Stratasys, Ltd. Insider: We're Just as Relevant In Manufacturing

In the following video, 3D printing specialist Steve Heller interviews Ryan Sybrant, global senior manager of manufacturing solutions at Stratasys (SSYS -1.11%), during EuroMold 2014, the world's largest 3D printing conference, held in Frankfurt, Germany, in November. Of the hundreds of 3D printing companies in attendance, Stratasys was the only one that staked a claim in the more traditional manufacturing hall, where big industrial manufacturing companies were showcasing their conventional manufacturing systems. During the segment, Sybrant highlights Stratasys' manufacturing-focused solutions that leverage 3D printing technology.

A full transcript follows the video.

Steve Heller: Steve Heller here. I'm joined today by Ryan Sybrant. He is a global senior manager of manufacturing solutions at Stratasys. Thank you so much for being with us today.

Ryan Sybrant: Thank you.

Heller: Really appreciate your time. We're at EuroMold 2014. The thing is though, we're not in the Additive Manufacturing Hall. We're in the Manufacturing Hall: the traditional big, mature Manufacturing Hall. What are we doing here?

Sybrant: It's very strategic, why we chose this location or this hall this year, to exhibit. Like you said, this is definitely the main manufacturing hall with machine tools; your traditional [manufacturing] technologies, as in CNC [computer numerical control machining], your mills and lathes.

Really, what we're doing here is staking our claim in manufacturing. We're saying we're just as relevant, or our equipment and technology is just as relevant, in this industry or this sector, for manufacturing, as the other equipment here.

As you look around, and we had a tour, you'll notice that everything that we have on display here speaks more to manufacturing. It's how are they adopting our applications from our equipment into mainstream manufacturing processes today?

We went around. We have some injection mold tooling. We have some direct part production, which is taking the part right out of the machine and either putting it into a subassembly, or it is the actual final product that you have.

These ones here that we'll be discussing are factory floor efficiency tools like jigs and fixtures. Then we have some composite tooling and metal form tooling here as well.

Heller: At this year's EuroMold did you release any new manufacturing-related products?

Sybrant: We did. We released what we call our production [3D printing] system[s]. We released our 380mc, which is in the background here. We also released our 450mc, and that's our Fortus line, which is what we call our production line of equipment.

Heller: Talk me a little bit through what makes this year's generation [of Fortus products] a little bit better than last year's.

Sybrant: It's everything that we strive for: a little bit better accuracy, repeatability, a little faster throughput with the equipment, which is what everybody's looking for. As time goes on, the expectation is that you'll be able to compress the time that it takes to build products, the accuracy will be there in tighter tolerances and repeatability.

Heller: I see. The conversation seems to be evolving, from what we've spoken off-camera a little bit. It's not anymore about what 3D printing is. It's more about how and why 3D printing should be implemented into large-scale manufacturing operations.

I was wondering if you could touch on the benefits of implementing additive into a larger-scale manufacturing production.

Sybrant: Yes, absolutely. You're correct, it's not so much about the machines we produce or the materials we have. It's more about the solutions we provide now within manufacturing, so you're absolutely right.

Then how these people are benefiting, or how manufacturing is benefiting, is many ways. We were talking about the jigs and fixtures or efficiency tools on there. This is allowing manufacturers on the production line to be much more efficient and bring the time of their daily processes or production processes down.

They might be worker fatigue tools, so that we can have more ergonomic, lightweight instruments that will help people bring their products through each cycle of manufacturing, whether it's affecting assembly or inspection. It's just how can we make everybody more effective and efficient throughout that process.