Materialise and 3D Systems Announce 3D Printing Workflow Partnership at RAPID + TCT

The doors have officially opened at the RAPID + TCT event in Pittsburgh, which runs through this Thursday, May 11. We’ve had announcements rolling in for months now about new 3D printers, software, post-processing equipment, and news on some of the fastest-growing applications and fields that use the technology, like the medical sector. We’ve also heard about the latest industry partnerships and collaborations at the event: Belgium-based 3D printing pioneer Materialise, fresh off its own major event, announced at RAPID today that it has entered into a major partnership with 3D products and services provider 3D Systems.

3D Systems is well-versed in helping professionals and companies drive new business models, bring products to market, transform workflows, and optimize designs, while Materialise combines the industry’s largest group of software developers. In this new collaboration, the two companies will work together to use Materialise Build Processor software to streamline workflows for 3D Systems’ ProJet CJP full color 3D printers.

Jim Ruder, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Plastics for 3D Systems, said, “We are pleased that this collaboration with Materialise will enable our ProJet CJP printer customers who use Materialise software to have a streamlined workflow and more efficient overall solution.”

The Build Processor technology works within the Materialise Magics 3D Print Suite, which recently introduced several new upgrades and enhancements that will be on display at RAPID this week. The Build Processor makes 3D printing easier for users by taking charge of the communication between 3D printers and the software. Materialise has been in the 3D printing business for nearly 30 years, and is an important partner to many major companies, like HP and Siemens, that want to enjoy the many benefits of 3D printing.

ProJet 460Plus

3D Systems and Materialise will call on their collective decades’ worth of 3D printing experience in order to create a custom Build Processor. It will integrate Materialise Magics with 3D Systems’ ProJet CJP machines, so 3D Systems customers can enjoy increased efficiency while easily developing 3D printing workflows that use Materialise solutions.

This is an important partnership in the 3D printing world, as it represents “a shift towards increased collaboration to deliver innovative solutions within the 3D printing industry.”

Fried Vancraen, founder and CEO of Materialise, said, “Customers across the board will reap the benefits of our partnership with 3D Systems and increased collaboration with organizations both within and outside of the 3D printing industry. We are pleased to solidify our relationship, which dates back to 1990 when I bought my first 3D Systems printer. This is good news for customers, as it links Materialise’s powerful software backbone with 3D Systems’ ColorJet Printing technology.”

Both Vancraen and 3D Systems’ President and CEO Vyomesh Joshi (VJ) will be speakers at RAPID today. You can visit Materialise at booth #1613 at the conference this week, and 3D Systems can be found at booth #2525. Don’t forget, 3DPrint.com will be there as well, bringing you all the latest information from the show floor. Discuss in the Materialise and 3D Systems forum at 3DPB.com.