Carl Deckard
Carl Deckard to be presented with AMUG’s Innovators Award following his interview in the group’s Innovators Showcase.
Carl Deckard will be 2017’s recipient of the Additive Manufacturing Users Group Innovators Award for his development of Selective Laser Sintering.
SLS has been an important additive manufacturing technique since its invention, primarily in the sintering of powdered metal and binding material together to create a solidified structure.
Deckard, the co-founder of Structured Polymers, will be presented with the award at the AMUG Conference in March after making an onstage appearance at the conference’s Innovators Showcase. The Innovators Award is rewarded to those that have cultivated innovative ideas that have advanced the AM industry. Previous recipients include technology creators Chuck Hall and Scott Crump, founders of 3D Systems Corporation and Stratasys Ltd., respectively.
The SLS technology was conceived and developed by Deckard while he studied as an undergraduate at the University of Texas. After the concept took shape, Deckard pursued it for his master’s degree and Ph.D. work. He then co-founded Nova Automation, later renamed DTM Corp, and eventually acquired by 3D Systems Corporation.
Launching Sinterstation 2000 in 1993, Selective laser Sintering moved from research labs into the industry. Just under 20 years later, Deckard teamed up with Jim Mikulak and Vikram Devarajan to establish Structured Polymers. The company was primarily focused on improved materials for SLS and other powder bed fusion AM processes.
“With over 30 years of technology innovation in the additive manufacturing industry, the candidate pool for the Innovators Award is quite deep. This made the selection process very difficult,” said Steve Deak, AMUG President. “But in the end, we made the best choice, the right choice, when we named Carl Deckard as the recipient. In the early days of, the three core technologies were Selective Laser Sintering, Stereolithography and Fused Deposition Modelling. The inventors of the latter two have already received the award. It was time to recognise the innovative mind behind SLS.”
Prior to receiving his award, Deckard will take part in a relaxed interview during the 29th annual AMUG Education and Training Conference on Wednesday 22nd March 2017. He will respond to questions posed by the host and conference attendees, so they can gain guidance from his experience and get to understand the man behind SLS technology.
“The Innovators Showcase has been a highlight of the past two conferences,” added Deak. “Our attendees really enjoy hearing the stories of progress, challenges and triumphs as well as seeing the personal side of industry titans. Carl Deckard has great stories to share so I am confident his appearance will be very well received.”
Designed for both novice and experienced additive manufacturing users, the AMUG Conference agenda topics range from technology basics to advanced applications to business considerations. Although the agenda is still in development, AMUG is anticipating nearly 200 presentations, workshops and hands-on training sessions.
The 29th annual AMUG Conference will be held March 19 – 23, 2017, at the Hilton Chicago in Chicago, Illinois.
