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Digital Mechanics
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 Connex500™ Set to Drive Future Expansion
Fredrik Finnberg
Co-founder Digital Mechanics
Digital Mechanics Triples Sales Volume
Digital Mechanics Sweden AB, a rapid prototyping service bureau located in Vasteras, Sweden, is living proof that creative thinking, advanced technology and dedication to service make a winning recipe for success.
The company was formed in August 2005 in a 20sqm office, with the goal of meeting the emerging local market need for rapid prototype parts through a subscription agreement. By the time it purchased its first Objet 3-D printing solution in October 2006, the business had already grown into a 76sqm space. Today, Digital Mechanics’ office span on 300sqm. At first the Eden250™ machine enabled Digital Mechanics to test the demand for 3-D printing of rapid prototyping parts. But, with the system running almost from the outset for 19 hours a day, seven days a week, the service bureau had to quickly expand its capabilities.
Cofounder Fredrik Finnberg recalled: “It was soon very clear that we needed a different system for our requirements, not just because of the volume but also because we wanted to bring
more value to our customers by offering the Tango materials.”
Initial success drives demand for a new Objet 3-D printer
Just seven months later, Digital Mechanics upgraded its Objet 3-D printing capabilities to the Eden350V, which offered a bigger build tray and support for an expanded range of Objet’s FullCure materials, including the rubber-like Tango materials. Within just a couple of months, the new Eden machine was running 8.5 hours a day, seven days a week. Finnberg’s partner and co-founder Anders Sjoberg noted that: “We have been growing very fast all this time. Our goal is to reach full capacity and have the machine operating 24/7.”
From its establishment in August 2005 through to the end of
2006, Digital Mechanics printed 5,000 parts. Then, in 2007
alone, the company’s output and sales tripled to 15,000. “This
is a phenomenal growth, and it was possible largely thanks to
Objet’s platforms and technology,” said Sjoberg. “Our success
is also due to our strategy of providing customers with a real
solution. We don’t just receive STL files and print them; we
understand and assist in the application.”
Providing a full solution
Digital Mechanics works on a subscription strategy in which
the customer pays an annual subscription fee to have an open
account, plus a fixed cost per cm³ for each model it orders.
“With this system companies don’t need to go through Purchase
Department each time,” explained Finnberg. “They can simply
send us an order and get the part within a few days. At Digital
Mechanics we talk about ‘price quality’ which means we provide
our customers with the best possible part available in the
market, with highly competitive pricing.”
Bowled over by the Connex500 multi-material 3-D printer
Having seen the strengths that Objet’s PolyJet™ Technology based Eden systems can bring to their business, Finnberg and
Sjoberg were excited by the introduction of Objet’s revolutionary
PolyJet Matrix™ Technology and Connex500™ system for
printing multi-material 3-D models. After seeing the Connex500
for the first time at ITS launch at the end of 2007, the co-founders realized that it was the perfect fit for Digital Mechanics’ leading edge positioning.
“We fell in love with this technology,” said Finnberg. “As wild as
my imagination can take me…I didn’t expect this coming from
Objet! Its simply amazing stuff!”
“We want Digital Mechanics to be at the cutting edge of rapid
prototyping technology. The Connex500 is the most advanced
technological platform in this industry. It brings real added
value to our customer offering…. So the decision to purchase
this system was obvious to us.”
Among the many opportunities that the Connex500 opens
up for Digital Mechanics is that it can produce multi-material
models that meet growing demand for injection molded parts,
particularly from the company’s consumer good and consumer
electronics customers. Finnberg said: “In the past, we needed
to glue double injection molded parts together, which was
sloppy and somewhat inaccurate. With the Connex500, we
simply determine what mechanical properties are required and
print the part.”
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Success Story
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- 20,000 individual parts printed between Aug 05 - Dec 07
- Office space expansion from 20sqm in Aug 05, to 300sqm by Feb 08
- Eden250™ Purchased Oct 06 followed by Eden350V in May 07
- Connex500 Purchased Feb 08
- New range of Digital Materials creating new possibilities.
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