Nobahamas, appreciate the additional info on the revolution. Hope you don't get attacked for being non arcam specific. LOL. Since the discussion Is continuing, I'll go beyond addressing one posters correction and give my two cents on the topic itself.
It is clear that we are at the threshold of a major industrial revolution, a sea change in the way things get made. Whether its as broad based as the original one, where we went from individual to mass production of items, i'll leave to history to judge. But it is a potential major change which only a few companies and individuals are embracing. Those that do will be the companies of the future.
GE is far in the forefront of this revolution. While posters are quoting from 2015 articles I can recall articles from GE in August 2014 and before (the new arcam blade process which I posted about at the time) indicating the benefits of new production methods and technology including 3d printing, composites, on time inventory, robots, etc. While GE bought a 3d company in, I think, 2014, and has been talking about 3d for years and actually producing items, other companies are still experimenting with it. Advantage GE and the other companies that have gone beyond the talk and experimentation stages and are gearing up to USE the techniques. That is not arcam which is simply making one tool in the process, albeit an important one, and simply helping those with the foresight to use it to enhance its industialization.
The new industrial revolution is a combination of hardware, software and the genius to combine all the individual tools toward a better production process. Its EBM, laser, composites, new production line design, robots, software, innovative designs and techniques, etc. and the genius of those who can put all that together to implement a better production process. And it is still evolving.
GE brillantly has decided to combine the advantages of EBM and laser. That is the brillance of what they are trying to accomplish. They can then steer the technological advancements of both to suit their needs, pick which is best to produce each individual part and design methodology and timing to suit its needs and whims. It can also, as I've speculated elsewhere, keep this technology both OEM and material, from competitors if it wishes. Now given the importance of software in the process, since it has the OEMs (hardware) locked up, should GE also decide to lock up the best in software?. In this context there is sigma which IF their product works as advertised could go a long way to easing the quality certification process. There is also materialize which is big in more general software geared to the production process and also is incorporating Sigma's product into its own products. If their software is expansive enough to aid in the production process, materialize might be the last factor in GE's design. It is buying the hardware printers, it is building and locking In composite technology and the last block may well be software, Anyone know if Materialize's software is broad enough to satisfy GE's needs or any other software company, maybe SAP, which has the software broad enough to suite GE's needs. Remember GE's coffers are full of the money gained from the sales of its credit entities
That is my vision of the new revolution. And as I've posted since the deal was announced, I've bought some GE to be a part of it. Already have Sigma, thinking of materialize which has done nothing pps wise since its IPO
