Stratasys is an American manufacturer of industrial 3D printing solutions based in Rehovot, Israel. It is one of the pioneers in the additive manufacturing market today, with a worldwide presence and expertise in a wide range of 3D technologies. Its machines include its entire Fortus range, some of which are compatible with high-performance materials, and its full-color 3D printers based on patented PolyJet technology.
A brief history of Stratasys
S. Scott Crump founded the company in 1989, after having first developed 3D printing with FDM. The company sold its first product, the 3D Modeler, in April 1992. The company then experienced rapid growth and went public in 1994 with a total share value of $5.7 million. In 2012, Stratasys merged with the Israeli manufacturer Objet, specialized in Material Jetting technology: it is thanks to this merger that it was able to develop its PolyJet process and that its value amounts to $3 billion. One year later, it bought Makerbot for $403 million, an American manufacturer at the origin of many office FDM 3D printers.
Elchanan (Elan) Jaglom has been chairman of the board of Stratasys since February 2015 and currently serves as interim CEO since CEO Ilan Levin left in May 2018. The company currently employs more than 2,200 employees.
Stratasys’ Product Line
As you can imagine, Stratasys has designed a wide range of FDM 3D printers that today meet a wide variety of needs: the manufacturer has developed office solutions but also more industrial machines for sectors such as aerospace or automotive. Some are even compatible with high-performance thermoplastics. It has divided its machines into three ranges: the Design Series, the Production Series and the Dental Series.
Thanks to its PolyJet technology, Stratasys can manufacture coloured parts with different degrees of transparency. This feature is particularly interesting for the medical sector, especially in the creation of anatomical models. Machines such as the J750 can reproduce a kidney, heart or liver very precisely, with a view of the blood vessels, so that surgeons can practice before a delicate operation.
Stratasys’ material range
Stratasys has also developed a wide range of materials, designed for use on its machines. The manufacturer offers today a variety of polymers, from classical filaments such as ABS to technical filaments such as PEEK, but also resins compatible with its PolyJet printers. Stratasys’ materials are now used to create applications in many sectors, from dental models to tooling parts and functional prototypes.