PrintRite3D
PrintRite3D is an integrated, interactive system that combines inspection, feedback, data collection and critical analysis.
Sigma Labs, the provider of quality assurance software and metal 3D printing solutions, is a company born from the meeting of two men working inside the historic Los Alamos National Laboratory. This 74-year-old lab is most famous for its efforts in developing the world’s first atomic bomb during the Second World War. But it also brought together Mark Cola and Dr Vivek Dave, the former of which spoke to TCT about Sigma Lab’s expanding reach into the Asian metal additive manufacturing market.
In the mid-to-late 1990s, Mark Cola, previously of Rockwell International, began working in the national laboratory system in the United States, specifically the metallurgy group at Los Alamos. By the time Cola had arrived, the group was already well on its way to producing seminal patents around 3D metal printing, which would eventually be commercialised by Optomec. As the group worked towards a quality assurance software, Cola became friends with fellow Los Alamos Laboratorian, Dr Vivek Dave. Dr Dave joined the Los Alamos lab in 1999, two years after Cola. They both left in 2006, having established their very own company the previous year.
The kick-start for the founding of Sigma Labs was an advanced quality assurance technology, developed collaboratively by Cola and Dave, which would soon be picked up by Boeing for use with advanced joining processes for their 777 Dreamliner. Twelve years on, Sigma Labs is established in the mainstream 3D printing industry with its own commercialised software suite addressing metallurgy quality, geometry and productivity, under the PrintRite3D brand.
Wikimedia Commons/ United Airlines/ Altair78
Boeing 777 dreamliner
Boeing picked up Cola and Dave's initial quality assurance technology for use on its 777 Dreamliner models.
Like many additive manufacturing firms, it is looking to move with the times, the technology, and the industry. In 2016, Sigma Labs made its first step into the Asia-Pacific region by securing Creatz3D, a reseller of 3D technology, as a sales and service agent in Singapore. This month, Cola oversaw the following couple of strides as his company expanded its reach in the Asian metal additive manufacturing market with two new sales and marketing partners.
The alignments with Enervision Inc., of South Korea, and Beijing Yida Sifang Technology, of China, were driven by strong interest in the region for PrintRite3D, by end-users and reseller companies alike.
“We already know of this exciting, increased activity in [the Asia-Pacific area] and we were approached on several fronts and saw it necessary to develop specific sales and marketing relationships in those countries,” Cola told TCT. “We already announced an agreement with a sales and marketing representative in Singapore. As these countries continue to expand their reach into this advanced manufacturing space, we believe the timing to enter these markets was correct and begin to respond to their enquiries.”
Cola explains that Sigma Labs sees two clear paths for sales and marketing opportunities. These concern OEMS, who make the machines that prop up the 3D printing sector, and the end users. China and South Korea have plenty of both. Thus, when two reputable resellers approached Sigma Labs from these two countries, it made sense to proceed.
Sigma Labs Mark Cola
Mark Cola, Co-Founder and CEO of Sigma Labs.
“These groups that we’re working with, these representative agencies, are already well established key stakeholders in the advanced technology space, so we saw it as the right move to specifically become involved with them,” Cola added. “They already have the necessary outreach and customers and client base for us to quickly penetrate these markets and develop our own customer base.
“It’s not a reseller opportunity at the moment, it is a sales representative opportunity – introductions to a market that we couldn’t necessarily do on our own. We see that as a branch of our own sales and marketing.”
Sigma Labs’ Chinese partner, Beijing Yida Sifang Technology, will look to introduce the quality assurance specialist to the burgeoning 3D printing market in China. Cola notes the Chinese market space is immediately an attraction to any company, such is its status as a manufacturing hub. And he points out that as these manufacturers continue to put their machines on the market, and their reputations at stake, they will want to assure the quality of their products.
Meanwhile, Enervision will target the high growth expectations in the South Korean market. Cola alludes to the South Korean government’s $37 million commitment to 3D printing, made earlier this year. He believes such a clear backing of the technology will not only justify many of the companies who have already adopted 3D printing in South Korea, but also encourage more to do so. Thus, it’s also a place to be, especially as metal 3D printing becomes more and more popular.
“Sigma Labs is very pleased to be working with these high level, hi-tech countries, and high-level, hi-tech organisations, as 3D metal printing really begins to take off and spread its wings,” Cola says. “What we’ve all seen, collectively, over the years, is it’s principally been driven by 3D plastics. And metal is just on the verge of really starting to explode. There’s lots out there to support that statement, and we’re just excited to be part of it. We’re looking forward to it.”
Sigma Labs
Sigma Labs metal moulds China
A metal mould that was 3D printed with internal cooling passages. The internal cooling passages serve to reduce mould temperatures during processing, allowing for reduced cycle times for parts and increased manufacturing throughput. The total addressable market for moulds in China alone is approximately 30,000 mould companies.
And looking forward is what we do next. Sigma Labs’ emerging presence in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond won’t end there if its steady progression continues. Earlier this year, Sigma announced agreements with Pratt & Whitney and Morf3D, who will both embed the company’s quality assurance software into their respective hardware, due for release in early 2018.
The first six months of 2017 has allowed Sigma Labs to clearly depict what the future might look like beyond its partnerships with Pratt & Whitney; Morf3D; Enervision; and Beijing Yida Sifang Technology. Cola concludes:
“From Sigma’s standpoint, the growth opportunity for us, seeing the increased activity and pull for our technology into Europe, we certainly see the opportunity in the very near future to establish perhaps even an office in Europe to service and support that expansion. We’re very keen to look into that. We’d certainly consider [a similar office in Asia] given the developments as we move forward here, and appropriately take action with that.
“We’re going to see how this develops. We’re going to learn how to walk, and make paths together, with our representative agents, and take it one step at a time.”
