Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Japan and China
If China is a late comer in the 3D business, Japan was an early bird. Already in 1981, before
Charles Hull did it, the researcher Hideo Kodama experimented with a stereolithography
process. He published his findings in Review of Scientific Instruments under the title:
“Automatic method for fabricating a three-dimensional plastic model with photo-hardening
polymer”. Kodama did not receive enough funding for his research and his patent applica-
tion expired before completion of the mandatory examination stage. There were other Japan-
ese researchers who took up the torch. Yoji Marutani patented an “Optical Molding Meth-
od” in 1984. His work was the foundation for the company CMET (Computer Modeling and
Engineering Technology), which was founded in 1988 by Mitsubishi, Asahi Denka, NTT/
Data Communications and some other companies. CMET developed stereolithography ma-
chines and was merged with the Teijin Seiki owned company Opto-Image in 2001. Another
stereolithograpy machinery company, D-MEC, was established by Japan Synthetic Rubber
(JSR) in 1990. Sony was also involved as it developed hardware and software for D-MEC.
The market for Japanese AM machinery has mainly been domestic, partly due to patent is-
sues. The AM industry in Japan seem to have declined after the financial crisis of 2008 and
the earthquake catastrophe in 2011. Some companies have come and gone, currently there
are a few of them. CMET still lives on but is now owned by Teijin Seiki which is in turn
owned by Nabtesco, they still produce stereolithography systems under the brand CMET.
D-MEC also lives on, although they have not been very active in recent years. In the 00s
they developed a stereolithography machine, called Acculas, together with Laser Solutions
that could produce very small parts with a micro level resolution.
Other Japanese companies worth mentioning are Matsuura, Aspect, Unirapid and Keyence.
Matsuura produces a “metal laser sintering hybrid milling machine”. Aspect was founded
in 1996 and produces a selective laser sintering system for plastic materials. Unirapid
was formerly called Ushio and has been around since the 90s, they produce a stereolitho-
graphy system with very high resolution suited for printing small objects. In 2013 Keyence
launched Agilista 3100 which works through material jetting.
China on the other hand entered slowly into the 3D business, some steps to commercializ-
ation were taken in the mid-90s, but it is only in recent years that the sector has taken off.
There are reasons to believe that the chain of events is related to economic development in
Asia. Japan exited an era of being a major production center in the 70s and 80s, whereas Ch-
ina entered this phase in the 90s. Automotive manufacturing is a sector that frequently uses
AM machinery and it is a sector that has grown in China during the last two decades.
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