BMW steers toward FDM for small quantity production

Wednesday, August 24, 2011 by Ruth Jacques
BMW's AG plant in Regensburg, Germany has already road-tested fused deposition modeling (FDM) for product development through design prototyping, and is now driving quickly towards more direct digital manufacturing to further maximize their investment in their Stratasys 3D Production System.

Engineer Gunter Schmid notes, "The FDM process can be an alternative to the conventional metal-cutting manufacturing methods like milling, burning, and boring." He, along with fellow engineer, Ulrich...Read More »
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Electroplating Combines the Advantages of Plastics & Metals

Friday, June 4, 2010 by Tim Thellin


Metal plating of plastics really started to kick in around the sixties when it was discovered that ABS could be pre-treated to ensure proper adhesion of the metal film. The automotive industry was one of the first to really take advantage of the new technique. Automakers could mold trim and other exterior components into appealing shapes and give them a metallic look that inspired car lovers to ogle the beloved vehicle.

With the advent of rapid prototyping and low volume digitally manufactured...

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