The large-format printers will mainly be used to produce design and functional prototypes and vacuum casting models for the company's industrial customers.

"We consider 3D Systems ' SLA solutions to be the gold standard in 3D printing in terms of precision, reliability and material properties - all of which are critical factors when it comes to meeting our customers' high manufacturing standards," said Carl Fruth, CEO at FIT. "We are dealing with complete solutions in every respect - from the 3D print file preparation and management software that comes with the printers to the state-of-the-art Accura materials for additive manufacturing. For example, we use Accura ClearVue to produce transparent skull models used in cranial neurosurgery by surgeons to prepare for operations. Other applications include 3D printing of automotive components to test aerodynamic properties in the wind tunnel, durable prototypes to evaluate fit, form and function, and precision master models for vacuum casting. The possibilities are virtually endless."

The 3D printers enable the production of high-quality, high-resolution parts with the highest precision (+/-45 μm) and a surface quality comparable to traditional mold manufacturing. Accura materials have been developed by 3D Systems engineers specifically for the ProX SLA print engines, including polypropylene-like, robust, transparent and castable materials, as well as high-temperature materials, ceramic-filled composites and other advanced materials. Both ProX models offer extended build volumes, enabling the production of large parts such as dashboards or QuickCast investment casting models in one piece. The build volume of the ProX 800 is 650 x 750 x 550 mm (25.6 x 29.5 x 21.5 inches), while the ProX 950 is even larger at 1500 x 750 x 550 mm (59 x 30 x 22 inches).

"Our founder and CTO Chuck Hull invented stereolithography (SLA) technology more than 30 years ago. Since then, SLA has more than proven itself as a leading additive manufacturing technology in automotive, dental, medical, entertainment and other industries in a variety of applications requiring robust parts with fine details and textured surfaces," says Wayne Davey, General Manager for EMEA and India at 3D Systems. "Like 3D Systems, the FIT Additive Manufacturing Group has an excellent reputation for designing and manufacturing world-class products. We are confident that our ProX printers will complement FIT's in-house manufacturing capabilities thanks to their ease of use, the high quality of parts produced and their large build volume."