Interview with Ryan Schultz, VP Stratasys at 3D Experience World 2020

We recently interviewed Ryan Schultz of Stratasys at 3DExperience World 2020 (formerly Solidworks World) in Nashville, TN. Stratasys is a leading manufacturer of 3D printers and 3D production systems for office-based rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing solutions. Engineers use Stratasys systems to model complex geometries in a wide range of thermoplastic materials. Founded in 1989, Stratasys was one of the founders of the 3D printing/additive manufacturing industry, and over the years has strengthened its market position by merging with Objet and with acquisitions that include MakerBot and Solid Concepts.

Jeff Rowe: It’s no secret that Stratasys is huge in the 3D printing/additive manufacturing space, but can you talk a little bit what makes your PolyJet process unique?

Ryan Schultz: PolyJet’s a really unique technology in that we can do full color multi-material printing in one print. So, whether it’s rigid or flexible, whether it’s solid or transparent, multi-materials in a single print really unlocks a number of tremendous unique applications you can’t see in any other technology.

JR: One of the most unique aspects about your new machine, which you’re going to talk about here in a minute, is your Pantone color matching capability.

RS: That’s right. The J8 series from Stratasys is the world’s first Pantone validated 3D printer. What that means is we can dramatically improve a designer’s experience in designing and printing because they can use Pantone. And Pantone, of course, is a design language that designers are familiar with and allows them to choose colors much faster. In the past, they’d have to spend a lot of time working with CMYK to get the color they wanted. Now they can go to their Pantone colorbook, grab their Pantone color, and they’re off and running.

JR: What are you showcasing this week at the conference?

RS: There’s two things we’re talking about and I’m really excited to announce the launch of the J826 printer which is the newest addition to the J8 series. It brings all the power and value proposition of the J850 and the J835 with a smaller footprint and a more affordable price point. We think that this printer is going to be a great fit for smaller design firms or people with a bit less of a budget. In addition to the J826, we also have a VeroUltraClear. So in the past we have had our VeroClear material, now we have what we call UltraClear, which has a much better properties. So it’s a light index much closer to glass, which allows us to do a lot of really cool applications on the design side.

JR: Now, what’s the build volume of your new smaller footprint machine?

RS: It’s about a quarter of the size of the J850, but it has a removable tray, so it’s easy to get parts in and out, and there’s still plenty of room to print multiple prototypes in one print.

JR: It seems like your marketplace gets more crowded every week, What really makes Stratasys unique and sets it apart from the competition?

RS: Great question. So aside from Stratasys being the world’s largest 3D printing company, we have a pretty good technology portfolio, where we have PolyJet and we have FDM. We recently launched our first stereolithography printer, the V650 Flex. And aside from hardware, we also have a full range of materials. We have software through GrabCAD and we have a service bureau. So we like to think of it as Stratasys should be your first call and your last call regarded to 3D printing. Because no matter your need, we’re going to have a solution.

JR: Truly one stop shopping.

RS: That’s exactly right.

JR: What types of trends do you see occurring in the 3D printing market?

RS: You see the process technology developing with innovations and new materials. The trends are really about enabling new applications. On the healthcare side, you’re seeing with the launch of the J750 digital anatomy printer, the ability to replicate unique anatomy. For example, if someone has a heart defect, they go to the doctor they have to do some imaging to figure out what’s wrong; how to fix that heart. Today, you can scan your individual heart with your unique pathology and then print it out in a material that cuts real heart tissue, that sutures real heart tissue, which allows faster patient recovery time and more successful procedures. Very exciting stuff.

JR: Where can our viewers go for more information about Stratasys?

RS: Two places. I’d say, first start with stratasys.com, our website. It’s a wealth of information about our technologies, applications, materials, etcetera. Also, I’d refer you to your local Stratasys reseller.

Tags: J826, J835, J850, PolyJet, Stratasys

Category: Interview

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