Impossible Objects RAPID2017
Impossible Objects’ founder, Bob Swartz has spoke of his pride after winning the Innovation Award at the RAPID+TCT event earlier this month.
The company launched their flagship 3D printing machine, the Model One boasting composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) technology, in Pittsburgh and on the final day of the event were presented with the award, which recognises a new product or service set to have the most impact on the industry. A committee made up of members of the SME, a society of manufacturing professionals, and independent industry experts were responsible for picking the winner of a hotly contested category. Dozens of products were launched at this year’s RAPID+TCT, but the Model One was adjudged to be the most innovative, and in the judge’s estimation, the most impactful.
“It’s an honour to win this award and to be judged against some of the major companies in our field,” said Swartz, who is also Chairman of the company. “We’re already seeing tremendous demand from the world’s largest companies who are looking to additive manufacturing for better material properties, a wider selection of materials and the ability to print at scale.”
Chris Williams, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech, who served as one of the judges said: The judges awarded the 2017 RAPID Exhibitor Innovation Award to Impossible Objects CBAM technology as it novel layer-wise composites processing technology offered an innovative solution that could provide significant value to its customers and to the industry as a whole. The award was well-deserved given CBAM’s potential for high-speed production of high-strength composite parts with complex geometries.”
The CBAM method enables composites to use a range of composite materials, such as carbon fibre, with PEEK and other high performance polymers. This allows strong, lightweighted parts to be produced at scale.
“It is good to see Impossible Objects commercialise its machine,” said Terry Wohlers of Wohlers Associates, an independent consulting firm focused on additive manufacturing. “The product contributes favourably to the availability of options for composite parts made by AM.”
Impossible Objects expects the Model One to become available by the start of 2018.
