Newsletter December 2008

In this issue:

• Worlds first full scale custom chopper using RedEye's rapid prototyping services

• New Quoting & Ordering Capabilities with AutoCAD 2009

• Staying Agile in an Uncertain Economy

Worlds first full scale custom chopper using RedEye's rapid prototyping services

Starting from a designer’s passion for motorcycles, a dream became reality.

During the recent Autodesk University Design Innovation 2008 tradeshow in Las Vegas, Autodesk unveiled the worlds first full scale custom chopper created with RedEye's rapid prototyping services. The presentation featured a typical timeline from initial concept through CAD design, to rendering, ultimately leading to physical design verification – this time in the form of a full-scale Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) chopper.

The audience was awestruck by the choppers entrance as it slowly descended from stories above. Once it reached ground, viewers were amazed by its realistic features including: articulating steering, illuminating head lights and rotating wheels. Built using ABS M30 high strength production grade thermoplastic material, the chopper was not only easily suspended from two stories above, but also showed how this material can give designers the functionality they look for in quality production parts. The chopper’s exterior vibrantly displayed the designer’s true vision of color for each part.

At the end of the day, it not only realized one designers dream – but reassured the audience that RedEye can accurately produce even the most challenging projects with ease.

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New Quoting & Ordering Capabilities with AutoCAD 2009

AutoCAD 2009 subscription customers now have access to enhanced quoting and ordering capabilities thanks to a new bonus pack. Included in the new bonus pack is on-line ordering capability, giving designers and engineers the ability to get instant quotes and place orders from a trusted vendor – all from their desktop.

"This new capability will help designers save time and cut costs which are crucial in the product development cycle," said Wayne Olson, Vice President of RedEye by Stratasys. "With architects' and home builder's constantly striving to get buy-in on their concepts faster, we are delighted to work with Autodesk to further improve the productivity of AutoCAD users."

Having the ability to get models quickly enables designers to review concepts with team members and customers, a significant advantage to gaining buy-in quicker. 

With RedEye, the user may choose to print their 3D model with RedEye On Demand (www.redeyeondemand.com) for mechanical AutoCAD designers, or RedEye ARC (www.redeyearc.com) customized for designers in the architectural and residential building fields."

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Staying Agile in an Uncertain Economy

RP is the process of developing representative physical models directly from CAD drawings helping users test fit, form and function. Verifying design accuracy is an important step to understanding whether or not your product will be exactly what your customers want to buy. Moreover, it allows your key customers to review your new product before going to production – building stronger customer relationships and lessening costly design changes.

DDM is the process of going directly from an electronic digital representation of a part to final production part via additive manufacturing. The key to digital manufacturing is helping get your products to market faster. It’s no secret that a key place to save time is in the product development stage. Manufacturers, who get high quality new products to the market quickly, generally get the lion's share of the market and keep customers longer.

This technology also eliminates tooling; saving significant project dollars and time, while freeing up valuable resources for other activities. It allows you to make your product with little investment, the flexibility to make unforeseen design changes, while providing quick time to market.

Many of our customers say that when production volumes are low and/or part complexities are high, DDM has been the right choice to save money. We agree. Parts that have internal features, complex geometries or sculpted surfaces realize the greatest cost to benefit ratio.

Over the past two decades, more large companies have used RP to detect design problems, reduce product development expenses and accelerate time-to-market. Happily, this digital manufacturing technology is also available to the small business. In all aspects—skills involved, resources required and financial investment needed.

With the economy facing a recession, every penny counts - in the workplace and elsewhere. If you haven’t used RP or DDM services to cut costs before, now is a great time to start.

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