Fractional ownership has been introduced to the rapid prototyping and 3D printing industry by rapid prototyping firm Tangible Express, in partnership with 3D Systems Corp, provider of 3D modeling, rapid prototyping and manufacturing solutions.
The concept of fractional ownership originally was applied to business jets, allowing businesses to purchase shares in a jet to reduce costs. A company could purchase any amount of jet time that met both its business needs and financial capabilities.
Now Tangible Express founder and CEO David McInnis has migrated the concept to the 3D printing industry, dubbing it the Tangible Alliance Program™ (TAP). The program enables customers to purchase from Tangible Express a fraction of a 3D Systems Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing System based on their anticipated annual system utilization and parts demand. Customers can purchase single or multiple fractions in 3D Systems' equipment -- owned and operated by Tangible Express -- including 3D Systems' entire Additive Manufacturing Technologies portfolio, at prices well below the cost of a single system. Tangible Express operates the system, provides maintenance, and builds and ships parts in accordance with its TAP fractional owners' requirements.
An Innovative Solution
"Fractional ownership of Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing systems provides a solution never before available to those who wish to access these capabilities," said Alex Linde, Tangible Express president and chief operating officer. "By combining 3D Systems' state of the art technology with the Tangible Alliance Program, fractional owners gain access to the latest multiple RP processes and materials for a fraction of the total cost of ownership."
Preparing for growth, Tangible Express has moved into a new facility three times bigger than the former location and ordered 10 more 3D Systems stereolithography and selective laser sintering systems.
The machines purchased by Tangible Express represent the highest level of 3D printing technology currently available: the Viper Pro SLA Machine (shown, top photo) uses a photopolymer resin that cures when hit with light from a laser. To picture this, imagine slicing an apple into slices 0.004 in. thick. Then, imagine adhering each slice back together into the same perfect apple. The Viper Pro SLA does just this, but instead of with apples, with the most state-of-the-art materials available, such as Accura Amethyst and Accura Bluestone nanocomposite plastic.
For clients prototyping materials that require the highest level of strength, Tangible Express also has onsite a 3D Systems Sinterstation HiQ SLS System (shown above right). Using laser sintering to melt powder to a high degree before rolling another thin layer of powder over each preceding layer and fusing them together, this machine is the ideal system for creating prototypes for use in testing scenarios.
Delivering Benefits to a Wider Audience
"Tangible Express and 3D Systems are focused on the same goal -- delivering the benefits of our systems' solutions to a growing audience by making ownership and operation of our systems more affordable and right-sized to individual customer needs," said Abe Reichental, 3D Systems president and chief executive officer. "We believe that this new channel for delivering Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing solutions will accelerate the adoption and use of our systems and materials by making our solutions more accessible to a broader audience. We know for a fact that many of today's users desire to have SLA®- and SLS®-like parts but end up settling for lesser systems due to their current volume requirements."
Thanks to the fractional ownership model, 3D Systems technology can now be accessed by any company, nationwide. At one-sixteenth the typical cost of a standard machine, and with most orders being turned around substantially quicker than with most service bureaus, the Tangible Alliance Program insures that anyone can now own and have access to their own fraction of the most select technology.
