TCT LIVE review
TCT LIVE 2009
REVIEW
Moving on, I went to see the new, RapMan Pro 3D Printer on A1 Technologies’
Elizabeth Valero stand. This is a pre-built and higher-spec version of the original, kit-form RapMan
3D printer. It is more robust, offers enhanced accuracy and repeatability, can
produce models with support structures and is very competitively priced at just
under £2,000.
This year’s TCT Live was yet again a roaring success, attracting a record
number of visitors. I spoke to a number of exhibitors and their feedback
I caught up with the CEO of A1 Technologies, Martin Stevens, less than a week
on the event was ‘wholly positive’. They were also optimistic about the
after the event, and he told me the orders had already started to roll in as a result
of the show.
future of the Additive Manufacturing (AM) industry, in that many
acknowledged it had been a difficult year, although not as difficult — a
I was invited to Print IT 3D’s stand — a company that launched as a re-seller for
3D Systems only a few weeks prior to TCT Live — by Managing Director, Ian
few said — as last year, and were anticipating much improved sales Mason, who was keen to tell me he thought TCT Live was the ideal venue for
figures in 2010; a sure sign that it’s ‘onwards and upwards’ for AM.
celebrating being “an obvious choice” for one of the largest RP&M printer
manufacturers.
First stop was tooling and composite materials supplier, John Burn, which chose He then went on to say it had become a “double celebration” when Print IT 3D
to officially announce its partnership with Atlas Polymers at TCT Live. Managing sold its first V-Flash, a sub-10k 3D printer, on day one of the show. Ian said, “It’s
Director of John Burn, Brian Lang, and Director of Atlas Polymers, Graham Hunt, not just the first for us, it is the first for 3D Systems in terms of it’s the first one
signed the agreement for John Burn to act as a distributor for Atlas Polymers on to be sold in the UK.”
day one of the event.
Curious about the ‘just launched’ Matrix 300 3D Printer, I made a beeline for
I asked Graham about the significance of the agreement and he replied, “John Mcor’s stand. This new product is smaller and sleeker than its predecessor, the
Burn offers an excellent route to market for the Atlas Polymers vacuum grade original Matrix, and is aimed primarily at the education and office sectors. It also
range. I am very pleased to be able to sign the agreement at TCT as it helps has a new user interface, making it more user-friendly, and offers a much faster
emphasise the importance of this partnership within the design and turnaround. Marketing Director, Deirdre McCormack, told me that the new
manufacturing industry.” machine had attracted “a considerable amount of interest.”
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