Jul 24 2013
Mcor Technologies Ltd, manufacturer of the only line of desktop paper-based 3D printers announced that its customer, Vincennes University, located in Indiana, is using Mcor’s Selective Deposition Lamination (SDL) paper-based 3D printing technology to cut costs, give students unlimited access to 3D printing technology and help prepare them for successful careers.
Vincennes University originally intended to purchase their industrial technology students a 3D printer that produces plastic models. However they noticed a 3D printer using ordinary sheets of paper to create solid, durable physical models. “When we saw that, we said, ‘Wow, we have to have it,’” said Tom Danielsen, interim coordinator of the product design and production processes program at Vincennes University. “The affordability drove us right to the Mcor Matrix.”
The university realized it needed an industrial-class 3D printer that was affordable enough to operate that students could use it every day. The Mcor Matrix is now a prominent member of Vincennes tool kit of 3D printers.
“Some schools buy the most expensive 3D printer on the market, then don’t let their students get their hands on it because it costs too much to print models,” explains Danielsen. “Our tradition is hands on. We want students using the machine, learning how it works and what they can do with it. Because the material, paper, is so affordable, the Mcor Matrix is most definitely a hands-on machine.”
Vincennes University students find ways to slash the cost of part prototypes. A pulley system, for example, costs $35 in materials from a plastics-based 3D printer but only one-seventh the cost – or $5 – with the Mcor Matrix, according to Danielsen. Finding cost savings of this magnitude is something employers deeply appreciate.
Another benefit is sustainability. “The Mcor Matrix produces models that, when their useful life is over, are as recyclable as paper,” says Danielsen. “That’s because they are paper. Since the sheets are bound together, the recyclable models are as tough as wood. Students understand and appreciate the sustainability advantage. It’s important to them.”
The Mcor 3D printing process takes place continually in the Vincennes University fabrication lab, presenting a fascinating and impressive sight to prospective students who visit the school. “Students want to know they’ll be learning exciting new technology here that will make them more competitive when applying for jobs or additional educational programs after graduation,” says Danielsen. Vincennes is a pipeline to some of the biggest employers in manufacturing and technology.
And though the technology is sophisticated, it’s not difficult: “The Mcor Matrix has been very easy to use, and we’ve had no issues at all,” he says. In addition to fabricating parts, the Mcor Matrix also makes patterns for casting.
“We haven’t come across anything it can’t do,” says Danielsen. “Companies evaluating a machine on a material-cost-per-printed-part basis will see the Matrix is very cost-effective, just as we did. Add in the green factor and it’s a no-brainer.”
About Mcor Technologies Ltd
Mcor Technologies Ltd is an innovative manufacturer of the world’s most affordable, full-color and eco-friendly 3D printers. They are the only 3D printers to use ordinary business letter paper as the build material, a choice that renders durable, stable and tactile models. Established in 2004 with a talented team of specialists in the area of 3D printing, software and CAD/CAM, Mcor’s vision is to make 3D printing more accessible to everyone. The company operates internationally from offices in Ireland, the UK and America. www.mcortechnologies.com.
Source: http://www.mcortechnologies.com/