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The very first patent application for Rapid Prototyping technology was filed by a Dr Kodama, in Japan, in May 1980.
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The first patent was issued for stereolithography apparatus to Charles Hull who invented his machine in 1983.
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The SLA-1, was introduced in 1987 and following rigorous testing the first of these system was sold in 1988.
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Hans Lager founded EOS GmbH in Germany. After an alliance with SL processes, EOS's R&D focus was turned towards Laser Sintering.
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Carl Deckard filed a patent in the US for the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) RP process
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Ballistic Particle Manufacturing (BPM) by William Masters
Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) by Michael Feygin
Solid Ground Curing (SGC) by Itzchak Pomerantz
and, last but not least;
Three Dimentional Printing (3DP) by Emanuel Sachs -
Scott Crump, a co-founder of Stratasys Inc. filed a patent for Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM),
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During this time, new methods of additive manufacturing are found and new terminology is introduced such as: Rapid Tooling, Rapid Casting, and Rapid Manufacturing.
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The patent for Fused Deposition Modeling is issued to Stratasys.
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Sanders Prototype (Later named Solidscpae) is set up. This would become one of the biggest additive manufacturing companies today.
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Many of the large additive manufactuing companies we know today were set up in this time period such as:
1996 - Solidscape and ZCorporation
1997 - Arcam
1998 - Objet Geometries
2000 - EnvisonTech
2005 - ExOne Also during this time more and more methods of 3d printing were being invented and they had all now seemed to fall under one, widely used term: Additive Manufacturing, or AM. -
Objet Geometries is founded and would later merge with Stratasys.
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Selective Laser Melting, or SLM, was the first "modern" method of additive manufacturing to be largely used. However this was only able to be used with metal materials.
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While 3D printers were still very expensive and mostly used privately they were still avalible to the public commercially, however, many of the avalible systems at that time were very expensive until the first system that cost under $10,000 was put on the market by 3D Systems.
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Dr. Bowyer concieve the RepRap concept in 2007. This concept was of an open-source, self replicating 3d printer.
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In January 2009, the first commercially avalible 3d printer based on the RepRap concept hit the market. This was the BfB Rapman.
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Following the BfB Rapman, Makerbot realeased their version of a RepRap printer of April, 2009.
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Alternative 3D printing processes are now becoming avalible at an entry level market. The B9Creator came first in June, this printer utilized DLP Technology and was then followed by the Form1 in Decmber, using stereolithography. Both of these were launched on kickstarter where they found huge success.
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In 2012 and 2013, 3D printing was picked up by mainstream media and became hugely popular and has since become much more advanced with new methods, uses and systems being discovered.
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On the 16th of April, 2012, Objet Geometries Announces there is to be a merger Stratasys
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The merger between Objet Geometries and Stratasys is now complete and this duo is still innovating on the cutting edge of additive manufacturing today.
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Stratasys bought out Makerbot on the 19th of June, 2013 for $403 Million.
