Press Release
EOS sells STEREOS Product Line and Concentrates on Laser-Sintering
Planegg/Munich, 1st September 1997: EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems,
the leading European manufacturer of Rapid Prototyping (RP) systems, is
selling its stereolithography product line STEREOS to 3D Systems, Inc.
of Valencia, California. In return, EOS will receive amongst other
payments a worldwide exclusive licence to all patents owned by 3D
Systems, for use in laser-sintering applications. All patent disputes
between the two companies will also be ended. "This agreement will
enable us to greatly strengthen our market position," stated Dr. Hans J.
Langer, founder and president of EOS. "We believe that laser-sintering
technology offers the greatest growth potential in laser-based Rapid
Prototyping, Tooling and Manufacturing. With this restructuring of our
product range and strengthening of our patent position we can now
concentrate all our energies on the further development and worldwide
marketing of our core technology, the EOSINT laser-sintering products".
EOSINT RP-technologies are laser-based layer manufacturing techniques
and are already an established part of industrial product development,
in which time to market is a decisive success factor. EOS has introduced
a number of innovative laser-sintering technologies over the last few
years. In 1994, EOS presented EOSINT P, the first European
laser-sintering system for producing plastic prototypes. With the
introduction of EOSINT M for direct manufacture of metal tooling for
plastic injection moulding by Direct Metal Laser-Sintering (DMLS) and
EOSINT S for direct manufacture of casting moulds in foundry sand by the
Direct Croning Process (DCP), EOS established itself as a technology
leader.
Since the commercial introduction of STEREOS in 1991, EOS has pioneered
many innovations in the field of laser-stereolithography, such as
Windows*-software, exchangeable resin vats and on-line hatching (1991),
active recoating (1993), auto-range recoating (1995), easily-removable
supports for epoxy resins and solid-state lasers (1996), all of which
have subsequently also been adopted by other manufacturers. However the
enormous advances in EOSINT laser-sintering technology with its wide
range of materials, high productivity and direct Rapid Tooling
applications have increasingly taken applications and market share from
stereolithography.
More than 80 STEREOS systems have been sold in Europe and Asia to such
companies as Bertrandt, BMW, Daewoo, Fiat, Hella, Hitachi Zosen,
Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Philips, Siemens and Zanussi-Electrolux as well
as many service bureaux. The 24 STEREOS systems sold in Europe in 1996
represented a market share of approximately 34% of the European
stereolithography market.
3D Systems is regarded as a pioneer of Rapid Prototyping and is the
largest supplier of stereolithography systems worldwide. By purchasing
the EOS stereolithography business, the US manufacturer intends to
strengthen its position in Europe. Under the terms of the agreement,
both parties will work together to ensure the smooth transfer of the
business in the interests of the customers. 3D Systems has also
committed itself to providing service and maintenance to STEREOS
customers in future.
Further information can be obtained from http://www.eos-gmbh.de or tel.
+49 89 856-232
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