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New Material Options for FDM Direct Digital Manufacturing and Rapid Prototyping Machines

More Choices Offer Users Stronger, More Flexible and Higher Temp Materials

FRANKFURT, 24th September 2008 - (NASDAQ: SSYS) Stratasys today announced the availability of new material options for its direct digital manufacturing and prototyping machines. For the FDM 360mc,™ PC and PC-ABS are now available, and for the FDM 400mc™ ABSi and PC-ISO are new options.

The new thermoplastic selections give users access to stronger, more flexible and higher temperature materials. With these new options, they can better match materials to needed properties, ensuring parts have better performance.

"From conceptual prototyping through to direct digital manufacturing, we're committed to providing manufacturers with solutions to build accurate parts for testing or end-use," says  product marketing manager Fred Fischer. "The new materials give FDM users new options to help them expand their rapid prototyping and production operations."

New Materials for FDM 360mc
The addition of PC for the Stratasys FDM 360mc system provides users with improved accuracy, durability, and stability, so they can create stronger prototypes or parts. PC is particularly useful for design or manufacturing engineers in the automotive, aerospace and medical industries. The PC material is available in 0.007, 0.010, and 0.013 inch slice thicknesses (0.178 mm, 0.254 mm, and 0.330 mm).

PC-ABS is one of the most widely used industrial thermoplastics and is commonly used in automotive, electronics and telecommunications applications. The addition of the material for the FDM 360mc machine provides users with the strength and heat-resistance characteristics of PC, while adding the increased flexibility of ABS. PC-ABS is available in 0.005, 0.007, 0.010, and 0.013 inch slice thickness options ( 0.127 mm, 0.178 mm, 0.254 mm, and 0.330 mm).

New Materials for FDM 400mc
The addition of PC-ISO to the FDM 400mc offers users a tough polycarbonate material that can be sterilised for medical device or food and pharmaceutical handling equipment applications. It has high impact and flexural strength and can handle high temperatures. PC-ISO is available in 0.007, 0.010, and 0.013 inch slice thicknesses (0.178 mm, 0.254 mm, and 0.330 mm).

Adding ABSi as an option for the FDM 400mc will offer users a strong material that is translucent, which is helpful in applications such as automotive lighting. The material is also beneficial in applications that require monitoring of liquid or particle flow. ABSi comes in clear, red and amber and can be built with 0.005, 0.007, 0.010, and 0.013 inch slice thicknesses (0.127 mm, 0.178 mm, 0.254 mm, and 0.330 mm).

The new materials are available now. FDM system users should contact their local Stratasys sales representative or distributor for more information on adding the new materials.

Stratasys Inc., Minneapolis, manufactures additive fabrication machines for direct digital manufacturing (a.k.a rapid manufacturing), 3D printing, and rapid prototyping. It also offers part manufacturing services through its RedEye RPM business unit. According to Wohlers Report 2008, Stratasys supplied 44 percent of all additive fabrication systems installed worldwide in 2007, making it the unit market leader for the sixth consecutive year. Stratasys patented and owns the process known as fused deposition modeling (FDM®). The process creates functional prototypes and end-use parts directly from any 3D CAD program, using ABS plastic, polycarbonate, PPSF, and blends. The company holds more than 180 granted or pending additive fabrication patents globally. Stratasys products are used in the aerospace, defense, automotive, medical, education, electronic, and consumer product industries. On the Web: www.Stratasys.com

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