At the International K Trade Fair for the plastics and rubber industry (Oct. 27 – Nov. 3, 2010, Düsseldorf), EOS will showcase their e-Manufacturing solutions at a joint booth with LBC and Materialise (Hall 2, Booth 2E23). EOS will demonstrate the extent of its portfolio with two laser-sintering systems at the booth—the EOSINT M 270 for metals and the FORMIGA P 100 for plastics.

Peter Klink, Executive Vice President Sales at EOS, says: "As a solution provider, at the K Fair we will showcase trendsetting approaches for serial tooling, such as conformal cooling channels. Moreover, we will present a product range that reflects the strengths of our technology for all batch sizes, showing how the design determines the production process (Design Driven Manufacturing); how functional integration enables design freedom and cost reduction; and how the ability to design and manufacture highly individualized products promote the development of new business areas."

Tooling: significantly reducing cycle times, providing improved part quality and achieving significant cost savings

Current injection-moulding processes can be improved significantly with EOS’ optimized cooling innovations. During production, component-specific conformal cooling channels are directly integrated into a tooling insert. These channels provide extremely efficient cooling, reducing the cycle time dramatically and creating several obvious advantages, among them better quality parts in shorter production times. Conformal cooling provides lower per-unit costs and, with regard to sustainability, lower energy consumption per product unit.

Ralph Mayer, CEO of LaserBearbeitungsCenter (LBC), adds: "EOS technology is on a fast track to become the reference technology for tooling. We have been using it successfully for years. The basis for optimized tools is the design layout and engineering of the entire tool. This is of great importance particularly for manufacturing serial tools, where it provides us and our customers with a competitive advantage. We make sure that the added value stays with the mould-maker and the cost of our services are kept as low as possible."

Individualized end products and sophisticated functional integration

Regardless of market segment, there is currently a demand for ever-increasing product customization. This is especially true for the medical industry. EOS e-Manufacturing partner Materialise produces patient-specific drill guides for surgical procedures—for example, knee implants—with EOS layer-manufacturing technology. To ensure crucial precision and quality for surgical procedures, the following are required: a high repetitive accuracy of the manufacturing process, integrated software solutions for designing drill guides, and a proficient handling of customer-specific data and parts.

John Pauwels, Director of Operations at Materialise Software, comments: "Our goal is to provide an economically acceptable method for the production of customized surgical guides. For that reason, intensive pre-surgical planning is necessary, and a number of factors need to be considered and seamlessly combined, among them patient-specific anatomy, highly automated data handling and individual logistics. Most importantly, a procedure such as laser-sintering ensures the efficient production of customized components."

Energy-efficient process chains

EOS works with its customers to analyse the process chains of their products, including energy consumption. This involves both production and utilization phases (life cycle analysis). Current analyses suggest that energy savings can be created in the course of laser-sintering as well as later in the life cycle. Already, applications such as conformal cooling channels have shown a cycle time reduction of up to 60 percent, which promotes lower energy consumption.

High-quality plastic parts

Reliable part quality is crucial in choosing a manufacturing process. EOS monitors, supports and documents process assurance, part quality and traceability with its Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS). EOS then takes quality to the next level with its Part Property Management (PPM) concept. Based on the Part Property Profiles (PPP), EOS ensures standardization and comparability of building processes and results that provide designers and users with a reliable tool.

The quality of the finished, fully functional parts, as well as the productivity of the systems used, their high degree of automation, and the professional material handling and ergonomic peripherals make EOS’ laser-sintering technology an ideal production tool for economic, lot-oriented part production.

For an interview at the booth and/or press information, please contact Claudia Jordan (see contacts details below).

About the LaserBearbeitungsCenter (LBC)

Kornwestheim-based LBC makes the full scope of modern laser technologies available to its clients. With its know-how, especially in the mould-making sector, the company offers its services for a number of process chain steps: Engineering (simulation, design, design revision) of tools and tooling inserts; manufacturing via laser sintering of moulding blanks or moulds with optimized conformal cooling; 3D laser engraving for tools; and direct labelling of composites. LBC currently employs three EOSINT M270 systems and has a track record of more than six years of user experience in the field of additive production.

About Materialise

With its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium and branches all over the world, the Materialise Group is best known for its activities in the field of rapid industrial and medical prototyping. Apart from having the largest capacity of rapid prototyping equipment in Europe, Materialise enjoys a worldwide reputation as provider of innovative software solutions. As such, Materialise has acquired the position of market leader for 3D printing and Digital CAD software in addition to being a major player in medical and dental image processing and surgery simulation. Moreover, through its unique .MGX by Materialise division for design products, Materialise has opened the market for customized Rapid Manufacturing. The customer base includes all large companies in the automotive, consumer electronics and consumables sectors. Its medical and dental products are used worldwide by famous hospitals, research institutes and clinicians. Unique design shops all over the world rely on .MGX by Materialise. The group has several subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and the USA, and employs over 800 people in its 4 divisions.

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2008/2009 with revenues of 60 million Euros. The company employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info

Contacts:

EOS Electro Optical Systems GmbH
Claudia Jordan
Group Manager Marketing Communications
Tel.: 089 893 36 134
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

GF AgieCharmilles has partnered with EOS and will demonstrate a nearly automatic process chain for creating injection and blow mold tooling with conformal cooling channels. The two companies will conduct the demonstration at IMTS 2010 in the GF AgieCharmilles booth #S-8754.

This breakthrough manufacturing process chain is one that runs virtually unbroken from design to finished product. Machines used in the process are networked together and operate from the same 3D CAD model data from start-to-finish to increase accuracy and reduce set-up times.

“Our technologies are a perfect fit for moldmaking,” says Gisbert Ledvon, Business Development Manager at GF AgieCharmilles U.S., “and the transfer between our systems is unique.”

During the demonstration, an EOSINT M 270 direct metal laser-sintering (DMLS) system will create a steel mold for a plastic, blow-molded golf ball, complete with conformal cooling channels and the fixturing needed for all successive stages of machining. This mold will then move through a secondary process chain that includes a GF AgieCharmilles HSM 400U LP high-speed milling machine, an FO 350MS die sinking EDM, and a Cut20P wire EDM. The wire EDM cuts off the fixturing, the HSM 400ULP will cut the parting lines for a flash-free (no leakage) surface, and leave the mold ready for production use.

A significant advantage of DMLS is that it produces a near-net part, in one operation, that is ready for secondary finishing. Single fixturing is then used for all secondary operations to reduce manual benchworking and generate surface finishes accurate to within three to five microns. The process minimizes scrap by eliminating many of the progressive operations involved in subtractive toolmaking processes that start with a block of raw material.

“By joining with EOS, we have established a complete process chain, available globally, that provides the same high accuracy GF AgieCharmilles is known for, and creates tools with a minimum of oversight and greatly reduced material waste, manufacturing time, and manual labor,” says Ledvon. “It’s better for the environment, and it’s excellent for the bottom line. The conformal-cooled molds we can manufacture offer enormous advantages.”

Conformal-cooled molds are already in use and have enabled high-end manufacturers to reduce part-production cycle times 17 to 20 percent and, in some cases, as high as 45 percent. The DMLS-manufactured molds improve product quality and promote longer tool life, and the optimized cooling increases the efficiency of the whole molding process as well. For large-volume production, the resulting time and cost savings—as well as carbon footprint reduction—are considerable.

“We’ve documented years of success stories from customers who benefited by using DMLS to create molds that employ conformal cooling channels,” says Andy Snow, Regional Sales Director EOS of North America. “Our partnership with one of the world’s leading suppliers of toolmaking equipment demonstrates how accepted these molds have become, and it enables manufacturers with high-volume injection and blow molding to implement our technology and reap substantial time and cost savings.”

GF AgieCharmilles and EOS will also hold a joint press conference Tuesday, September 13, 2010 at 8:30am in room S-501A at IMTS.

About GF AgieCharmilles

GF AgieCharmilles is the North American leading supplier of laser ablation centers, wire EDM, CNC and manual diesinking systems and high speed/performance and 5-axis CNC milling machines. For more information on the company's products and services, contact Gisbert Ledvon, GF AgieCharmilles, 560 Bond St., Lincolnshire, IL 60069-4224, Tel: 1-800-CTC-1EDM. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Fax: 847-913-5340, or visit www.gfac.com/us.

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2008/2009 with revenues of 60 million Euros. The company employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info.

Contacts:

GF AgieCharmilles
Gisbert Ledvon
Business Development Manager
847.913.5300

dgs Marketing Engineers®
Chuck Bates  317.813.2230
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Claudia Jordan
Group Manager Marketing Communications
Phone: +011 49 89 893 36 134
Fax: +011 49 89 893 36 284
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Parker Group (editorial contact, US)
Nick O’Donohoe
Tel.: +1 401 272 1510
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Unique, complex aircraft components, many of them impossible to create using traditional manufacturing processes, will be on display at EOS booth #3407 at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Unmanned Systems North America exhibition (August 24-27, Denver, Co.). Udo Behrendt, Key Account Manager Aerospace at EOS, the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems, will be providing technical background about aerospace applications during the show.

EOS customer Northwest UAV Propulsion Systems (NWUAV) is exhibiting a FORMIGA P 100 plastic laser-sintering system from EOS, as well as a complete unmanned vehicle, at booth #1214. Northwest Rapid Manufacturing, part of the Northwest UAV family of companies, manufactures production parts and prototypes for NWUAV using its EOSINT P 390 and P 730 equipment.  Together, the companies provide parts and assemblies including engine and cooling components for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) made by Insitu, Inc., and others. These components are stable in hot environments and are tough, pliable, and robust in harsh conditions such as exposure to fuel.

“Manufacturers of UAVs face stringent demands, both for part requirements and delivery schedules,” says Alexander Dick, VP of Laser-Sintering Operations at Northwest Rapid. “EOS laser-sintering equipment enables us to meet tight tolerances, ensure component strength and performance, and deliver parts on or before deadlines.” Northwest UAV is an active member of the AUVSI Cascade Chapter, serving as a sponsor and providing two chapter officers in 2010.

“The huge growth of the unmanned-systems market has triggered a wave of innovative and unique designs,” says EOS’ Behrendt. “Our customers are using metal and plastics laser-sintering to push the boundaries of those designs.”

Other EOS customers at the show are Paramount PDS (Booth #1618), who will exhibit plastic UAV parts created with an EOSINT P 730; Morris Technologies, Inc., (Booth #2729), who will display titanium aerospace components and prototypes created with direct metal laser-sintering (DMLS); and Solid Concepts (Booth #1226), who is featuring SLS-manufactured flight structures for Aerotonomy’s new Cruise-Efficient ESTOL research aircraft. In addition to the aircraft’s form-fitted seven-gallon fuel tank, all of the primary structures that enable the advanced high-lift technologies such as leading-edge blowing, circulation-control flaps, and airflow plenums were manufactured with EOS laser sintering equipment. Solid Concepts manufactures plastic laser-sintered aerospace parts from a wide range of applications and materials.

Plastic and metal laser-sintering are already widespread in UAV and other aerospace applications. In addition to producing durable, lightweight and complex parts, the technology requires no tooling, thereby reducing upfront times and costs and making re-designs and customization easy and affordable.

“On any given UAV system, once its customer and field use changes, the only features that stay the same may be the frame and most of the fuselage,” says Frederick Claus, Business Development Manager at Solid Concepts. “The manufacturing flexibility and speed of laser-sintering have proved their worth in this industry time and again.”

Among the materials currently available for laser-sintering of UAV components are:

* Several polyamides (including a flame-retardant material)
* EOS PEEK HP3 (a high-temperature thermoplastic polymer)
* Titanium
* Cobalt chrome
* IN718 (a nickel-chromium super alloy)

Additional materials for UAV and other aerospace applications are in development.

About Unmanned Systems North America 2010

AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America 2010 is the premiere forum for reviewing, assessing and discussing the successes and shortcomings of current unmanned systems. The conference, with an expected record turnout, will bring together the key leaders and decision-makers in the industry. Officials from government and user organizations around the world will be in attendance and participating in the symposium program. The event is being held August 24-27 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. For more information, go to http://symposium.auvsi.org/auvsi10/public/content.aspx?ID=116&sortMenu=107001

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2008/2009 with revenues of 60 million Euros. The company employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info

Contacts:

Claudia Jordan
Group Manager Marketing Communications
Phone: +011 49 89 893 36 134
Fax: +011 49 89 893 36 284
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Parker Group (editorial contact, US)
Nick O’Donohoe
Tel.: +1 401 272 1510
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

EOS, the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering equipment, has launched the EOS Quality Standard, an initiative of the EOS e-Manufacturing partner program that is open to and beneficial for all customers. The purpose of this program is to define a package of requirements that guarantees the high quality of e-Manufacturing parts and services. The procedures for this standard are to be integrated into customers’ ISO 9001 quality management systems.

“The EOS Quality Standard is a great step forward in establishing best practices for end users and demonstrates EOS’ leadership in the market,” says  Eli Liechty, Leader Operations/Manufacturing RMM at Morris Technologies, Inc. “It highlights the importance of controlling the entire additive manufacturing supply chain, ranging from system maintenance, to operator training, material qualification, and critical system parameters.  This standard will supplement our international ISO: 9001 and industry-specific AS9100 and ISO: 13485 quality systems, and Morris Technologies is pleased to be one of the early adopters implementing this new initiative.”

Quality Assurance Procedure

To assure quality, special measures have to be implemented in each customer’s operation. The e-Manufacturing provider must have implemented a quality management system (QMS) with a valid certification according to ISO 9001, and must define and implement quality assurance procedures for the production and supply of laser-sintered parts within that QMS.

Qualification and responsibilities

There are five types of qualifications that a customer has to integrate into the QMS. Personnel qualification is one factor. For example, the e-Manufacturing provider’s staff is expected to have the knowledge and skills for the relevant technology. The provider also must assure machine status according to quality procedures. This status is to be specified and documented, regular maintenance has to be done, and the environmental conditions the machine is operating in must conform to the defined EOS Installation Requirements.

Secondly, if the customer uses a material that has been released by EOS for the relevant technology, then EOS provides them with the appropriate set of procedures to meet the criteria of the standard. In that case, the third criterion – using the right parameter sets – is met by deploying the system-specific EOS parameter set and powder material. The fourth element of the quality standard ensures the conformity of part design with the relevant design rules.

Last but not least, certain demands have to be met concerning data preparation and post-processing. These should be in accordance with recommendations published by EOS for the relevant machine and powder material. Otherwise the customer needs to specify what procedure has been used and why, or how that procedure has been qualified.

With this quality standard, and its recently presented Part Property Profiles, EOS continues expanding the use of its e-Manufacturing technologies in the production world.

The provider of any parts or services supplied with reference to this quality standard is solely responsible for the fulfilment of the requirements and for any information provided in relation to those parts or services.

“Customers of an entity that follows the EOS quality standard can expect consistent part quality from their e-Manufacturing provider. The standard allows them to distinguish between providers by a reference to an independent standard,” says Peter Klink, Executive Vice President Sales & Support.

For more information on the EOS Quality Standard please visit our website www.eos.info under “About EOS”, then choose “Quality Standard”.

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2008/2009 with revenues of 60 million Euros. The company employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info

Contacts:

EOS Electro Optical Systems
Claudia Jordan
Group Manager Marketing Communications
Phone: +49 89 893 36 134
Fax: +49 89 893 36 284
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it    

Parker Group (editorial contact, US)
Nick O’Donohoe
Tel.: +1 401 272 1510
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The industry-changing capabilities of laser-sintering equipment for producing customized medical devices will be showcased by EOS during the world’s largest event for medical design and manufacturing: MD&M 2010 (June 7-10, New York, N.Y.). The leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems is demonstrating a working FORMIGA P 100 plastics machine and exhibiting plastic and metal medical prototypes and parts at booth 2655. The company will also provide background about its latest software and hardware for product standardization and reliability.

“Medical companies are already using our technology to create patient-specific medical products, uniquely tailored to an individual’s anatomy and needs,” says Martin Bullemer, Key Account Manager Medical at EOS. “As our quality and production controls continue evolving, designers and manufacturers will be able to achieve even more extraordinary advances in patient care and comfort.”

In plastics, EOS laser-sintered nylon is increasingly being used and researched for disposable, customized operating devices such as drill guides for knee and hip replacements. The same polyamide formulation has seen service in a lightweight, robust and durable orthesis, designed to precision measurements of a patient’s limb. EOS’ new PEEK HP3, a high-temperature, high-performance thermoplastic, will be biocompatible and sterilizable, making it potentially well-suited for spinal implants.

In metals, direct metal laser-sintering (DMLS) systems are currently used to create:

* Stainless-steel prototypes for customized spinal surgical instruments
* Cobalt chrome replacement knee joint prototypes, and end-product dental copings and bridges
* Titanium dental implants with porous surfaces that promote osteointegration

Recently added control options include (now available for DMLS) an Integrated Process Chain Management system that provides quality assurance for re-using metal powder and (for plastics laser-sintering) a series of Part Property Profiles (PPP) that offer five different parameter settings for standardized, cost-effective part production. Recently, EOS announced that it is undertaking a Quality Standard initiative open to all of its customers. The new standard defines requirements and procedures that customers can integrate into their own ISO: 9001 quality management systems. Here you can find more about the quality standard.

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2008/2009 with revenues of 60 million Euros. The company employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info

Contacts:

EOS
Claudia Jordan
Group Manager Marketing Communications
Phone: +011 49 89 893 36 134
Fax: +011 49 89 893 36 284
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Parker Group (editorial contact, US)
Nick O’Donohoe
Tel.: +1 401 272 1510
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The largest collection of direct metal laser-sintering (DMLS) systems at any manufacturer or laboratory in the world is open for touring at the PDx/amerimold

“This is a great opportunity to see traditional manufacturing equipment and DMLS systems running side-by-side,” says Andy Snow, Regional Sales Manager, EOS of North America.  “Visitors can learn first-hand from Morris how laser-sintering fits into a job shop’s suite of processes to give customers the very best options in terms of cost, quality and lead time.”

“We saw early on the value of providing DMLS for our customers,” says Greg Morris, CEO/COO of MTI.  “Over the years, demand for laser-sintering services has grown as we’ve expanded our DMLS offerings and as more companies get acquainted with additive manufacturing.  We see that strong growth trend continuing.”

Morris Technologies was the first US firm to install DMLS equipment, in 2003. Today MTI and its sister company, Rapid Quality Manufacturing (RQM), boast nine DMLS systems, including the first North American EOSINT M 270 Extended system for processing titanium (Ti64), a nickel superalloy (NickelAlloy IN718), and an aluminum alloy (AlSi10Mg). In addition to these three, laser-sintered metals available at MTI include maraging and stainless steels, a bronze alloy, and cobalt chrome. Morris Technologies will exhibit at booth 419 during the PDx/amerimold

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2008/2009 with revenues of 60 million Euros. The company employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info

Contacts:

EOS
Claudia Jordan
Group Manager Marketing Communications
Phone: +011 49 89 893 36 134
Fax: +011 49 89 893 36 284
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Parker Group (editorial contact, US)
Nick O’Donohoe
Tel.: +1 401 272 1510
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Today EOS, the world leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems, announced an exclusive joint venture with Swiss-based BESTinCLASS, a company that has developed the micro-machining process (MMP). MMP applies a mechanical-physical-chemical surface treatment to items placed inside a treatment tank. Resulting from this agreement FirstSurface Ltd., a Joint Venture between EOS and BESTinClass, will be the exclusive provider of MMP in the UK. Further exclusive locations in Europe are in preparation.

Apart from the watch making and luxury goods industry, MMP can be applied in a wide variety of product sectors including aerospace, medical, mould making and auto-sport, all of which enjoy performance gains as a result of the unique accuracy and control provided by the Micro Machining Process. Benefits of MMP include: Surface finishes can be controlled selectively up to a mirror-like polish; Costs and turnaround times are predictable and controlled; Finishes can be
reproduced to industrial standards for multiple parts; Treated parts are free from contamination; part geometries are not altered, cavities can be accessed and the process can be applied selectively. Apart from that, the mechanical properties of the treated surfaces are not altered, hardening is minimized and the process is approved for parts used in medical applications.

Dr. Hans Langer, founder and CEO of EOS says: “Our Direct Metal Laser-Sintering (DMLS) processes metal materials with an application spectrum ranging from prototypes to series products. This already enables a full range of new product developments and production processes. There is a tendency among our clients to increasingly demand post production surface finishing options as well. This cooperation not only guarantees that they get a one-stopshop solution from design to polishing. It can also help them – among others - to secure a competitive advantage for their respective products. As such, the joint venture we now contracted with BESTinCLASS is a perfect addition to our current portfolio. And it paves the way for new e-Manufacturing applications and solutions.”

Laurent Cataldo, General Manager of BESTinCLASS sees a lot of benefits for all parties involved in this co-operation: “e-Manufacturing offers a huge potential for Rapid Manufacturing applications. In this context, surface finishings like those offered by BESTinCLASS become more and more important too.” And he adds: “On the other hand we as a company can learn a lot about surface finishing needs in industries other than watch making and luxury goods which currently is our primary focus. As such we are more than happy to cooperate with the market leader in Laser-Sintering.”

About BESTinCLASS
Founded in Switzerland in 1995, BESTinCLASS SA has developed the micro-machining process (MMP), a proprietary precision surface finishing technique. MMP can finely distinguish and selectively apply different primary roughness, secondary roughness and waviness profiles to surfaces. Working from its own treatment labs, BESTinCLASS is poised to provide manufacturers with custom finishes to meet their specifications. An exceptional feature of MMP is its ability to provide selective surface finishes that can be reproduced to industrial standards. The company employs 32 people and is headquartered in Genolier near Geneva. For more information, please visit www.binc.biz/gb/index.php

About EOS
EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and costeffective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year
2008/2009 with revenues of approximately 60 million Euros. The company employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information, please visit www.eos.info.

Contacts:

EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Claudia Jordan
PR Specialist
Tel.: (+49) 89 893 36 134
Fax: (+49) 89 893 36 284
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

BESTinCLASS SA
Laurent Cataldo
CEO
Tel.: (+41) 22 994 40 50
Fax: (+41) 22 994 40 51
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

EOS, world leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems, will be at EuroMold this year (2 - 5 December 2009) in the new hall 11. EOS will be presenting a new Part Property Management concept, which will guarantee the standardization and comparability of building processes and results on the basis of Part Property Profiles (PPP).

Dr. Hans Langer, CEO and founder of EOS explains: "By introducing Part Property Profiles we are emphasizing our quality leadership. Added to this are important advantages for our customers' decision-making and manufacturing processes. Designers will have constant access to standardized property profiles and corresponding material values. People responsible for purchasing and quoting will profit from clearly defined specifications which will make the preparation of quotes more efficient and transparent. With the increasingly automated data preparation and more flexible production planning, PPPs also offer manufacturers benefits such as increased efficiency and cost reduction, and moreover optimal and transparent quality assurance processes. On the basis of the PPPs we will, above all, be able to further expand e- Manufacturing with laser-sintering for series production. In this way laser-sintering becomes a competitive and cost-effective manufacturing process for plastic and metal parts."

Part Property Profiles (PPP): Standardization for reliable part quality

In the last few years EOS has established high standards through intensive process and applications development. With consistent quality assurance along the process chain EOS has made it possible for users to produce parts with defined properties on the basis of standardized parameter sets. EOS has sold 20 systems for the series production of dental restorations alone, and many producers (OEMs), for example from the medical technology and aerospace industries, are qualifying this technology for their production.

At EuroMold, EOS introduces the new Part Property Management concept based on standardized parameter sets which produce defined part properties - Part Property Profiles (PPPs) - in combination with similarly standardized and quality assured machines and materials. As such EOS ensures that reliable material characteristics can be achieved so that designers, manufacturers and end users can access uniform and reliable data.

PPPs and their application areas as exemplified by plastic laser-sintering

The underlying definitions of the PPPs are the typical requirements regarding, for example, surface quality, mechanical properties, accuracy and detail resolution. In addition, quality and cost targets exist which are normally in competition with one another, and which generally complicate the ascertainment of an optimal part-oriented trade-off. The five PPPs for plastic laser-sintering systems, which correspond to five parameter sets, therefore focus upon the individual requirements, either on costs, on quality aspects, or on carefully balanced compromises.

- TopSpeed, 180 µm layer thickness: Very economical parameter set for parts with medium to high quality requirements. In comparison with 120 µm layer thickness (EOSINT P730) the production costs are reduced by typically 15 - 20 percent

- Speed, 150 µm layer thickness: This parameter set offers slightly higher surface quality than TopSpeed. Production costs are reduced by typically by 10 - 15 percent in comparison with 120 µm layer thickness (Balance)

- Balance, 120 µm layer thickness: The advantage of this parameter set is its economic equilibrium. The layer thickness of 120 µm offers a perfect balance between production costs, mechanics, surface quality and accuracy

- Performance, 100 µm layer thickness: Performance parts are characterized by the highest degree of isotropic strength and stiffness

- TopQuality, 60 µm layer thickness: This parameter set is designated for very small to mediumsized parts with detailed, delicate geometries or geometric elements and the strictest requirements in surface quality

The PPPs Balance, Performance and Top Quality are available for  EOSINT P 760, EOSINT P395 und FORMIGA P 100, TopSpeed and Speed for the EOSINT P760 and EOSINT P395. They contain values for, among others, tensile strength, elongation at  reak and Young’s modulus for the horizontal, parallel-to-layer X/Y-directions. Values for the vertical, orthogonal-to-layer Z-direction are now also standard. The Part Property Management concept will then be introduced for EOSINT M systems in a similar way.

From January 2010 EOS will provide access to the attributes of the Part Property Profiles for plastics via the Material Data Centre, a public database which has been established by the plastics industry. To access it from the EOS website www.eos.info, please click on the link provided there to the Material Data Centre. Selecting EOS in the database will lead you to the PPPs. A detailed white paper about the PPPs can also be requested from EOS.

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and costeffective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2008/2009 with revenues of approximately 60 million Euros. The company employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info.

Contacts:

EOS Electro Optical Systems GmbH
Claudia Jordan
PR Specialist
Tel. 089 893 36 134
Fax: 089 893 36 284
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

EOS, world leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems, is highlighting a number of new materials on its booth C08 in the new hall 11 at this year’s EuroMold 2009 to be held in Frankfurt am Main/Germany December 2 to 5. New metal materials for EOSINT M 270 systems include EOS NickelAlloy IN718 and EOS Aluminium AlSi10Mg.

Dr. Hans Langer, CEO and founder of EOS stresses: “Developing new materials for laser-sintering pushes our technology to the next level. Here we work very closely with our clients. Meeting the manufacturing challenges and application requirements clients have previously expressed to EOS we  develop new materials that are ideally applicable to manufacturing requirements as well as to our systems and processes. Based on the design possibilities which e-Manufacturing can offer, our clients can even improve their product performance considerably.”

EOS NickelAlloy IN718: meeting high temperature requirements

EOS NickelAlloy IN718 is a nickel-based heat resistant superalloy which corresponds to the commonly-known Inconel 718 alloy. It is a precipitation-hardening nickel-chromium alloy characterized by having good tensile, fatigue, creep and rupture strength at temperatures up to 700°C. It shows outstanding corrosion resistance and is ideal for many high temperature applications, and also possesses excellent cryogenic properties. The main target group for this material is the aerospace industry. Due to the very demanding requirements of this industry, EOS has already been through an extended development and test phase including several pilot customers.

EOS has developed process parameters which enable good part-building and ensure that the relevant industrial standards for this material type can be reliably fulfilled. These include for example heat treatment in accordance with AMS 5662 and AMS 5664 standards as well as tensile and stressrupture properties at elevated temperature (650°C, 1200°F).

Greg Morris, President of pilot user Morris Technologies, Inc., states: "We have been supplying parts in EOS CobaltChrome MP1 as a preferred material for high stress/high temperature environments since 2005. Since working with EOS NickelAlloy IN718, this has become our front-line material of choice for  many pplications in aerospace and other demanding applications . This material llows us to produce parts that will see some of the most demanding environments including high temperatures, high stress loads and extended fatigue situations. Not only has EOS NickelAlloy IN718 performed well in such tests and environments, but Morris Technologies’ material characterization efforts have also demonstrated that it performs well to ASTM standards".

Ian Halliday, CEO of pilot user 3T RPD Ltd., adds: “EOS NickelAlloy IN718 has helped to open up new application areas for us, and we are working with some of our customers to qualify this material for future series production of aerospace components. Tests have shown already till today that the mechanical properties of parts built from this material exceed what our customers are used to from cast parts, and they also report that the parts are easier to machine than conventional Inconel 718 parts.”

EOS Aluminium AlSi10Mg: light weight and excellent thermal conductivity

EOS will also be highlighting EOS Aluminium AlSi10Mg at this year’s EuroMold. This typical casting alloy is the first aluminium alloy to be qualified for EOSINT M 270 systems and opens up new application areas due to its light weight and excellent thermal conductivity. EOS has done thorough process development and testing as preparation for the market launch. Cast parts in conventional AlSi10Mg are typically subjected to T6 heat treatment including solution annealing and quenching followed by age hardening at elevated temperatures. Mike Shellabear, Vice President M Technology, adds: “Due to the rapid melting and resolidification caused by the laser exposure, the laser-sintered parts match or even exceed the conventional heat-treated parts already in the as-built condition, so even more time and cost can be saved in the process chain.”

At EuroMold, EOS is exhibiting examples of how intelligent design like hollow parts or various meshlike fill structures can be implemented by laser-sintering, to offer new possibilities like extremelyhigh stiffness-to-weight ratios. These are expected to open up fully new markets  in the light alloys area.

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing—the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of patterns and tools, as well as end products. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes manufacturing processes. It creates parts directly from electronic data for every phase of the product lifecycle, from prototypes to tooling to production parts. EOS completed its business year 2008/2009 with revenues of approximately 60 million Euros. The company employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info.

Contacts:

EOS
Claudia Jordan
PR Specialist
Phone: +49 89 893 36 134
Fax: +49 89 893 36 284
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

LaserBearbeitungsCenter GmbH (LBC) orders its third metal laser-sintering system EOSINT M 270 from EOS, the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Kornwesteim-based LBC makes the full scope of modern laser technologies available to their clients. With the new system, the company complements its manufacturing capacities and reacts to the increased demand for laser-sintered parts and tools.

In mould making, LBC already covers a large spectrum including the
automotive sector, medical technologies and the packaging industry. Particularly the latter offers very interesting market potentials as laser-sintered tools with conformal cooling offer great benefits for huge lot sizes.

Augustin Niavas, Business Development Manager Tooling at EOS, emphasizes:  A good formula for success, LBC exemplifies a good combination of customer know how with EOS systems. As such, they can provide the tool and mould maker market with high quality parts while other manufacturing processes have to take a back seat. This is another proof for the acceptance laser-sintering is gaining in production environments. LBC can already look back on a number of successful projects which – due to their positive progress - also convince potential new customers because conformal cooling significantly optimizes the production of tooling inserts.”

Ralph Mayer, CEO of LBC, adds: “With the new system we can adjust our flexibility and part delivery to the highly increased number of incoming orders. Our customers know that laser-sintered tooling inserts can offer a considerable competitive advantage. As a result, not only the number of short term orders increases. At the same time we see higher order number as well as clients ordering considerably bigger parts. In this context, the number of cavities our clients are demanding is rising, too. So laser-sintered tools with 96 or more cavities are not a rarity any more.”

Both agree that laser-sintered tools with conformal cooling channels are the key for success and as such will ensure a viable European tool and mould making industry. In the years to come a close cooperation between EOS and its customers will push further market development. This can be achieved via higher volume building rates and decreasing manufacturing costs.

LBC LaserBearbeitungsCenter

Kornwestheim-based LBC makes the full scope of modern laser technologies available to its clients. With its know how, especially in the tooling and mould making sector, the company offers its services for a number of process chain steps: manufacturing moulding blanks or moulds with optimized conformal cooling, designing optimized cooling channels, simulating the optimized tool, 3D laser engraving direct part marking. LBC sees its customers as partners and to collaboration with them as the key to success.

About EOS
EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing,  the fast, flexible and costeffective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2008/2009 with revenues of approximately 60 million Euros. The company  employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info.

Contacts:

EOS
Claudia Jordan
PR Spezialist
Tel.: 089 893 36 134
Fax: 089 893 36 284
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

LBC LaserBearbeitungsCenter GmbH
Ralph Mayer
Geschäftsführer
Tel.: 07154 80 88 0
Fax: 07154 80 88 28
e-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Internet : www.lasergenerieren.de

Rapid Manufacturing and Digital Forming technologies will be showcased in a free event called “Create and Make – Print in 3D” from 25 to 27 August, 2009, at the Science Museum, London. Courtesy of EOS Electro Optical Systems, the world leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems and De Montford University in Leicester, a laser-sintering system called FORMIGA P 100 will be in operation at the Museum. At the event visitors can experience how mass customization of a variety of personalized products today is already reality and can be expanded further into the future. As part of the event Digital Forming, provider of an online platform offering 3D software solutions for the mass customisation of designed lifestyle products, will present a software that allows users to view and personalise the product they are about to buy in 3D. As such the software extends the freedom of choice and creation laser-sintering is offering as a production process into the sphere of personalised design.

Laser-Sintering: from fine grain powders to complex, high-performing products

Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing and enables a move from more static procedures towards fast, more flexible and cost-effective serial production directly from electronic data. It originates in prototyping where parts identical in construction are produced in smaller quantities, yet more and more becomes an interesting alternative for Rapid Manufacturing as well. Laser-sintering is an additive layer manufacturing process. Without any tooling or time-consuming milling very complex, three-dimensional geometries can be constructed. In production, the previously created 3D CAD model is being decomposed into 20 to 100 µm layers. The laser-sintering technology then produces the desired geometry layer by layer. In this process, the laser energy solidifies the powdered material, be it plastic, metal or foundry sand into parts previously designed in 3D. A huge advantage of laser-sintering is that – once the production data are created – parts can be built based on the electronic data – in any shape, at any time and anywhere.

The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle - from pre-development and prototyping up to rapid manufacturing or the supply of spare parts. Stuart Jackson, Regional Manager UK for EOS adds: “laser-sintering accelerates product development and revolutionizes design - moving design rules from a ‘manufacturing-driven design’ to a ‘design-driven manufacturing’ approach. The technology frees design and construction from the restrictions of the production process – creativity is no longer subject to the limitations of conventional methods of manufacturing.” Focusing on the final product, the designer sketches individual, three-dimensional geometries and can create what is on his own and his customer’s mind: an end product with a high customer value.

Mass Customization:

In the digital world we live in today, customers are gradually demanding greater freedom of choice. Designers and brands are faced with new challenges in product diversity. Today, consumers not only demand possible modifications in colour or material but in product form too. Traditional manufacturing strategies simply cannot meet these requirements.

The Digital Forming platform consists of digital (software) and physical (supply chain) aspects which make mass customization a reality. For the first time ever, a set of 3D software solutions will allow the general public to co-create and co-design products with professional product designers through an online library or sales house. In a 3D environment, products can be modified in real time – stretched, twisted, embossed, assembled – all with the simple movement of a mouse. On top, users can adjust form, choose colour and material, save designs in an online library, and purchase when ready for delivery within two weeks. They will never be able to ruin the functionality of a pen, or the balance of a teapot – the software will simply not allow it.

Digital Forming’s approach of Co-Design profoundly challenges the traditional role of the designer and the user/consumer of a product and as such is a revolutionary concept in the history of design. The software provided by Digital Forming offers the users the option of Co-Creating and Co-Designing products with a professional product designer. By this, a user can “tweak” existing designs to their personal taste within the constraints set by the original designer. This approach profoundly challenges the traditional roles of the Designer and the User/Consumer of an object, and is a revolutionary concept in the history of Design. Facing a product produced by this industrial process, the User is now confronted with questions never before asked: do I purchase the product as designed, or do I change it?  And the Designer must now ask himself the question: when is this not my design anymore? The laser sintering technology and Digital Forming platform are arguably set to create an Industrial Revolution of the Digital Age.

About EOS:

EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2007/2008 with revenues of approximately 70 million Euros, which is an increase of 17 percent compared to the previous year. The company employs 280 people worldwide, 230 of them at its headquarters in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info.

About Digital Forming

Digital Forming, set up in November 2008 by four partners, was awarded goverment funding in May 2009 to develop the vision of an online platform for the “mass customization“ of designed lifestyle products. The company provides a platform that allows users to view and personalize the products they are about to buy in 3D. This platform will be presented to the public in October through www.UCODO.com. UCODO stands for ‘User Co-Designed Object’.

About the Science Museum

From June 2009 the Science Museum is celebrating its hundredth birthday and a century of science with a year-long centenary programme to take the renowned institution into the future. For 100 years the Science Museum has been world-renowned for its historic collection, remarkable galleries and inspirational exhibitions. With around 15,000 objects on public display, the Science Museum’s collections form an enduring record of scientific, technological and medical change from the past few centuries. Aiming to be the best place in the world for people to enjoy science, the Science Museum makes sense of the science that shapes our lives, sparking curiosity, releasing creativity and changing the future by engaging people of all generations and backgrounds in science engineering, medicine, technology, design and enterprise. Further information: www.sciencemuseum.org.uk.

Contacts:

EOS Electro Optical Systems
Claudia Jordan
PR Specialist
Tel.: +49 89 893 36 134
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Digital Forming

Lisa Harouni
Tel.: +44 7765 894 373
e-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Science Museum
Andrew Marcus
Press Officer
Tel.: +44 20 7942 4357
e-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems, the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems, will be offering a number of technical exhibits and resources at Booth #250 at the 2009 Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Unmanned Systems North America conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (Washington, D.C., August 10-13).

The company will be displaying parts made in their EOSINT P line of plastics laser-sintering systems as well as a range of parts in different metals from the EOSINT M 270. Udo Behrendt, Key Account Manager Aerospace at EOS, will be at the booth to answer questions and offer technical information. He has been responsible for business development in the civil aircraft, defense, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industries.

“Weight optimization, different applications and flexibility in payload are critical to the design of UAVs,” Behrendt says. “The aircraft industry also primarily uses low-volume components. Laser-sintering technology enables companies to build highly integrated and very complex hardware directly from electronic data, eliminating tooling and other secondary operations, in production lots ranging from one part to several thousands.”

EOS customers Paramount PDS and Northwest UAV are attending the AUVSI conference. Paramount will be at booth #337, and Northwest will be at Booth #433.

“Plastics laser-sintering enabled us to manufacture aircraft components for a micro air vehicle as a cost-effective substitute for carbon-fiber parts,” says Jim Williams, President of Paramount PDS. “The parts have already been tested in flight and are in production.”

“We’ve been using EOS plastics laser-sintering to manufacture aircraft components for over a year,” says Chris Harris, President of Northwest UAV Propulsion Systems. “It meets our requirements for tight tolerances and consistent quality, and it shortens our time for supplying or redesigning parts to a few days, versus weeks previously.”

Laser-sintering’s capabilities for mass customization and building of intricate shapes also benefit the broader aerospace market. EOS customers have used such direct manufacturing methods to create components for commercial and defense aircraft. EOS is also a founding partner of the Direct Manufacturing Research Center (DMRC) at the University of Paderborn (Germany), a consortium that includes such companies as Boeing, Evonik and Siemens.  The DMRC was founded to advance direct manufacturing technologies and materials for aerospace and other industries.

For more information about the AUVSI conference, go to http://symposium.auvsi.org/attendees/registrationinfo.php

About AUVSI

With over 1,400 member companies and organizations from 50 countries, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) is the world's largest non-profit organization devoted exclusively to advancing the unmanned systems community. AUVSI, with members from government organizations, industry and academia, is committed to fostering, developing, and promoting unmanned systems and related technologies.

By providing opportunities for information exchange, networking and business development, AUVSI forums are the best resource for simply learning about unmanned systems or for staying abreast of the latest program and technology updates. www.auvsi.org

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2007/2008 with revenues of approximately 70 million Euros, which is an increase of 17 percent compared to the previous year. The company employs 280 people worldwide, 230 of them at its headquarters in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info.

FKM, one of EOS's e-Manufacturing partners, is the first company to purchase an EOSINT P 800 high temperature machine built by EOS, the worldwide market leader in laser-sintering. FKM has now increased its machine park to a total of 14 laser-sintering systems for processing plastic, metal and sand. The rapid technology specialist with this purchase obtains a machine with great future potential and which can process EOS's innovative high-performance polymer PEEK HP3.

Jürgen Blöcher, managing director at FKM, on the decision to purchase this system: "We were motivated to purchase another machine from EOS by a variety of reasons: in our opinion, laser-sintering is today one of the key technologies in the area of e-Manufacturing. It enables the manufacture of durable and close-to-production functional models. Buying an EOSINT P 800 was a logical step, because the machine complements our portfolio perfectly." Blöcher adds: "Not only that, but with EOS we have a broad range of applications know-how at our disposal, and this makes it possible for us to respond exactly to our customers' demands." The machine was presented for the first time at last year's Euromold, and Peter Klink, Vice President Sales at EOS, welcomes FKM's decision: "The long-standing cooperation between EOS and FKM is based on a high degree of mutual trust. FKM, as one of our e-Manufacturing partners, is always prepared to further and input on our ideas and visions. As a result of this, FKM is the first service bureaux which will offer this highly innovative technology."

EOSINT P 800 high-temperature system

Due to their excellent material properties, high-performance polymers are interesting for numerous applications and industries. Due to its suitability for process temperatures of up to 385°C, the new EOSINT P 800 is the first machine worldwide to open up this extremely interesting family of materials for laser-sintering. By adapting the well-proven and fully developed design of the EOSINT P730 with completely newly-designed components, the machine has been equipped to fulfil the demands of high temperature processes. The implementation of the high temperature levels within the machine has created completely new requirements as far as long-term strength, the control of thermal expansion and temperature distribution are concerned. EOS is therefore focusing on new materials which up until now have not been used in the construction of laser-sintering systems but with which the machines can fulfil both the demands of the process on temperature distribution and the mechanical precision requirements.

PEEK HP3: material of the future

With its PEEK HP3 material, EOS has made the first ever high-performance polymer available for use in laser-sintering. Products manufactured in this material achieve tensile strengths of up to 95 MPa and a tensile modulus of 4,400 MPa. Its excellent chemical resistance makes PEEK inure to all kinds of chemicals except corrosive acids. This results in outstanding application-specific properties. In applications where little weight and flame resistance are of the utmost importance, PEEK has developed into a popular replacement for metal. Due to its purity, solidity and chemical resistance it has also been promoted to the status of gold standard for HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) applications in analytical science. Its biocompatibility, sterilizability, tensile strength and lubrication properties make this material an ideal replacement in medical applications for stainless steel and titanium. PEEK is already considered as being one of the best-performing thermoplastic polymers and as having the potential to open up new application fields.

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is the worldwide market leader in the field of laser-sintering. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing. Components can be produced fast, flexibly and cost-effectively, directly from electronic data. The method accelerates product development and modernizes production processes. EOS completed the 2007/2008 business year with a turnover in laser-sintering of 70M euro, which is an increase of 17 percent on the previous year. The company currently employs more than 280 employees worldwide - 230 of these at its headquarters in Krailling near Munich. www.eos.info

About FKM Sintertechnik

FKM Sintertechnik GmbH is based Biedenkopf-Wallau in Hesse. The development service provider was founded in 1994 and quickly became a specialist in laser-sintering. The company founders and managing directors are Jürgen Blöcher and Harald Henkel. This medium-sized enterprise is among the industry's leading service providers. It is a development partner of numerous well-known customers in the automotive engineering and consumer goods industries. FKM-Sintertechnik produces – almost exclusively on machines from the German manufacturer EOS in Munich – pre-series, functioning prototypes and small series parts out of plastic and metal. In 2008 and in more than 4,500 individual jobs the company produced a wide variety of part geometries in job lots of various sizes.

Contacts:

EOS
Claudia Jordan
PR Specialist
Tel.: +49 89 893 36 134
Tel.: +49 89 893 36 284
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Contact FKM:                                             
Jürgen Blöcher
Tel.: +49 6461 95510
Tel.: +49 6461 955112
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EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems and TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG announce that they have signed an agreement with MTT Technologies Ltd. in Stone, UK, and MTT Technologies GmbH in Germany.

Under the agreement, both MTT companies receive a non exclusive licence for certain EOS and TRUMPF patent rights regarding the laser-sintering process. The new contract replaces the previous agreement between EOS, TRUMPF, MCP Tooling Technology Ltd. (now MTT Technologies Ltd) and MCP-HEK Tooling GmbH (now MTT Technologies GmbH), which now includes the licence for the USA and Canada. Under the new agreement EOS has also withdrawn the lawsuit against MTT which was pending at the United States District Court of South Carolina. The parties have agreed not to disclose the level of licence fees to be paid by MTT.

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is the worldwide market leader in the field of laser-sintering. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing. Components can be produced fast, flexibly and cost-effectively, directly from electronic data. The method accelerates product development and modernizes production processes. EOS completed the 2007/2008 business year with a turnover in laser-sintering of 70M euro, which is an increase of 17 percent on the previous year. The company currently employs more than 280 employees worldwide - 230 of these at its headquarters in Krailling near Munich.

About Trumpf (www.trumpf.com)

With sales totalling € 2.14 billion for the 2007/08 fiscal year and about 8,000 employees, the TRUMPF Group ranks among the leading manufacturing companies worldwide. The three following business divisions are combined under the umbrella of a holding company: Machine Tools/Power Tools, Laser Technology/Electronics and Medical Technology. Its core business are machine tools for flexible sheet metal processing for punching and forming, laser processing and bending. In the field of industrial lasers and laser systems, the company is the technological leader on the world market. With about 50 subsidiaries and branch offices, the Group is represented in almost every European country, in North and South America as well as in Asia. Production locations can be found in Germany, Austria, China, Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Switzerland and the USA.

About MTT Group (www.mtt-group.com)

Over a period of 50 years the MTT–Group of companies (former MCP-Group) has grown to be a leading innovator with a worldwide reputation for supplying, installing and training in processes for the production of prototypes in many diversified materials. The Selective Laser Melting (SLM™) process has been successfully supplied by MCP into various market segments such as medical implants, dental applications and industrial applications for the last 6 years.

Today EOS, the world leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems, and Advanced Laser Materials, LLC (ALM), a developer and manufacturer of materials for rapid manufacturing processes, announced a strategic partnership. Under the agreement, EOS will act as a majority shareholder obtaining 51 percent of the ALM shares. The collaboration benefits both partners. Combining the knowledge of both companies, they will together further advance the development of plastic materials for rapid manufacturing via laser-sintering, the key technology for e-Manufacturing.

For example, ALM recently introduced the new fire-retardant polyamide, FR-106, an engineered material for use in the laser sintering process. Its introduction represents a major breakthrough in rapid manufacturing. As such it is a particularly applicable material for the aerospace industry which EOS counts among their key target industries as well. At the same time, ALM finds a very strong industry partner in EOS which will open up new markets for them in Europe. ALM also benefits from the patent portfolio EOS offers. EOS, on the other hand, with this partnership will secure and extend closer collaboration with their customers, particularly in the US market.

Johann Oberhofer, Chief Operating Officer at EOS emphasizes: “With ALM we found a partner which is a perfect fit for us. The collaborative work of both research facilities will result in acceleration of materials development that will be felt worldwide in the e-manufacturing industry. We welcome ALM as an affiliate to the EOS family and are very confident that both companies can jointly use the synergies created from this cooperation to advance the industry as a whole.”

Bruce C. Thornton, Chairman of ALM, LLC adds: "The strategic partnership of ALM with EOS makes another large step forward in the transition of laser sintering from rapid prototyping to rapid manufacturing of functional parts. The new generation of EOS laser sintering machines is being designed for manufacturing, and the development of materials for the manufacturing of functional parts is the primary focus of the ALM-EOS joint effort.”

About EOS

EOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. Laser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufacturing, the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology manufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes production processes. EOS completed its business year 2007/2008 with revenues of approximately 70 million Euros, which is an increase of 17 percent compared to the previous year. The company employs 280 people worldwide, 230 of them at its headquarters in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more information visit www.eos.info.

About Advanced Laser Materials, LLC (ALM)

Advanced Laser Materials (ALM) is a Texas-based company that consults, researches, develops, and manufactures materials for use in rapid prototyping and manufacturing processes such as laser sintering. ALM specializes in working closely with rapid prototyping and manufacturing companies to develop custom materials designed to meet their specific application needs. ALM has several key partnerships with material suppliers and developers, maintains its own in-house analysis and development laboratories, and provides extensive quality control data on its products. The company was started in 2003 with the participation of the University of Texas at Austin Office of Technology Commercialization, the Cockrell School of Engineering and a group of Texas-based investors. For more information visit www.alm-llc.com

Contacts:

Advanced Laser Materials (ALM)
Neil Lehman Tel: +1 254 773 3080
Cell: +1 215 815 7327
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it