Design company Eclipse Corp. has invested in a Massivit 1800 large-format 3D printer to provide design and thermoformed signage services that differ from traditional 3D printing companies.
The Ohio-based firm, which will concurrently operate as a 3D printing service bureau, joins a number of print shops and communications providers who have already harnessed Massivit’s proprietary gel deposition technology. Eclipse Corp also claims that Massivit 1800 will be a significant source of revenue.
Integrating Massivit 3D printing into a design company
Eclipse Corp. offers grand-format 3D printing services for design, prototyping, and to manufacture end-use objects. Such objects may include marketing props for product launches, decorations for retail spaces and standout displays for events.
Commenting on the integration of large-format 3D printing, Jeff Burt, CEO of Eclipse Corp, said that “the investment in the Massivit 1800 is set to transform our operation by allowing us to quickly create super-sized, captivating projects with the head-turning power that our customers, both current and new, demand.”
Eclipse Corp will also use the Massivit 1800 in high-endurance thermoforming applications. For this, a flat sign is initially 2D printed with EFI thermoforming inks.
A 3D mold is then 3D printed using gel deposition, where a photopolymer extruded at 36 cm per hour is immediately cured by a print-head UV light.
Finally, the sign is heated on a thermoforming machine, and the 3D printed mold raised on to it to produce 3D vehicle wraps, bus graphics, retail signage and set designs.
A service bureau that generates greater revenue
With the added capacity of large format 3D printing, Eclipse Corp. will now also function as an additive manufacturing service bureau. By addressing the market demand for 3D printed prototypes and parts, the company will unlock a significant revenue stream. As Jeff Burt explained,
“…with the power to add a new and competitive dimension to our business, we anticipate that the Massivit 1800 will play an integral role in achieving an increased revenue of $1 million or more within the next three years.”
“As one of a handful of companies with the capability to 3D print attention-grabbing large format applications, we want to ensure that our customers can benefit from the technology’s full potential whatever their requirements,” Burt continued.
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Featured image shows Eclipse Corp.’s Jeff Burt (L) and Sandra Burt (R). Photo via Eclipse Corp.
