3D Systems to Host Webinar "A Leg That Fits" Highlighting Customization and Localized Production of Prosthetics and Fairings


- Features 3D designer Natasha Hope Simpson who followed her dream of personalized prosthetics after an accident left her amputated below the knee
- Will showcase the capabilities of Geomagic Freeform and SLA 3D printing to create design complexity

ROCK HILL, S.C., Sept. 15, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) announced today that it will be hosting a customer webinar on how 3D design software and 3D printing from 3DS can deliver affordable, custom prosthetics and prosthetic fairings that are personalized and individualized.1

In 2013 Nova Scotia resident, Natasha Hope Simpson, was injured in a hit-and-run accident and lost part of her leg. A few months later, she visited her old art school and was given a challenge: to design a personal prosthetic that would fit her needs and personality. Natasha, together with a team of volunteers including 3DS partner NovaCAD and Thinking Robot Studios, a robotic design studio, were able to create her design in only two weeks, using 3DS' Geomagic® Freeform® software for organic design. The team then printed their design on the ProJet® 7000 Stereolithography 3D printer using 3DS' cloud manufacturing services, Quickparts. Watch a video here to see the complete design-to-print process.

Since then, Natasha has been working on research with Thinking Robot Studios to deliver a range of prosthetic and fairing designs that will be available to a mass audience, but uniquely customized to individual needs. The webinar will demonstrate the power of 3DS' full digital thread from design to manufacturing – from the role of Geomagic Freeform in creating Natasha's unique designs, to the role 3D printing plays in rapid production of end-use parts. The webinar will further explain how these technologies are changing the face of traditional business models and breaking ground in mass customization and localized production.

The webinar will feature a live demonstration by Natasha using Geomagic Freeform and Geomagic Touch haptic devices to create her designs, show how 3DS printers are being utilized for creating prototypes, and discuss the research being conducted to discern the best SLS and SLA materials that will comprise the finished products.

"It is truly heartwarming to see how our digital thread of software and printing technologies can impact a person's quality of life," said Calvin J. Hur, Vice President, co-Chief Operating Officer and Chief Revenue Officer, Software for 3DS. "By making these tools accessible, we are helping to transform ideas into outcomes and enabling personal and customizable products that are not only functional, but aesthetically beautiful and suited to the unique style of the individual."

The webinar will take place on September 17, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. EDT. Pre-registration is required at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4776246994001656834.

Learn more about 3DS' commitment to manufacturing the future today at www.3dsystems.com.

1 External limb prosthetic components that are intended for use in the United States are regulated under the FDA. They are exempt from premarket activities and good manufacturing practices, but do require establishments to be registered and comply with general record keeping and complaint handling.

About 3D Systems

3D Systems provides the most advanced and comprehensive 3D digital design and fabrication solutions available today, including 3D printers, print materials and cloud-sourced custom parts. Its powerful ecosystem transforms entire industries by empowering professionals and consumers everywhere to bring their ideas to life using its vast material selection, including plastics, metals, ceramics and edibles. 3DS' leading personalized medicine capabilities include end-to-end simulation, training and planning, and printing of surgical instruments and devices for personalized surgery and patient specific medical and dental devices. Its democratized 3D digital design, fabrication and inspection products provide seamless interoperability and incorporate the latest immersive computing technologies. 3DS' products and services disrupt traditional methods, deliver improved results and empower its customers to manufacture the future now.

Leadership through Innovation and Technology

* 3DS invented 3D printing with its Stereolithography (SLA) printer and was the first to commercialize it in 1989.

* 3DS invented Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) printing and was the first to commercialize it in 1992.

* 3DS invented the ColorJet Printing (CJP) class of 3D printers and was the first to commercialize 3D powder-based systems in 1994.

* 3DS invented MultiJet Printing (MJP) printers and was the first to commercialize it in 1996.

* 3DS pioneered virtual surgical simulation (VSSTM) and virtual surgical planning (VSP®) as part of its portfolio of leading 3D healthcare products and services.

Today its comprehensive range of 3D printers is the industry's benchmark for production-grade manufacturing in aerospace, automotive, patient specific medical device and a variety of consumer, electronic and fashion accessories.

More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com.



            

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