ANNOUNCEMENT: (This is one of two announcments on the RP-ML from Ennex
Fabrication on August 14, 1996.)
*** THIS IS A COMMERCIAL ANNOUNCMENT of a new fabricator technology. ***
At the Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium in Austin, Texas today,
Ennex Fabrication Technologies unveiled a new process for fabrication of
3-dimensional solid objects under computer control. The new technique,
called "Conveyed-Adherent" fabrication, works by first forming individual
2-dimensional skins and then bonding those skins to each other in
sequence to build up the 3-D object. The process is different from all
other commercial fabricator technologies because it separates the process
of fabrication into the two steps of formation of 2-D skins and bonding
of the skins. While similar ideas have been tried in the past, the
patented Ennex technique provides a new method for conveying the skins
from the fabrication station to the bonding station in a way that allows
them to remain under precise control.
Ennex also showed the first mechanical implementation of the new
process in a prototype called the Genie (TM) fabricator, named for the
mythical Arabic deity that would grant the wishes of its owners. The
Genie fabricator forms its 2-D skins by cutting patterns into ordinary
adhesive-backed sheet materials. Models were shown of cars and various
geometrical designs made in the Genie fabricator.
The announcement was made in the form of a technical paper presented
by Prof. Charles Thomas of the University of Utah and Kenneth Hayworth of
Ennex Fabrication. The University of Utah and Ennex are exploring a
collborative relationship in further development of the Conveyed-Adherent
technology. The paper, titled "Automating Sheet-Based Fabrication: The
Conveyed-Adherent Process," will appear in the conference proceedings.
Reaction to the Ennex announcement was enthusiastic among the
researchers and technical users at the Austin conference. Ennex is
seeking partners and flagship customers to help it develop the technology
to the next stage. Several large and mid-sized companies have expressed
interest. A number of university groups have also expressed interest in
joining the technology development team, helping to develop specialized
software, materials, and process subsystems for the new fabricator.
The new technology is also described in this month's Rapid
Prototyping Report, being mailed to subscribers today. Parties wanting
further information are invited to contact Dr. Marshall Burns at Ennex
Fabrication.
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** Ennex(TM) Fabrication Technologies **
** FABRICATING THE FUTURE (TM) **
******* *******
** 10911 Weyburn Avenue, Suite 332, Los Angeles, U.S.A. 90024 **
** Phone: +1 (310) 824-8700 Fax: +1 (310) 824-5185 **
** E-Mail: fabbers@ennex.com **
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