level. No doubt, the 3D startup has reached the
peak, but the winds and the waves were always on the side
of BigRep which made it happen. Nonetheless, the
challenges are still there, but team BigRep is prepared to
tackle every obstacle.
Painting the Picture of Tomorrow Long Before Anyone
Production time is still one of the greatest challenges faced
by additive manufacturing, and BigRep understands this
very well. FDM, SLS or SLM technologies still require up
to three days to complete a 3D printed large product.
However, the industry requires significantly shorter
production times, like those offered by conventional massproduction.
Thus, in the company’s in-house innovation
department, NOWlab, industrial designers, mechanical
engineers, mechatronics and software developers, are
together developing unique machines, materials and
products, and are sketching tomorrow’s application
scenarios. On the one hand, this not only includes entirely
new machine concepts, but also solutions, such as a noncontact
switch, which can be integrated into additively
manufactured components.
On the Verge of Technical Revolution
Undoubtedly, fully-automated 3D printing will
revolutionize industrial manufacturing over the next five
years. An annual growth rate of about 20 percent is
predicted by the year 2030 which represents an increase
from currently 4.1 to about 40 billion US dollars. However,
the ultimate truth is the biggest growth comes from
production, and not from prototyping. “We must master
these challenges as quickly as possible, because one thing is
certain: we are at the beginning of a technical revolution.
AM technology will decisively influence the entire value
chain in industrial production over the next five years. We
should take advantage of this opportunity!” shares René on
the future.
www.bigrep.com
| August 2017 |
29

MAKE THE
Change
OR
BECOME THE
Change
On landing at the Bengaluru airport last week, I
ferried my backpack to the shared cab stand on a
pleasant 18 degree Celsius morning, and waited
for Uber. In a few minutes a cheerful person in mid-forties
showed up and opened up the trunk to put my cabin bag
over and looked over at my backpack and said “Nice bag,
sir!” Appreciating my fully stuffed overnighter ready Tumi
laptop backpack. “Where are you coming from, Sir?” Being
the conversationalist, I went “Thank you. I am coming from
Pune. Where are you from?” He goes “I am from Assam,
sir” as he turned on the car and started the ride on his uber
app.
I observed him navigate through the traffic and as we rode
along, I learnt a lot about how this Assamese driver with no
formal education moved to Bengaluru in his early forties
and learned a new language & culture (he spoke broken
Kannada at the toll booth) and how to use a smartphone and
this App and figured out a way he can earn livelihood. As I
chatted with my new Assamese friend for a few minutes on
the post demonetised economy and its impact (which BTW
is my current favourite topic for cab driver conversation), I
could see the change that this guy with almost no education
embraced in the last 3 years - language, culture, distance
migration into a new state, learnt new technology &
embraced a new business model of shared cab services,
battled with taxi unions and figured out a way to co-exist -
A mammoth change for a security guy turned entrepreneur
driver. I wondered whether this super senior IT leader, I am
meeting at Flipkart today might be ready for this much
change? He was. As I discovered later.
At Searce, as we help businesses become ready for the
future, one of the key challenges we face is “ongoing
change management” - getting companies ready for the
change is easy given the current trend on modernizing IT
30
| August 2017 |

CXO STANDPOINT
About The Author
Hardik Parekh, Founder & CEO
of Searce, is a vibrant, straight
talking, tech-enthusiast. Besides
his signicant prowess in frontloading
information, Hardik
shines as a natural design
thinker, who valiantly discovers
new domains and achieves
expertise in the same.
Being an engineer, he has worked
as a management consultant in
the area of Technology-led
Business Process Improvement.
He holds a MS degree in
Industrial Engineering from
Texas A&M University. Entirely
meticulous, spontaneous,
dedicated and observant, Hardik
is the energy core that powers
Searce.
Hardik Parekh
Founder & CEO
Searce
| August 2017 |
31

and getting future ready etc., but resisting the status quo
post the change is a super interesting challenge. And driving
change management after the decision & purchase, battling
status quo as the new senior executives join in the finance
department (with the dinosaur age experience and the mere
nature of their profession, they definitely carry a lot of
weight) and go “But, I could do this on my excel
spreadsheet and this cloud version does not carry that exact
button. And I don't have time for this as I need to prepare
this budget that needs to go to the Chairman tomorrow.”
First thought that comes to mind is to point them to my dear
new friend - “The Change Superman” - Assamese driver in
Bengaluru. BTW: We have internalized a concept for this at
Searce, “finding the same old buttons in the new car”. And
‘finding this buttons business’ becomes especially
challenging when you just moved them into a Tesla. And
when the Finance department (or for that matter Operations,
Sales etc.) insists on putting petrol in the charging inlet of
your Tesla S, we need strong change advocates in the top
management to put their foot down and say, “get used to the
buttonless car, dude! or go drive your ford on uber or ola.”
But my Assamese friend crush them there too. He's
definitely more change ready.
This is the single-most driver for success in today’s
businesses - Is the CEO or leader or the board (depending
on the size of the company) going to make the change or
become the change? While leading the digital
transformation journey through cloud, automation &
analytics for 1200+ businesses, our experience has been
counter intuitive Just like my friend ‘The Change
Superman’ - the normal tech laggards in traditional
industries like manufacturing, retail and logistics have been
more “ongoing change ready” than some of the large
tech/IT/ITES/e-commerce companies - given the depth of
baggage they carry at times.
If you are an entrepreneur or wannabe entrepreneur starting
now - It is super exciting times to help futurify businesses.
Advancements in cloud and automation technologies are
changing the industry landscape for good. Conversations
have shifted from ‘Why cloud?’ to ‘How can I best move to
cloud?’.
move their processes to cloud. Rest won’t exist! For
businesses to stay relevant in such a rapidly changing
environment, adaptability to new age technologies remains
the key. As an entrepreneur, if you are not asking ‘How is
my business being changed by digital technology and How
do I adapt?’, a non-competitor might soon be emerging
around the corner with a tech-led disruption. Don’t get
blind-sided. Digital Transformation is forcing us to plan for
a radical, long term evolution in the ways we interact with
our customers and employees. Visionary C-level leaders are
not just riding the cloud and automation wave but are using
it as an opportunity to fundamentally disrupt their own
business models before someone else does. Digital
transformation not only requires strong leadership to drive
change, but it also requires a clear vision for what parts of
the company need to transform and how soon. Helping
leaders in defining and executing this vision is where
Searce continues to play a strong catalytic role.
As we work with businesses and help them futurify (stay
relevant for future), we constantly challenge ourselves and
our partners to get out of the ‘comfort zone’ and to ‘think
beyond’. While driving digital transformation, our
consultants continually experiment with new age
technology and help business discover what to improve,
where to innovate and how to transform. Transforming
Work & Operations by digitizing processes and enhancing
employee collaboration, Transforming Culture & People
Processes by having democratic more social way of doing
things, Transforming Customer Experience using
customer analytics & Transforming Business Models by
digitally modifying existing businesses remain the main
foundations for driving a successful Digital Transformation
strategy.
Technology advancements have always been beneficial for
the humankind in the long run & Industrial Revolution 2.0
is going to be no different. Let us embrace the changes and
prepare better for the future, now!
Gartner predicts that by 2020 anything other than a cloudonly
strategy for new IT initiatives will require justification
at more than 30% of large-enterprise organizations. It is
also highly likely that by 2025, 80% of organizations will
32
| August 2017 |

TELLING
LIFE’S
STORIES
FROM
MEMORY
1800 102 2055

Redefining Scientific Measurements
and Robotic Systems
In this changing digital era of the
st
21 century, every day is a day for
innovation. Technology is fast
evolving and renovating new terms in
the world of improvement. While
talking about the industry of 3D
printers, it is to be noted that the sector
is improving itself in a rapid speed and
bringing up new trends in the market.
The current scenario suggests that
there are different patterns observed in
the 3D printing sector namely,
manufacturing parts faster, bigger,
even smaller yet, more accurate with
new materials or made up of
composites. 3D printing remains to be
an industry sector for creative
scientists and developers, therefore,
making space for various
improvements in the future. It began
with a prime focus on rapid
prototyping and spare parts
manufacturing industry which then
turned to design, optimization, and
production of whole parts.
With the emergence of FluidFM 3D
printing technology, the industry has
found entirely new possibilities of 3D
printing and object manufacturing at
the Micro- and Nano-level.
To serve the continuous demand of
mankind to combine more and more
functionality on ever smaller devices
and miniaturized objects, to enable
scientists to conduct research beyond
existing boundaries, CYTOSURGE
AG, Switzerland based fast growing
high-tech company develops and
distributes scientific measuring
instruments and robotic systems based
on the patented FluidFM technology.
Headquartered in Zurich, the company
with their FluidFM technology, enables
versatile application in the areas of
material science, physics, biology and
3D printing technology. This fluidfilled
hollow cantilever technology
gives customers the capability to
directly print metal components at the
microscale in a single process step
without the need for any support
structures, at room temperature, and
that is what is keeping Cytosurge AG
ahead of others.
The team at Cytosurge AG is always
innovating and redefining technology
to make progress in the industry. The
company has recently developed their
“FluidFM μ3Dprinter” to serve the
research oriented industry and
university market with its unique micro
metal printing capabilities. The
company has exhibited in various
occasions like Inside3D Düsseldorf,
Germany; Hannover Messe, Germany;
IDTechEx, Berlin, Germany; Advanced
Material Congress, and has earned the
winner award as the Best Development
3D Printing 2017-Europe from
IDTechEX.
Offering Unique 3D Printing
Solutions
Cytosurge is known to use a unique
process which enables the printing of
the micrometer size objects and
resolutions minutely precise and
accurate. The company produces
printed objects which are even smaller
in size than the diameter of the metal
powder grains used by the other 3D
printing methods. The patented
technology of Cytosurge AG, FluidFM
process allows direct metal printing of
complex structure even with overhangs
and at ambient temperature.
The enterprise has developed a new 3D
metal printing process which enables
to print complex metal objects
invisible to the human eye. Cytosurge
says that the exact scale of the printed
objects is a major challenging factor,
but there are few to none existing
metal objects which could be replaced
with objects, manufactured with the
FluidFM enabled printing technology.
For Cytosurge, the challenge was to
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Pascal Behr
Co-founder & CEO
We provide a new generation
of tools to stimulate novel
applications at the forefront
of nanotechnology, in additive
manufacturing, in life sciences
and in single cell biology
make smart people think completely “Out of the Box”
rather than to let them remain trapped in their existing
object scale and product size paradigm. To overcome this
challenge, the company has developed multiple
relationships with universities and innovation department of
various companies.
This Swiss nanotechnology company comprises of a
heterogeneous team where experienced seniority meets
ambitious and well educated young specialists. At
Cytosurge, each employee is encouraged to participate in
the continuous “Culture at Cytosurge” – a program which
aims to actively build a culture every member can
recognize. The company works in an environment with lots
of freedom promoting natural self-responsibility.
About the Pillar of Cytosurge
Pascal Behr, Co-founder, and CEO of Cytosurge is
redefining technology and leading the industry. After
completing his engineering degree in Electricals and
Nanotechnology at ETH Zurich and Northwestern
University, USA, Pascal finished his doctoral studies in the
Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics at ETH Zurich
and started focusing his research on the combination of
atomic force microscopy with microfluidics; a technology
termed FluidFM. Pascal is a man of excellence. Along with
gaining an extreme level of academic knowledge, Pascal
has also co-invented several patents related to FluidFM
technology. He has been featured in numerous national and
international blog posts and newspaper articles as a cofounder
of Cytosurge.
Under Pascal’s guidance, Cytosurge has won various
prestigious awards like 2017 “Best Development in 3D
Printing” Award from ID TechEx in Berlin, Germany and
“Pionierpreis” presented by Zürcher Kantonalbank and
Technopark Zurich in 2012 which is the most prestigious
Startup award in Switzerland. Apart from leading the team
of Cytosurge, Pascal is a Board member in a private Swiss
industrial enterprise where he is responsible for innovation
and digital transformation.
Future of 3D Printing through the Eyes of Cytosurge
In general, the 3D printing sector is a fast-growing one and
it is important that Cytosurge provides value and benefit
due its ability to build very complex structures providing
clear technical advantages. Cytosurge said that the future of
3D printing using FluidFM is very different since the
technology is opening the possibility to build objects at a
significantly smaller scale than any other 3D metal printing
technique has achieved so far.
Cytosurge’s technologies are offering an additional future
benefit to the industry which gives businesses to parallelize
the printing process utilizing established semiconductor
manufacturing techniques. This possibility opens up new
doors regarding manufacturing which stand firm as a
difficult challenge for other 3D printing technologies.
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35

Facilitating the Revolution of 3D
Printing with its Future Solutions
The era of 3D printing has
arrived and it is here to stay.
From producing artificial
prosthetics to the creation of humanlike
kidneys – the variation and
advancements of this technology is
growing meteorically, print by print.
Though it might take some time before
3D printing commands its dominance
over the building design industry; the
current printed projection showcases
the colossal potential of this
technology in the near future.
Additionally, with the reducing cost of
owning a printer, as well as the
declining cost of manufacturing, the
printing sector is poised to
revolutionize the future of technology
for numerous industries.
Those familiar with this industry
would most likely be aware of some of
the most common and existing printing
technologies in the market which
includes FDM, DMLS, SLS, etc. But
there has been a soaring rise in the
number of 3D printing technology
types in the recent past, with new and
emerging companies developing and
filing patent for their unique methods
of printing. This ongoing 3D printing
revolution, also known as additive
manufacturing, is shifting our
perception of ideation and production.
One company that is playing its part in
facilitating this shift is Genius
Printers, a 3D printing technology
solution provider, which boasts an
unmatched profile of pending patent
features.
Driving the Industry with Acute 3D
Printing Technologies
In recent years, 3D printing has found
acceptance in various industry
verticals. The current printing
technologies are driven by its material
properties, enabling the production of
objects with the same functionalities
but in lower tooling cost and product
weight. At Genius Printers, their team
of proficient employees is dedicated to
create and provide innovative 3D
printing technologies. Whether it is
FDM, SLA, SLS, or Gel Processing
robot arms, their broad reach of
expertise enables them to provide a
solution for nearly every application.
The Brain behind these Innovations
Empires of the future are built upon the
Empires of the mind. Markus Ulrich,
CEO and Founder of Genius Printers,
is the visionary who has led this
company from its very beginning. All
the technologies invented by Genius
Printers have cropped out of the mind
of Markus. Born in Germany, Markus
completed his mechanical engineering
degree from the Dortmund University.
He then went on to gain extensive
knowledge as a broker, trader and
trustee. Markus then formed and
founded an IT-database company and
sold the business 13 years later.
Turning Digital Files into Physical
Objects
The recent developments within the
printing arena have fuelled
speculations concerning the various
production abilities that 3D printing
may be capable of in the future. We
have all heard about the possibilities of
printing dentures, houses, wheels or
cars through this technology, but we
fail to realize whether it can live up to
our standards of usability. Most printed
objects are fine for demonstration
purposes, but surface roughness and
material distribution isn’t comparable
to injection or stamped parts. As the
layers aren’t well joined, they don’t
possess the requisite vector strength.
Thus printed parts, at least FDM prints,
can hardly be used for functional
purposes. This is where Genius
Printers’ adequate solutions come into
play, to tackle with the abovementioned
issues.
Genius Printers has come up with a
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| August 2017 |

Offering printing
technologies that
can print the future
Markus Ulrich
CEO & Founder
development and has filed a patent to reserve the rights for
the innovation they are on the path of achieving. Their
solution involves the usage of centrifugal force inside a
drum to press out or inject granulates, which is currently
used by injection molders, thereby reducing the flowing
plastic’s viscosity for a fraction of a second. This is due to
the spark at each tiny little hole inside a cartridge,
contrastingly similar to the inkjet printers we use in our
mundane lives.
Genius Printers has even filed a patent for using a flexible
and turn-able nozzle to produce detailed fine lines as well as
wide ones, hence printing up to 100 times faster than the
present FDM printing technology. They believe that the
same principle applies to concrete, silicone, gel or any other
liquefied process-able materials. Through this, they can unage
the current printer designs, derived almost 30 years ago,
and start off with self-driven gel-printing robotic arms to
produce structures like real-sized cars or vehicles for design
departments, or huge scale-ups for marketing purposes in
stores as exhibitions.
A Future Full of Promises
Genius Printers is preparing to exploit all areas of its
patents in the coming few years by seeking funds in Europe
and the US in exchange for shares. They are even
welcoming tech-savvy engineers and experienced
marketing professionals to join their team of professionals.
Genius Printers views the future market as highly valuable
for their filed patents. They believe that robotic arms – on a
moving platform – will help to print objects and houses;
their drum printers based upon resin powder and granulate
will enable 100 times faster print speed; they see a market
for big daylight resin printers and functional granulateprocessing
printers as well.
Genius Printers aims to optimize production by offering
new printing technologies, which are so fast that even real
mass production becomes possible for multi-color and
multi-material objects. They have formulated a 3-year plan
that would enable them to realize the potential of every
technology developed by them.
The world’s first 6 filament FDM printhead, made by Genius Printers
For further infos and investments please
contact: investors@geniusprinters.com
| August 2017 |
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| August 2017 |

| August 2017 |
39

Building World’s 1st Open
Platform 3D Printers
Today, almost every
organization understands the
opportunities of 3D Printing
and the advantages for their business.
Likewise, the declining costs for
hardware and consumables have
enabled small and medium sized
businesses to utilize all benefits of
additive manufacturing. The quick
development of new materials which
resulted in 3D printed objects with
high mechanical and thermal strength
opens an extensive range of new
applications from functional prototypes
to small series of end products.
As an outcome of that, the level of
knowledge of additive manufacturing
is rising in the organizations so are the
expectations for the procedure itself.
Engineers want to have a full control
of the 3D printing process as opposed
to having an algorithm performing
their job and ascertaining ideal
software parameters. Also, they hope
to have the full adaptability with
regards to the decision of what material
can be utilized for their applications.
This aligns perfectly with the “Open
Platform” philosophy of German
RepRap that makes the world's first
industrial quality, open platform 3D
Printers capable of printing all
materials on huge build platforms.
Based in Feldkirchen near Munich,
German RepRap was originally
founded as a German RepRap
Foundation (GRRF). Since then, the
company has been developing and
distributing 3D printers based on FFF
(Fused Filament Fabrication)
technology, as well as filaments,
software, and accessories. German
RepRap is also the first company in
Germany to offer the X1000, a large
volume 3D printer for industrial
requirements.
An Engineer’s First Choice
The product line increases steadily and
consists of 3D printers for professional
users in product development,
automobile, aerospace, prototyping,
mold and model-making, architecture,
design and much more. German
RepRap’s customer base comprises
leading industry companies, designers,
architects, artists, model makers,
universities, and schools.
German RepRap is the first preference
of engineer’s that offers full control
over the 3D printing service and has
the flexibility of using any material that
the printer can technically process. The
latest machine of the x-series is the
German RepRap X500 with new
features like auto bed leveling, a
heated building chamber, filament feed
control, brand new DD4 extruder
technology and much more.
Besides the X-series, German RepRap
has just announced a new, innovative
3D printing technology called Liquid
Additive Manufacturing. Extremely
complex geometries that can’t be
manufactured with the conventional
molding techniques can now be 3D
printed for the very first time, as well
as small or medium size batches,
where the costs of tools and casts do
not allow an economic process.
A Passionate Leader in 3D Printing
Florian Bautz, Managing Director,
German RepRap has always been
passionate about 3D printing. He took
part in the Open Source RepRap
project (self-replicating, rapid
prototype), which led to an extensive
spread of the FFF technology for the
very first time. He started with an
online shop of spare parts for RepRap
printers as a lot of those components
had to be imported to Germany back in
2010.
His plan took off as within the first 24
hours of the online presence; his online
shop was sold out. He then realized a
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| August 2017 |

Florian Bautz
Managing Director
We see ourselves as
the engineer’s choice,
offering full control over the
3D printing process while
having the flexibility of using
any material that the printer
can technically process
rising demand for the RepRap project in Europe, and the
decision to design his own RepRap printer was a logical
consequence, and German RepRap was thus founded.
After three years, he created the first large volume 3D
printer, and X400 was born, just to print components for the
existing smaller printers more efficiently. However, as
industrial companies started to reach out to German
RepRap for the X400, he realized the absence of the
comparable system in the market and a tremendous
opportunity in focus on B2B demands.
Again, his decision to concentrate on industrial 3D printers
from 2014 was logical, market driven, and successful, and
led the brand German RepRap to become one of the fastest
growing 3D printing companies with a growth rate of 60 %
in 2016 and a full range of industrial 3D printers, the X
series.
Leading from the Front and Overcoming Struggles
Since its inception, German RepRap has experienced a
huge gap between the expectations of its customers and the
actual possibilities of 3D printing technology in general.
The lack of knowledge among clients and the hype over 3D
printing created by the media were the reason behind wrong
expectations. Overcoming these false expectations to
deliver the actual result was a challenge for the firm.
Another challenge German RepRap faced was to find the
right people that have already gained knowledge of 3D
printing. 3D printing is a time-consuming process which
demands skilled individuals in different disciplines. Also,
with the technology just starting to get implemented into
university programs, it was not at all easy to find the right
set of people.
The Future that Looks Promising
As the development of the technology and the consumables
are moving so fast, German RepRap sees themselves more
than just a manufacturer of 3D printers, but also as a
consultant helping to find out if the ideas of the engineers
can be realized with their technology and if so in what
specific way.
There are fascinating times ahead for German RepRap,
especially because of the massive speed of development in
all 3D printing related fields, such as hardware, software,
and consumables. Everyone speaks about industry 4.0
where 3D Printing already will play a huge role, in
combination with the trend of customization which shows
the limits of traditional manufacturing.
At present, German RepRap serves more than 24 countries
already, and they strive to continue growing their presence
in the new markets as well. German RepRap has a strong
connection to the industry, and they plan to use that
advantage to align their R&D activities as close as possible
to the demands of the industry.
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43

Offering Integrated Recycling
Technology for 3D Printing
In the past few years, 3D printing
has matured beyond its initial
hype cycle. While there isn’t
going to be a 3D printer in every home
any time soon, 3D printing has started
to appear in small and medium
businesses, classrooms and labs,
around the world. When you consider
the “use case potential”, this makes
sense – there isn't much you can 3D
print for your home, but rapid
prototyping, STEAM education,
architecture, product design, and many
other fields have real use cases for 3D
printing right now. However, as 3D
printing is often used for rapid
prototyping or one-of production, a
significant amount of waste can be
created – enters ReDeTec to the rescue
with its recycling solutions for 3D
printing.
To solve the wastage issues and the
higher costs associated with 3D
printing, ReDeTec has developed a
technology that recycles the 3D printer
waste back into filament for FDM 3D
printing. This is known as ProtoCycler,
which eliminates all printer wastes,
reduces printing costs by over 80%,
and allows full-fledged control over the
color and material used in 3D printing.
A Leader who Experienced Joy of 3D
Printing before People Heard of it
Dennon Oosterman, CEO of
ReDeTec is one of the very few people,
who has been lucky enough to
experience the uniqueness and joy of
3D printing before most of the people
even heard of the technology.
However, while experiencing 3D
printing, he also came across how
much it costs and how quickly the
obsolete and nearly useless prototypes
start filling trash cans, which
eventually led to the foundation of
ReDeTec. Dennon’s prior experience in
two other start-ups and a brief stint in
Venture Capital have helped him and
other Co-founders to guide the
business since the time of its inception.
However, thanks to the healthy dosage
of technical know-how in the funding
team and brilliant support network of
advisors on the business side helped
the company reach where it is today.
Dennon is an engineering graduate
from The University of British
Columbia, he loves to make stuff in his
free time- which can be anything from
wooden boats, to vintage guitar
amplifier, or even beer. According to
Dennon, making something by himself
is more satisfying and affordable than
buying off the shelf, which even allows
to get the desired thing.
Rising above the Challenges to
Achieve their Vision
Since its very inception, ReDeTec has
had a very tumultuous journey to reach
where it stands today. From cash flow
gaps in manufacturing to the almost
torturous process of safety
certification; to last minute experiment
failures or shipping logistics and
fulfillment; the list of challenges they
had to face goes on.
A recurring theme among all of their
obstacles and struggles has been the
fact that no one had ever done or
attempted this before in the 3D
industry. Their vision of recycling
plastic with consumer appliance was
something unheard of before and to
implement the same with 3D printing
further complicated the process.
ReDeTec had to invest a lot of effort in
R&D and even in-house production, as
no one else in the industry was able to
produce their envisioned technologies
at their price point.
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| August 2017 |

We want everyone to be
able to create whatever
they wish, with no
concerns for their wallet
or the environment
Dennon Oosterman
CEO
Company Philosophy Summed-up in Two Words –
Creative Empowerment
ReDeTec facilitates freedom for everyone, everywhere, to
make almost anything. Irrespective of the pollution that it
may cause, the expenses that it may bear, or the number of
attempts that it may take, ReDeTec ensures democracy of
fabrication where everyone has the freedom to make
anything.
ReDeTec wants waste pickers in developing countries to be
able to make custom prosthetic hand; they want NASA to
be able to recycle waste on the International Space Station
into new needed tools; they want children to learn about
science and technology in the most hands-on way possible.
By giving everyone, everywhere the ability to physically
manifest their ideas, ReDeTec believes that they can change
the world and it has already begun according to them.
Tackling the Competition and Staying One-Step ahead
of the Industry
According to Dennon Oosterman, “I think the future of 3D
printing lies in two key areas - usability and colour. Right
now 3D printers are like the original dot matrix "2d"
printers...they work, but in an extremely limited and difficult
way.”
ReDeTec realizes these issues and is now allowing people to
tweak the printers for free, as well as allowing customized
colors. In addition to these, the company is currently
working on a new extrusion technology to allow full colour
printing, which as they rightfully claim to be a “gamechanger.”
It should come off as no surprise that till date, ReDeTec is
the only company in the world that offers integrated
recycling technology for 3D printing. There is no other
available product in the market like ProtoCycler, which can
take 3D printer waste and return it to filament form – from
grinding through to spooling phase, completely automated.
To stay ahead of their contemporaries and the industry
itself, ReDeTec also possess a patent pending plastic
extrusion technology. This technology significantly reduces
the time and energy required to extrude plastic at any scale,
and is the only filament extruder in the market to be
certified for safety by UL, FCC, CE, etc.
| August 2017 |
45

In an Ever Faster Changing World
Extreme Configurability is the Answer
The “scalable software business” is enabling the rapid growth of many of the current day disrupting companies, such
as Uber and Airbnb. This should be a source of inspiration also for those of us working with software in
combination with hardware. And why? Because “scalable” can also be spelled “flexible” or “adaptable” and that is
something the manufacturing industry is looking for.
Here is a brief introduction to, how we try to apply this kind of mindset at IVISYS in our development of full vision
system solutions. But first a bit of background and insights on the main challenges of our industry, the automated quality
control industry:
Since the 1980s the use of vision systems--camera-based automated quality control--has spread to many industries. Many
of these systems rely on so-called vision sensors (and smart cams) —small integrated units with optics, an output signal,
a data processor and a software-pack. Most frequently, they are single-purpose units, programmed for performing only one
type of inspection.
Is the tide turning against such single-purpose solutions? At IVISYS, we believe so.
Many of these are legacy-systems hailing from the vision industry’s early years. Often, they have limited or no use today,
as they have shown to be too inflexible for the changing demands of current day manufacturing.
Two of the main obstacles for ongoing deployment of the early-generation vision systems is the lack of robustness and
flexibility, mostly due to light distortions and inadequate data processing speed.
Light reflections and other variations related to the light source is one of the main challenges for these legacy vision
systems, as small variations in reflected light distorts image data and thereby the robustness of the inspection.
Moreover, legacy systems often present manufactures to with a painful trade-off: Since each legacy vision sensor has
a limited data processing capacity, manufacturers has to have multiple such sensors if they wish to control various quality
points without losing production speed, and high resolution inspections are only feasible if the production speed is low.
All-in-all, the outcome has often been unsatisfying levels of robustness and flexibility—as truly satisfying results are only
achievable in environments with very stable light conditions with several sensors and long production cycles, all needing
individual set-up and programming.
Luckily, the vision industry is characterized by a high level of innovation driven by a wide range of competing industry
players, who all have their take on how to solve these well-known challenges.
At IVISYS, our approach is multidimensional. First of all, we have solved the lighting issue by developing our own light
source solutions combined with limited light sensitivity in our image processing.
Secondly, we have decided to make data processing speed a priority. The ongoing revolution in general data processing
capacity, following Moore’s law, has enabled several industry players to leverage Ultra High-Definition cameras, which
has made a focus on data processing speed mandatory.
However, all vision system technology companies have access to pretty much the same optics as well as the same data
processing hardware. Therefore, the specifications of a vision system’s data processing equipment do not really tell the full
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| August 2017 |

CXO Standpoint
story about how a company will keep up with the increasing demand for even speedier solutions in the future.
Instead, manufacturers should really ask in-depth questions when considering a vision system. The real challenge is to
develop software which is capable of handling ever increasing data flow levels. If the prospective provider cannot account
for how they will be able to keep up with the ever-increasing levels of data available, they will most likely not be able to
keep up with the customers’ demands. At IVISYS, our answer to such questions is that we rely on patented image data
processing methods, built on novel data processing algorithms, powering our in-house developed software, backed up by
test data.
In addition to the inspiration from the Ubers and Airbnbs of the world, we also must relate to a constantly changing
environment driven by the rise of Internet of Things, rapidly improving optics and constantly changing data processing
capabilities.
All this has made us convinced that the time is no longer only for small integrated single-purpose units. Instead, we believe
in building up larger inspection stations, which is a ‘one-stop-shop- for all inspections of an object. Moreover, we provide
‘open solutions’, where each component is replaceable. In addition, the whole technical setup can be moved in its
entirety—or alternatively be taken apart and assembled again. The end results are solutions, which are flexible in virtually
all regards-- ‘extreme configurability’.
In this manner, our solution resembles the ‘disrupter enablers’ as the customer will always be able to add new capabilities
to our systems—and we will not miss any new emerging trends.
About the Author:
Jakob Kesje
founders
IVISYS
Jakob Kesje is one of the two
founders of IVISYS, he has been a
board member and CEO of the
company since 2013. Jakob holds an
MBA from CBS, Copenhagen
Business School. Jakob is chairman
of several company boards and has
held multiple CEO positions prior to
his position at IVISYS, mainly in the
manufacturing industry, for
companies such as FrontPac AB,
FronPac Tryck AB and Frontprint AB.
Moreover, Jakob has launched
a number of companies and lead them
on a path of continued growth, such
as Frontwell AB, Johannesson & Co
as well as Via Music.
| August 2017 |
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