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Home / Stories  / Engineering.com and EnvisionTEC CEO Discuss Changing Face of 3D Technology
EnvisionTEC CEO Al Siblani talks to Engineering.com about the value 3D printing or additive technologies can bring to composites and investment casting.
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Engineering.com and EnvisionTEC CEO Discuss Changing Face of 3D Technology

November 5, 2016 | by

Engineering.com | Nov. 3, 2016 ~

From photopolymers to living tissue to composites, EnvisionTEC is leading the way in 3D printing innovation that delivers real value to the market. Michael Molitch-Hou of Engineering.com writes about the changing face of the company after interviewing EnvisionTEC CEO Al Siblani.

“The SLCOM 1 3D printer may have been the biggest news of the RAPID 2016 event, if not figuratively then at least literally,” Hou wrote of the company’s Selective Lamination Composite Object Manufacturing printer for unidirectional or bidirectional woven fiber composites pre-impregnated with thermoplastic, such asylon 6, Nylon 11, Nylon 12, PEEK, PEKK, or polycarbonate. This kind of 3D printing technology is highly valuable to the aerospace, defense and automotive sectors.

“We have already seen interest from the defense and aerospace markets,” Siblani said, “which tend to be early adopters of manufacturing technology in general, as well as manufacturers of performance and exotic cars. These companies are increasingly interested in lighter-weight composites, as well as a diversity of composites.”

Siblani also told Engineering.com more about the company’s exclusive strategic partnership with Viridis3D in Boston, which makes a Robotic Additive Manufacturing (RAM) technology. Today, that technology is used for binder jetting sand molds and cores for the foundry industry, and it’s being used in the marketplace today. But Siblani sees more applications for the technology.

“For example, we are working to develop robotic 3D printing of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), an acrylic plastic, for direct investment casting, especially of large parts,” Siblani said.

Siblani also talked about his overall vision for EnvisionTEC:

“In 2017, EnvisionTEC celebrates its 15-year anniversary. Looking back, it’s been an amazing journey. … The vision is to look at all 3D printing technology platforms that would give us the chance to disrupt existing traditional manufacturing processes,” Siblani said. “So we engage and we invest and we innovate in areas that have the biggest chance of taking us where there is an opportunity to add the most value.”