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Ron Belknap (Managing Partner) is attending the 3D Systems User Group (3DSUG) Conference in New Mexico. On the 3rd day, Ron has reported the following info:

Krylon Fusion paint is a very good paint for your SLA parts. In addition to coloring your parts, it provides improved heat resistance, increases the toughness, add moisture resistance, adds UV protection, and fills in surface imperfections

Ron Belknap (Managing Partner) is attending the 3D Systems User Group (3DSUG) Conference in New Mexico. During the 1st day, Ron has reported the following info:

Todd Grimm with T. A. Grimm Associates gave thought provoking State of the Industry Address highlighting two key points:

1. The industry (ASTM F42) has changed the standard term of our industry from "Rapid Prototyping" to "Additive Manufacting".,
2. In order to move this industry forward and expand it, the users need to be more colabrative and get the word out to those who don't know about this industry and it's capabilities.

Coverage will continue for each day of the conference.

Representative Charlie Dent who is currently the United States Congressman (PA-15) took time out of his day to visit the ProtoCAM office today. Represenative Dent took a tour of the facility and spoke with Ray Biery and Ron Belknap (managing partners) of ProtoCAM about manufacturing in PA. Represenative Dent also spoke with several ProtoCAM employees about their thoughts on the company, their job and the local economy.

Mobigrip is a cool new consumer product that helps users of mobile phones and other hand held devices to keep them from falling or being left behind. The Mobigrip sticks to the back or underside of the device and has a micro bungee that loops over the user’s finger to secure the device to the hand. The big benefit is to avoid damaging or losing these expensive devices. Mobigrip can also be customized to be a promotional item.

ProtoCAM worked with Mobigrip to create the stereolithography prototypes that were used in the product development process. ProtoCAM brings a wealth of experience in rapid prototyping for consumer goods, where a fast turn-around in the prototype creation leads to faster time-to-market. ProtoCAM’s plastics engineers have extensive consumer goods prototype manufacturing expertise, and as always with ProtoCAM, design confidentiality is assured.

Check out the Mobigrip or purchase online at http://www.mobigrips.com/. The Mobigrip device leash is made in the USA.

Labels: consumer goods prototypes, plastics engineering, product development, prototypes, rapid prototyping, SLA prototype, stereolithography

Andy Kossowsky is always looking for ways to improve the things he uses. An avid golfer and an inventor at heart, Kossowsky was dissatisfied with the typical driving range experience. He felt it was unfortunate there were not many advantageous places where he could put his golf clubs without the fear of having them get damaged or forgotten. That dissatisfaction was the impetus for creating the UpGrade Golf Systems products, where both his golf tray and range divider can conveniently hold up to 8 clubs.

Kossowsky found ProtoCAM by searching on Google for “plastic prototypes” and noted that ProtoCAM was located not too far away from his New York location. Kossowsky contacted ProtoCAM and spoke with Engineer, Ed Graham who guided him to ProtoCAM’s business partner Jim Eldon of Eldon Design Associates. Eldon worked with Kossowsky to move the product development process further along and create the 3D CAD model of the first product, The UpGrade Ball Tray.

ProtoCAM produced the stereolithography prototype in short order and on budget, which Kossowsky used to test and make adjustments in the size of some of the golf club holes. Another prototype was made and this second iteration tested out perfectly.

The second product made was the Range Divider. ProtoCAM again provided the SLA prototype from the 3D CAD model provided by Kossowsky and Eldon. The Range Divider was tested and an improvement in the anchoring system is now complete.

Accura 60 material was the stereolithography material used for all the SLA prototypes.

Kossowsky comments that he “feels spoiled by the experience” because of ProtoCAM’s great service and he “can’t wait to work with ProtoCAM again in the future.”

For manufacturing the products, Kossowsky is now sourcing to make the product using injection molding with polyethylene.

About the UpGrade Golf Products
Both tray and divider provide upright storage and easy access for up to eight golf clubs regardless of grip size. The use of these products eliminates lost clubs that may be left behind or damaged from leaving clubs on the ground or against a fence. The Ball Tray can hold in excess of 90 balls and the Range Divider will allow for an improved area to a person to organize the balls to be used on the range. Both products have a designated area to be used for advertising where the cost of the advertising space can essentially pay for the cost of the tray/divider and in time, will make money for the driving range owner. Both products are patent pending.

About Andy Kossowsky
Andy is a golf enthusiast, author and inventor of both golf products and a unique playing style. Andy invented The PowerSlot Swing, www.powerslotswing.com. Various articles have been published regarding Kossowsky’s swing method, including pieces in publinksgolfer.net and worldgolf.com, and a YouTube video. Along with working on making a feature length video and getting his book published, Andy has also invented a putter and is working on bringing it to market as well.

Check out the Upgrade Golf Products online at www.UpgradeGolf.com.

Labels: large parts, plastics engineering, product development, rapid prototyping, SLA prototype, stereolithography

Snack Palette is a new consumer product that is now available on the market and for sale on the website http://www.snackpalette.com/. It is a disposable/recyclable plate for use at picnics, parties or any other activity so that the holder can hold food and drink in one hand. The Snack Palette is a plate and holder for a cup, fork and napkin all in one and can be used in the left or right hand.



Snack Palette inventor Duane Ebesu started the product development process working with a sculptor to create a clay model of the product. With that model in hand, he contacted ProtoCAM to create the prototype. Ebesu had worked with ProtoCAM on another project and liked their “attention to detail” and “no hassle, never a problem” customer service approach.

ProtoCAM had the clay model scanned to generate the initial 3D CAD representation of the product. ProtoCAM plastics engineer and rapid prototyping analyst Ed Graham worked with Ebesu to understand that the Snack Palette would be manufactured in the future in large quantities using plastic thermoforming. Thermoforming was a better choice for the Snack Palette as it would be less costly to manufacture in the long run than injection molding.

With that in mind, Graham helped provide some design suggestions related to the future manufacturing of the product, so that the thickness of the product would be sufficient to be thermoformed. With these design for manufacturability suggestions in place, ProtoCAM produced the prototype using stereolithography (SLA).

Ebesu comments, “I chose ProtoCAM to do the rapid prototyping because I knew they had a clear understanding of what was needed to get the job done.”

Snack Palette and all its accessories are available online at http://www.snackpalette.com/.

Labels: plastics engineering, product development, rapid prototyping, SLA prototype, stereolithography