Some of the biggest news in 3D printing over the past year has involved Carbon and their groundbreaking CLIP technology. It’s been almost a year and a half since the company announced their unprecedented 3D printing technology, and since then, the 3D printing world has eagerly awaited every bit of news about the gradual release of CLIP into the mainstream.
A few months ago, the company announced the first companies to be trying out the technology, and we’ve closely followed them as they further unveil CLIP to us with reviews, case studies and more. Today, Carbon announced that they’ve added to their network of partners, further expanding the public’s access to their seemingly magical technology. Two more service bureaus are now offering CLIP-printed parts. Customers of Midwest Prototyping and Dinsmore Inc., it’s your lucky day.
Midwest Prototyping was an early adopter of 3D printing technology, launching in 2001 with a single SLA printer. Over the ensuing 15 years, their services have expanded to include SLS, FDM, Polyjet, and Z-Corp printing options, as well as urethane casting and CNC machining. Now they’ve added CLIP to their repertoire, making them one of the most advanced 3D printing service bureaus in the country.
“What excites us the most about our new relationship with Carbon is their dedication to the development of engineering-grade materials – not only in regards to the breadth of available options, but also the quality of those materials ready for everyday, real-world applications,” said Steve Grundahl, President and Founder of Midwest Prototyping.
One of the key points of CLIP’s appeal – in addition to its still-unbelievable-seeming speed – is its ability to produce end-use parts, still mostly unheard of in industrial 3D printing. In the manufacturing world, 3D printing is an excellent method of prototyping, but in terms of functional final parts, manufacturers generally still need to turn to traditional methods of production like injection molding. CLIP is changing that, enabling companies to 3D print parts that not only possess the functional properties needed for end-use production, but offer the final finish and appearance of injection-molded parts.
Dinsmore Inc. has been in business nearly as long as Midwest Prototyping, and their range of prototyping services includes SLA, FRSLA (fine-resolution stereolithography), SLS, DMLS, FDM, and Polyjet, as well as plastic casting, CNC machining, and MC² plating, a relatively new technology the company is helping to develop. With CLIP, Dinsmore has the potential to attract a whole new customer base, going beyond their strong reputation as a prototyping and design service bureau and into the realm of direct manufacturing.
“The future of additive manufacturing lies in the ability to produce end-use parts,” said Jay Dinsmore, CEO and President of Dinsmore & Associates, Inc. “Carbon’s offering is truly innovative because of the range of materials we can print with, the quality of parts that come off the M1 machine, and the speed at which we can achieve the desired end-use results.”
Pedals printed with Carbon’s RPU resin.
Since Carbon began offering CLIP to a growing number of companies, we’ve learned a lot more about the practicalities of the technology, thanks to partners like Sculpteo, which has been keeping us apprised of their progress in developing new CLIP materials, and Delphi, which has shared case studies of their work with the M1 printer. Currently, Carbon offers five commercially available resin materials that meet engineering requirements, giving their new partners a lot to work with.
“At Carbon, we’re working hard to deliver CLIP into the hands of the engineers and designers who will transform industries,” said Joseph DeSimone, CEO and co-Founder of Carbon. “With access to the M1, these leading service bureaus can better serve their innovative customers, and make a real impact in a number of industries. They are key partners on our journey to disrupt the manufacturing landscape.”
As Carbon’s technology and use of hte M1 3D printer continue to spread across the scene at a brisk clip, we look forward to keeping up to date on all the latest users, applications, and results of this technological expansion. Discuss further over in the CLIP 3D Printing forum at 3DPB.com.
