Leuven, Belgium – March 26 – A few years ago, Materialise introduced its free file compression tool, STLzip. STLzip saves space and speeds up distribution, download, and transfer by compressing STL files with a factor of 10 to 20 into the MGX compression format. Now, Materialise is offering a new, much more powerful version: STLzip 2.0. The enhanced STLzip 2.0 software gives the user also the capability to decompress MGX files into STL format.

"Does this sound familiar to you? You wait forever for 3D CAD files to download into your mailbox. You're irritated by the amount of space eaten up by big, crucial STL files you seldom use. You have several 3D CAD files to transfer, but only have the capability to send one at a time. Fed up? Materialises STLzip 2.0 utility is the solution you've been waiting for!" claims Robby Merckx, from Materialises CAD and production planning department.

There are two big advantages to archiving your STL files in MGX format. First, you'll free up significant storage space. Second, you'll be able to access files in a single download when you save all related files in the same archive.

STLzip 2.0 also provides you with self-extracting MGX files, the perfect solution for electronic file distribution and transfer. By including multiple compressed files, it guarantees that related files don't become separated during transfer. Nor does your recipient need to install STLzip2.0 on his/her system. STLzip 2.0 unzips or extracts files automatically.

With the Application Program Interface (API) you can access STLzip 2.0 from inside any CAD system. You're one mouse click away from compressing your 3D CAD data into an MGX file!

To download the software or gather some more information, go to www.materialise.com/STLzip.

About Materialise:

Materialise, with headquarters in Belgium, started in 1990 in the sector of rapid prototyping. Since that time, the company has experienced an exponential growth. Materialise is more than just one of the leading European Rapid Prototyping providers. Materialise also develops innovative applications enabling advanced use of the rapid prototyping techniques. Materialise software is used worldwide by the leading companies of the automotive, aerospace and consumer electronics. The 'Magics' software line provides a variety of solutions for data handling in product communication, rapid prototyping and rapid tooling. Materialise has offices all over the world and the largest software development team in the RP sector with locations in Belgium and Kiev (Ukraine).

Questions or remarks? Please visit the company's web site at http://www.materialise.com

For more information, contact:

In the US:
Materialise US, 6111 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor MI48103, phone (734) 662 5057. E-mail: Email Contact

In Europe:
Materialise NV, Technologielaan 15, 3001 Leuven, Belgium, phone +32 (16) 39 66 11. E-mail: Email Contact

In Japan:
Yokohama Portside Building 2F, 8-1 Sakae-cho-Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, phone 81-45-440- 4591. E-mail: Email Contact

In the rest of Asia:
Unit D6-03 Phileo Damansara 1, No 9 Jln. 16/11, 46350 Petaling Jaya, Malayasia, phone (603) 7765 2966. E-mail: Email Contact