Boston-based industrial polymer 3D printer manufacturer RIZE 3D has announced it has ceased operating.
A post on the company’s website says the time has come to “close that chapter” on RIZE 3D, with a new company, Palitra, established to offer support for existing customers.
Full-color 3D printing
RIZE was founded in 2014 by Eugene Giller, a previous employee of ZCorp which has since become 3D printer manufacturer 3D Systems. Having amassed extensive knowledge and experience within binder jetting, Giller set out to improve the powder handling aspect of the technology and improve the ease of post-processing.
Working with his team of engineers, Giller combined material jetting with FFF to develop RIZE’s Augmented Polymer Deposition (APD) process, which formed the basis of the firm’s RIZE One 3D printer, commercially introduced in 2017.
Designed around the motto of “zero post processing”, the RIZE One was capable of reducing turnaround time by 50 percent, cutting costs, and improving part strength. Supports on the 3D printed parts could be simply snapped off by hand, and the technology also enabled parts with color gradients, with space for full-color spectrum developments.
The RIZE One has previously been used by the US Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) for the on-demand manufacturing of spare parts and tools, and by IRA Green Inc (IGI), a contract manufacturer of military insignia, to produce fixtures at lower costs. The firm’s technology reportedly saved IGI over $120,000 in production costs per year and “completely transformed” its production process.
The company went on to release its full-color 3D printer, the XRIZE, at the end of 2018, as well as what it claimed to be the first 3D printed Digitally Augmented Parts (DAP) to counter 3D printed piracy and counterfeits.
RIZE 3D closes its doors
The company’s social media channels have been quiet for several months, and the company has now broken its silence with the announcement that it has shut down. The statement on the firm’s website says:
“RIZE is no longer functioning as a company but don’t worry! Eugene Giller founded RIZE with one mission – to bring functional prototyping to the masses with advanced features like composite materials & full-color printing.
“Thanks to the incredible core team who worked tirelessly to create a technology ecosystem unlike any other filament 3D printer in the world, his vision became reality.
“While we are incredibly thankful for everything RIZE was able to accomplish, it was time to close that chapter to keep the initial vision alive. Welcome to the next chapter. Welcome to Palitra!”
The new company, Palitra, has been established to provide support to existing RIZE customers for the equipment they have purchased and to supply filaments previously provided by RIZE. The firm is currently “working on a new online store”, and in the meantime, customers can contact Palitra to order their filament.
Palitra’s website states the company is “just getting started”, and plans to serve existing RIZE customers with full-color 3D printing services and license its core technology to expand its reach.
RIZE 3D did not provide a reason for its closure in its statement. 3D Printing Industry has reached out to the company for comment, and we will keep our readers updated on Palitra’s future direction.
RIZE 3D’s closure follows the recent shut down of automotive OEM Local Motors, manufacturer of the partially 3D printed ‘Olli’ autonomous vehicle, and 3D printing service provider Voodoo Manufacturing, which succumbed to financial pressures from the Covid-19 pandemic midway through 2020.
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Featured image shows RIZE 2XC 3D printer. Photo via RIZE.
