TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS) Solidica is proposing a filament based rapid prototyping machine for the production of net shape metal and functional gradient components. Net shape fully dense metallic parts have been the holy grail of rapid prototyping since its inception. Solidica, Inc. has patented an innovative ultrasonic approach for rapid prototyping of net shape metallic parts using a ribbon feedstock. By combining the use of ultrasonics for layer-by-layer material build up of metallic ribbons with a simple machining head Solidica achieves net shape fully dense metallic components in a fraction of the time and at a lower cost than traditional machining or casting. Extending this proprietary technology to use filament based feedstock rather than ribbon, will enable a complexity of geometry that is currently only achievable for fully dense metal components through investment casting. This innovation has enormous cost saving advantages for production of both complex metallic and bimetallic functional gradient test hardware. There is currently no technology that is readily capable of forming functionally gradient structures for complex geometric shapes.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS The Phase II filament based RP machine proposed here is essentially an alpha version of a next generation product for Solidica, and described in our business plan. The rapid prototyping machine market is about $300M per year, and up to 50% of all applications for these machines have metal end items, meaning that some 50% of all purchasers are potential buyers of this product. Solidica's goal is to commercialize this Phase II system by 2003, and bring it to market in 2004. We have developed an launched a larger scale tooling oriented RP/RT product, and this is a technically feasible evolution with an important market potential.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip) Dawn White Solidica 3941 Research Park Drive, Suite C Ann Arbor , MI 48108 - 2219
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip) Solidica 3941 Research Park Drive, Suite C Ann Arbor , MI 48108 - 2219