Fortus customers use their systems for conceptual modeling, functional testing, building manufacturing tools, and end-use parts. Fortus systems are installed around the world and are used in most industries. Read these real stories to see how engineers are using FDM (fused deposition modeling) technology to improve efficiency and gain a fast ROI.
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Gordon Murray Design - British Automotive Design & Manufacturing Firm Reduces Prototyping Times By 68%.
Gordon Murray had an epiphany moment while stuck in traffic - reduce highway congestion by designing vehicles that are easier, cheaper and more ecological to drive. With his Formula One background, his team knew he'd get them from prototyping to production fast. Find out how they used a Fortus 3D Production System to design the interior of an entire car - including instrument panel, sun visor, mirrors and trim. You'll get the inside scoop on how much time and money they saved and hear how they are streamlining production of their latest concept - a three seated city car.
Read Success Story
Tape Wrangler – Dimension 3D Printer Fuels Product Design Firm’s Exponential Growth .
Tape Wrangler is a woman-owned product development and manufacturing company that attributes rapid revenue growth in large part to product design made nimble by a move to in-house 3D printing.
Read Success Story
Akaishi – 99% tooling cost reduction. 100% confidence.
Using FDM for models, prototypes, and tooling, Akaishi gets a payoff in lead time, cost avoidance, and product quality.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) of Bangalore , India
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FDM Cuts Time to Prototype Jet Engine from 1 Year to 6 Weeks time.The Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) of Bangalore , India is a government laboratory whose primary function is research and development of marine and aeronautic versions of gas turbines.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
FDM Prototyping & Production Eliminates Tire Blowouts in Time for Next Race
Joe Gibbs Racing Engineers determined a tire blowout was caused by an air-duct outlet not adequately cooling the tire. JGR used its Fortus 3D Production System for concept modeling, functional prototyping, and building manufacturing tools. In under 3 days, it had a new duct outlet installed on the car in time for the next race.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
DST Control reduced time-to-market and development costs for its electro-optical gimbals for unmanned air and ground vehicles.
The combination of traditional and in-house parts production delivers customized units in half the time.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Aviradyne – Sandwich composite parts for wind energy systems produced at half the cost and one third the time at Aviradyne Composite sandwich parts with compound curved geometries can be produced in only six days with FDM versus 18 days with conventional methods. Composites with cores made from Polycarbonate using FDM test much lighter than the industry standard. Read Success Story | Download PDF
Sheppard Air Force Base's training center saves Dept of Defense $3.8 million over 5 years with FDMProducing one-of-a-kind, low-volume training equipment for the Air Force and other Department of Defense braches via FDM will save more than $15 million over the next 10 to 15 years. Up to three years of development time are shaved off several projects. Read Success Story | Download PDF
Thermal Dynamics – Direct digital manufacturing of fixtures allows Thermal Dynamics to reduce costs by 83% and time by 42% Using direct digital manufacturing, Thermal Dynamics produced fixtures that reduced waste from its production thermal-interface-material guns and make the guns more accessible. Direct digital manufacturing provides significant cost and time reductions.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Joe Gibbs produces custom fixture for waterjet cutter saving 6 days and over $2,000 in fixture tooling cost.
NACA ducts are common in NASCAR, but JGR finds an edge in making the ducts a little better and a whole lot faster. To restrain the NACA duct while in the waterjet, it is nested in a custom fixture produced with the a Fortus additive fabrication machine, using the FDM process.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Spacelab Healthcare – Medical device maker reduces design time by 96% and costs by 90%
Spacelab Healthcare engineers can freely test every design without cost or time limitations with in-house rapid prototyping. Speed to market is improved, with prototypes available in 10 hours versus 2 weeks. ROI on FDM machine was realized in just over a year.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Polaris praises Fortus for reducing tooling costs by $60,000 per part and speeding time to market.
On average, tooled snowmobile parts previously took eight to 12 weeks, at about $60,000 each. Now, Polaris’ in-house FDM machine cuts the time to about two days with outstanding cost savings as a bonus. With PC-ABS materials, functional prototypes are tested and refined long before they hit the snow.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Using Fortus systems, Script Pro saves 79 percent of cost of creating key component of pill dispensing systems.
Script Pro’s Fortus system paid for itself within months as it eliminated costly tooling and machining for a highly customized part. Plus, stock can be created in days and changes made on the spot, to better meet customer needs. For just one part alone, $30,000 was saved on engineering time and tooling.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
With DDM, Oreck Manufacturing Company cost to produce the assembly pallets needed for each vacuum series is reduced by up to 65 percent.
Traditional fixture projects no longer suck up vast amounts of money at Oreck Manufacturing. With some fixture projects costing more than $100,000, the savings are real. Oreck’s two Fortus systems in-house run 24/7 and are used for modeling, DDM, replacement parts and even marketing.Read Success Story | Download PDF
Bell & Howell sees 50% reduction in design cycle with FDMThis optics-based product manufacturer reduced its design cycle from 18 to 9 months. In the process it improved aesthetics and fit, and it nabbed a multi-million-dollar contract for a high-end scanner remodel.Read Success Story | Download PDF
NorSap produces 25 components for oil rigger using direct digital manufacturing.This marine equipment manufacturer found Fortus prototypes durable and attractive enough to be used as production parts. Their unusual looking designs typically required injection molding; however, 70 percent of parts produced today are now used for production.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Stratasys creates functional fixture with FDM in less time than it takes to get a machine shop quote. Stratasys’ engineers create the fixtures needed for the manufacturing process using FDM direct digital manufacturing. Now, instead of machining each fixture, engineers can do it themselves in a quick and automated process.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
BMW produces jigs and fixtures in hours, not weeks and reduces part weight by 72%.BMW speeds production by creating fabrication and assembly tools via direct digital manufacturing. No outsourced machining means the tools are produced in hours, not weeks. With an average automaker using over 400 assembly tools per vehicle, the money and time-savings potential is enormous.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Ducati races forward with engine design process fueled by in-house Fortus Systems.
Speed, durability and functionality are critical in motorcycle engines and the engineers at Ducati found all of this by using its two Fortus machines to create a winning engine in just eight months, versus 28 months when prototype needs were outsourced to a service bureau.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Diebold cuts assembly and machining fixture time by 25% and reduces costs by 50%.
Already a fan of Fortus for component production, Diebold put its Fortus machine to work producing fixtures for its ATMs, electronic security and voting systems for a fraction of the time and cost of traditional machining. Product release is sped up and fixtures are produced to an accuracy of 0.0005 inch.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Klock Werks produced custom bike parts in 5 days, reducing production time 82%.
Klock Werks Kustom Cycles used direct digital manufacturing with Fortus to make custom end-use motorcycle parts directly from CAD files without tooling. The parts were strong and accurate enough for permanent use on the bike, saving $13,000 and three weeks.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Medtronic’s Sofamor Danek prototype lab cuts delivery time for surgical instruments.With surgeons needing working instruments ASAP, the in-house prototyping system employed by Medtronic is a critical, easily justified aspect of its operation. The company cites lower costs, better communication through working prototypes and immediate redesign options as just a few of its benefits.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Fortus systems play critical role in winning design for University of Central Florida team.
While the student team had a fantastic design entry in the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Competition, the complex geometry and need for load-bearing strength rendered it prohibitively expensive. A Fortus system produced a direct digital manufactured frame that swept the competition.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Fortus systems reduces Dana Corp’s product development prototype process costs by 90 percent.The complicated assemblies produced by this automotive supplier were time and cost prohibitive via conventional methods. Fortus prototypes proved accurate; provided specialized functionality; and were ready in just days. Plus, optional color differentiation helped better evaluate in-use part performance.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Joe Gibbs Racing speeds ahead with Fortus parts taking design from concept to car in days.
Fortus prototypes -- ready in days, not weeks – help race team engineers speed ahead with design concepts that beat out the competition. Not only are prototypes built quickly; they are tough enough to go from concept to car – even the engine block – for quick evaluation.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Stratasys – $50,000 saved in tooling costs; delivery shrunk to hours for Stratasys FDM model.
The surface has just been scratched as the what direct digital manufacturing will do for engineers at Stratasys, who recently "hired" its new FDM 400 MC to manufacture several of its own exterior components. The ability to quickly, easily change design elements at any time is an added bonus to the cost and time savings.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
FDM on-whale trackers provide better performance and design freedom for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
Creating a streamlined, durable tracker used to be a challenging prospect, given the subject and unusual conditions, but Fortus systems provides the accuracy, strength and flexibility needed for innovative designs that can withstand the rigors of being a mile below sea level on the back of a whale.
Read Success Story |
Download PDF
Intended as prototype, Digital Mechanics provides Fortus-produced robotic gripper to client through direct digital manufacturing.
Design firm, Digital Mechanics, created a gripping/lifting device that was manufactured using a Fortus system. The part would have been time and cost prohibitive with conventional methods. This not only saved months of time, it also added a distinctive point of competitive differentiation and an important revenue stream.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Hanil E-Hwa - Tier one auto supplier saves over $800,000 with FDM; ends trial-and-error problem solvingWith its FDM machine operating 24/7 for more than five years, engineers at Hanil E-Hwa, Korean auto interior component maker use rapid prototyping to reduce product development and delivery times.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Logitech creates optimal design with help of Fortus functional prototypes, and improves part strength 273%.
Using Fortus to perform functional tests helped Logitech find the optimal design for a Bluetooth headset. Logitech engineers say Fortus systems were critical to their success, and using formulas and CAD models alone, might never have led to the optimal design. The functional tests improved the microphone boom strength by 273%.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Diebold’s Fortus ATM prototype holds up under sleet, snow, extreme temperatures and 95% humidity.After a year-long test under temps ranging from – 5◦ F to 95◦ F and other weather extremes, Diebold proves out its designs with prototypes tough enough for machine function tests. Other benefits include lowered tooling costs, improved products and more accurate predictions of performance of injection molded parts.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Bell Helicopter creates 42 conduit models in just over two days to test with Osprey hybrid aircraft.Aerospace technicians are a demanding bunch and those at Bell’s prototyping lab appreciate the clean post-processing of Fortus prototypes. They note other processes require three times more post-processing time than in actual part creation. Plus, Fortus systems allows for more iterations and better-designed components.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Hyundai Mobis’ Fortus system provides ROI in less than 30 months; delivers dimensional accuracy and faster design process.
An ABS plastic instrument panel prototype measured a deviation of just 0.75 mm over a length of 1382 mm, garnering accolades for the Kia’s fit and finish. Plus, 27 minor design flaws were discovered and quickly remedied with the functional prototype in place.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Parker Hannifin – Emissions filter prototype handles V8 engine heat and hot gasses for Parker Hannifin–Racor.Using the FDM process and PPSF plastic–which handles heat near 400°F– Parker Hannifin created an emissions filter prototype tough enough to successfully mount and test on a V8 engine for 78 hours.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Toro sees savings of $500K and a 283 week reduction in product development time.
Over two years, for various projects, including this sprinkler, Fortus systems allowed Toro to reduce product development time by 283 weeks, and it saved $500,000 on tooling and service bureau costs.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Rapid Models and Prototypes, Inc. – Prototyping time cut 50% and output doubled with FDMRapid Models and Prototypes' FDM machine allows several parts to be built into a single assembly, reducing hassle and increasing productivity. Highly detailed Super Soaker models even hold up when filled with water during testing.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Steve Prentice Design, Ltd. reduce engine tooling costs by 75%
"With FDM, we can quickly evaluate design changes. When we commit to production injection-mold tools, we're confident they will be right the first time."
Steve Prentice, Steve Prentice Design, Ltd
Read Success Story | Download PDF
PolyCarb Pulley – FDM polycarbonate pulley pulls weight; keeps production line rolling
when a broken pulley idled an industrial sander, a quick-thinking fabrication manager drew up a CAD model of the part and had a new polycarbonate pulley at work in under three hours. The part kept production rolling while an aluminum pulley was ordered.
Download PDF
Precision Developments cuts development time for aircraft hand wheel in half through FDM.
FDM was used to create epoxy tools and the subsequent sand mold for a key aircraft component. While at first skeptical, engineers soon appreciated the paperless process; the +/- .005 tolerances on FDM masters and cores; and the ability to create better-designed products more quickly and for less money.
Download PDF
Access Business Group – Access creates 450 models in 19 months; saves a quarter million dollarsWith FDM rapid prototyping moved in-house, this small-appliance manufacturer gets new products to market faster with improved appearance. The FDM process allows for building entire assemblies at once and provides high dimensional accuracy.Read Success Story | Download PDF
Oreck – Oreck reduces time to market by 50%; produces functioning vacuum with 31 ABS FDM-prototype parts
With FDM, Oreck catches 95% of fit problems before tooling. In doing so, it eliminates hundreds-of-thousands of dollars in tooling costs. The company also realized ROI in one year.
Download PDF
Bullard“Because of the concept models we didn’t have to guess if the customer would like the T3– we knew from the very beginning.”
Eric Bielefeld, Bullard
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Logica’s medical device prototype used for actual surgeries; convinces physicians of tool’s potential.
Often when a new medical device is introduced, users are skeptical as they can’t see it in action. Logica dramatically increased user understanding and acceptance of its new technology with a strong, heat-resistant prototype assembly created through Fortus and used in more than two dozen surgeries as a functioning prototype.
Download PDF
FDM Success Story - Government and Military
Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) of Bangalore , India
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FDM Cuts Time to Prototype Jet Engine from 1 Year to 6 Weeks time.The Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) of Bangalore , India is a government laboratory whose primary function is research and development of marine and aeronautic versions of gas turbines.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Bell Helicopter creates 42 conduit models in just over two days to test with Osprey hybrid aircraft.
Aerospace technicians are a demanding bunch and those at Bell’s prototyping lab appreciate the clean post-processing of Fortus prototypes. They note other processes require three times more post-processing time than in actual part creation. Plus, Fortus systems allows for more iterations and better-designed components.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
For defense and law-enforcement system supplier, FDM reduces part costs 66% and shaves 7 weeks off production time DST Control reduced time-to-market and development costs for its electro-optical gimbals for unmanned air and ground vehicles. The combination of traditional and in-house parts production delivers customized units in half the time.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Sheppard Air Force base’s training center saves dept of defense $3.8 million over 5 years with FDM
Producing one-of-a-kind, low-volume training equipment for the Air Force and other Department of Defense branches via FDM will save more than $15 million over the next 10 to15 years. Up to three years of development time are shaved off several projects.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
FDM Success Stories - Automotive
BMW produces jigs and fixtures in hours, not weeks and reduces part weight by 72%.
BMW speeds production by creating fabrication and assembly tools via direct digital manufacturing. No outsourced machining means the tools are produced in hours, not weeks. With an average automaker using over 400 assembly tools per vehicle, the money and time-savings potential is enormous.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Fortus systems reduces Dana Corp’s product development prototype process costs by 90 percent.
The complicated assemblies produced by this automotive supplier were time and cost prohibitive via conventional methods. Fortus prototypes proved accurate; provided specialized functionality; and were ready in just days. Plus, optional color differentiation helped better evaluate in-use part performance.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Ducati races forward with engine design process fueled by in-house Fortus Systems.
Speed, durability and functionality are critical in motorcycle engines and the engineers at Ducati found all of this by using its two Fortus machines to create a winning engine in just eight months, versus 28 months when prototype needs were outsourced to a service bureau.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Tier one auto supplier saves over $800,000 with FDM; ends trial-and-error problem solving
With its FDM machine operating 24/7 for more than five years, engineers at Hanil E-Hwa, Korean auto interior component maker use rapid prototyping to reduce product development and delivery times.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
.gif "Hyundai Mobis Logo")
Hyundai Mobis’ Fortus system provides ROI in less than 30 months; delivers dimensional accuracy and faster design process.
An ABS plastic instrument panel prototype measured a deviation of just 0.75 mm over a length of 1382 mm, garnering accolades for the Kia’s fit and finish. Plus, 27 minor design flaws were discovered and quickly remedied with the functional prototype in place.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Joe Gibbs Racing speeds ahead with Fortus parts taking design from concept to car in days.
Fortus prototypes -- ready in days, not weeks – help race team engineers speed ahead with design concepts that beat out the competition. Not only are prototypes built quickly; they are tough enough to go from concept to car – even the engine block – for quick evaluation.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Race car component prototypes go from 1 week to 1 day with FDM
Joe Gibbs Racing gains a competitive edge with FDM, producing extremely complex part designs in hours, not weeks. Strong thermoplastics prove tough enough to test on a running engine block. No facility modifications are needed for the system.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Klock Werks produced custom bike parts in 5 days, reducing production time 82%.
Klock Werks Kustom Cycles used direct digital manufacturing with Fortus to make custom end-use motorcycle parts directly from CAD files without tooling. The parts were strong and accurate enough for permanent use on the bike, saving $13,000 and three weeks.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Emissions filter prototype handles V8 engine heat and gasses for Parker Hannifin-Racor.
Using the FDM process and PPSF plastic – which handles heat near 400°F – Parker Hannifin created an emissions filter prototype tough enough to successfully mount and test on a V8 engine for 78 hours.
Read Success Story | Download Parker PDF
Polaris praises Fortus for reducing tooling costs by $60,000 per part and speeding time to market.
On average, tooled snowmobile parts previously took eight to 12 weeks, at about $60,000 each. Now, Polaris’ in-house FDM machine cuts the time to about two days with outstanding cost savings as a bonus. With PC-ABS materials, functional prototypes are tested and refined long before they hit the snow.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
FDM Success Stories- Commercial Products
Aviradyne – Sandwich composite parts for wind energy systems produced at half the cost and one third the time at Aviradyne
Composite sandwich parts with compound curved geometries can be produced in only six days with FDM versus 18 days with conventional methods. Composites with cores made from Polycarbonate using FDM test much lighter than the industry standard.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Bell & Howell sees 50% reduction in design cycle with FDM
This optics-based product manufacturer reduced its design cycle from 18 to 9 months. In the process it improved aesthetics and fit, and it and nabbed a multi-million-dollar contract for a high-end scanner remodel.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Bullard
“Because of the concept models we didn’t have to guess if the customer would like the T3– we knew from the very beginning.”
Eric Bielefeld, Bullard
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Diebold cuts assembly and machining fixture time by 25% and reduces costs by 50%.
Already a fan of Fortus for component production, Diebold put its Fortus machine to work producing fixtures for its ATMs, electronic security and voting systems for a fraction of the time and cost of traditional machining. Product release is sped up and fixtures are produced to an accuracy of 0.0005 inch.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Diebold’s Fortus ATM prototype holds up under sleet, snow, extreme temperatures and 95% humidity.
After a year-long test under temps ranging from – 5◦ F to 95◦ F and other weather extremes, Diebold proves out its designs with prototypes tough enough for machine function tests. Other benefits include lowered tooling costs, improved products and more accurate predictions of performance of injection molded parts.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Intended as prototype, Digital Mechanics provides Fortus-produced robotic gripper to client through direct digital manufacturing.
Design firm, Digital Mechanics, created a gripping/lifting device that was manufactured using a Fortus system. The part would have been time and cost prohibitive with conventional methods. This not only saved months of time, it also added a distinctive point of competitive differentiation and an important revenue stream.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
NorSap produces 25 components for oil rigger using direct digital manufacturing.
This marine equipment manufacturer found Fortus prototypes durable and attractive enough to be used as production parts. Their unusual looking designs typically required injection molding; however, 70 percent of parts produced today are now used for production.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
FDM polycarbonate pulley pulls weight; keeps production line rolling
When a broken pulley idled an industrial sander, a quick-thinking fabrication manager drew up a CAD model of the part and had a new polycarbonate pulley at work in under three hours. The part kept production rolling while an aluminum pulley was ordered.
Download PDF
Precision Developments cuts development time for aircraft hand wheel in half through FDM.FDM was used to create epoxy tools and the subsequent sand mold for a key aircraft component. While at first skeptical, engineers soon appreciated the paperless process; the +/- .005 tolerances on FDM masters and cores; and the ability to create better-designed products more quickly and for less money.Download PDF
Prototyping time cut 50% and output doubled with FDM
Rapid Models and Prototypes’ FDM machine allows several parts to be build into a single assembly, reducing hassle and increasing productivity. Highly detailed Super Soaker models even hold up when filled with water during testing.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Steve Prentice Design, Ltd. reduce engine tooling costs by 75%
"With FDM, we can quickly evaluate design changes. When we commit to production injection-mold tools, we're confident they will be right the first time." – Steve Prentice, Steve Prentice Design, Ltd
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Stratasys creates functional fixture with FDM in less time than it takes to get a machine shop quote.
Stratasys’ engineers create the fixtures needed for the manufacturing process using FDM direct digital manufacturing. Now, instead of machining each fixture, engineers can do it themselves in a quick and automated process.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
$50,000 saved in tooling costs; delivery shrunk to hours for Stratasys FDM model.
The surface has just been scratched as to what direct digital manufacturing will do for engineers at Stratasys, who recently “hired” its new FDM 400MC to manufacture several of its own exterior components. The ability to quickly, easily change design elements at any time is an added bonus to the cost and time savings.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
D
irect digital manufacturing of fixtures allows Thermal Dynamics to reduce costs by 83% and time by 42%
Using direct digital manufacturing, Thermal Dynamics produced fixtures that reduce waste from its production thermal-interface-material guns and make the guns more accessible. Direct digital manufacturing provides significant cost and time reductions.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
FDM Success Stories - Consumer Products
Tape Wrangler – Dimension 3D Printer Fuels Product Design Firm’s Exponential Growth .
Tape Wrangler is a woman-owned product development and manufacturing company that attributes rapid revenue growth in large part to product design made nimble by a move to in-house 3D printing.
Read Success Story
Akaishi – 99% tooling cost reduction. 100% confidence.
Using FDM for models, prototypes, and tooling, Akaishi gets a payoff in lead time, cost avoidance, and product quality.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Access Business Group – Access creates 450 models in 19 months; saves a quarter million dollars
With FDM rapid prototyping moved in-house, this small-appliance manufacturer gets new products to market faster with improved appearance. The FDM process allows for building entire assemblies at once and provides high dimensional accuracy.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Bell & Howell halves design cycle; utilizes just-in-time manufacturing capabilities via fused deposition modeling technology.
With average design time slashed from18 to nine months, this optics-based product manufacturer not only secured a multi-million dollar contract with a timely re-design, it also assures production continuity with just-in-time manufacturing for small quantity, essential parts.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
.gif "Logitec")
Logitech creates optimal design with help of Fortus functional prototypes, and improves part strength 273%.
Using Fortus to perform functional tests helped Logitech find the optimal design for a Bluetooth headset. Logitech engineers say Fortus systems were critical to their success, and using formulas and CAD models alone, might never have led to the optimal design. The functional tests improved the microphone boom strength by 273%.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
NorSap produces 25 components for oil rigger using direct digital manufacturing.
This marine equipment manufacturer found Fortus prototypes durable and attractive enough to be used as production parts. Their unusual looking designs typically required injection molding; however, 70 percent of parts produced today are now used for production.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
With DDM, Oreck Manufacturing Company cost to produce the assembly pallets needed for each vacuum series is reduced by up to 65 percent.
Traditional fixture projects no longer suck up vast amounts of money at Oreck Manufacturing. With some fixture projects costing more than $100,000, the savings are real. Oreck’s two Fortus systems in-house run 24/7 and are used for modeling, DDM, replacement parts and even marketing.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Oreck reduces time to market by 50%; produces functioning vacuum with 31 ABS FDM-prototype parts
With FDM, Oreck catches 95% of fit problems before tooling. In doing so, it eliminates hundreds-of-thousands of dollars in tooling costs. The company also realized ROI in one year.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Polaris praises Fortus for reducing tooling costs by $60,000 per part and speeding time to market.
On average, tooled snowmobile parts previously took eight to 12 weeks, at about $60,000 each. Now, Polaris’ in-house FDM machine cuts the time to about two days with outstanding cost savings as a bonus. With PC-ABS materials, functional prototypes are tested and refined long before they hit the snow.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
Toro sees savings of $500K and a 283 week reduction in product development time.
Over two years, for various projects, including this sprinkler, Fortus systems allowed Toro to reduce product development time by 283 weeks, and it saved $500,000 on tooling and service bureau costs.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
FDM Success Stories - Education
Fortus systems play critical role in winning design for University of Central Florida team.
While the student team had a fantastic design entry in the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Competition, the complex geometry and need for load-bearing strength rendered it prohibitively expensive. A Fortus system produced a direct digital manufactured frame that swept the competition.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
.gif "WoodsHole")
FDM on-whale trackers provide better performance and design freedom for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
Creating a streamlined, durable tracker used to be a challenging prospect, given the subject and unusual conditions, but Fortus systems provides the accuracy, strength and flexibility needed for innovative designs that can withstand the rigors of being a mile below sea level on the back of a whale.
Read Success Story | Download PDF
FDM Success Stories - Medical
Logica’s medical device prototype used for actual surgeries; convinces physicians of tool’s potential.
Often when a new medical device is introduced, users are skeptical as they can’t see it in action. Logica dramatically increased user understanding and acceptance of its new technology with a strong, heat-resistant prototype assembly created through Fortus and used in more than two dozen surgeries as a functioning prototype.
Download PDF
Medtronic’s Sofamor Danek prototype lab cuts delivery time for surgical instruments.
With surgeons needing working instruments ASAP, the in-house prototyping system employed by Medtronic is a critical, easily justified aspect of its operation. The company cites lower costs, better communication through working prototypes and immediate redesign options as just a few of its benefits.
Read Case Study | Download PDF
Using Fortus systems, Script Pro saves 79 percent of cost of creating key component of pill dispensing systems.
Script Pro’s Fortus system paid for itself within months as it eliminated costly tooling and machining for a highly customized part. Plus, stock can be created in days and changes made on the spot, to better meet customer needs. For just one part alone, $30,000 was saved on engineering time and tooling.
Read Case Study | Download PDF