Following the name “Hollywood”, what most comes to mind when thinking of Los Angeles is the smog that coats the city. In 2011, LA sought to create a cleantech hub that would spur innovation around sustainable energy, not just for the city, but for the world as a whole, now struggling to deal with the climate change that has resulted from fossil fuel use. This lead to the creation of the La Kretz Innovation Campus (LKIC) and the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), a cleantech incubator geared towards accelerating the commercialization of green technology in Los Angeles. Now, the state-of-the-art LKIC facility has added 3D printing to the tools offered to startups and the LA community through Southwest Stratasys reseller Purple Platypus.
In addition to existing expertise and facilities, LKIC will house a number of new manufacturing equipment, including the additive manufacturing center stocked with Stratasys FDM and PolyJet technologies from Purple Platypus. LKIC will also house a wet lab, welding shop, electronics lab, and CNC shop, giving Cleantech members access to just about every piece of technology necessary to get prototypes and designs off the ground. In turn, Purple Platypus will also be able to host seminars, workshops, and conduct meetings with customers at the LKIC. Mark Swart, CEO of Purple Platypus, said of the deal, “We are thrilled to be a part of LA’s cleantech hub and looking forward to the collaboration with LACI in promoting an innovative culture across Southern California.”
Together, Purple Platypus and LACI will also host a 3D printing forum, which will include a panel of industry experts. 3D printed parts and Stratasys’ newest J750 multi-material, multi-color 3D printer will also be exhibited at the event, as well as Stratasys’ massive Objet1000 Plus 3D printer. A Q&A panel with leading manufacturers in Southern California and opportunities to engage with the Stratasys R&D team will further given attendees a chance to understand the usefulness of 3D printing technology.
