Stratasys has launched a new Industrial Customer Advisory Board (CAB) which will allow customers input on additive manufacturing capability development.
Consisting of 12 members, the Customer Advisory Board includes leaders from market-leading manufacturers across the aerospace, automotive, industrial manufacturing, institutions of research and higher learning industries. Among the manufacturers and academic institutions represented are Boeing, TE Connectivity, Toyota, Wichita State’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), the University of Texas El Paso, and the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
The Customer Advisory Board will align with senior Stratasys leadership to provide input on the requirements for scalable manufacturing applications and specific initiatives. Through a series of workshops, the first of which was held in December, they will focus on quality and reliability; characterization data; and alignment on an impactful sustainability strategy.
“Stratasys has and will continue to invest heavily in capability development but to accelerate the realisation of evolving addressable applications and associated customer value, we must work closely with market leaders to define and realise requirements,” commented Jeff Hemenway, Senior Vice President, Global Industrial Sales.
“This is very much a working advisory board that is excited to further the production-based value their companies and industries can realise with Additive Manufacturing,” added Rich Garrity, Chief Industrial Business Officer, Stratasys. “This is an important step for Stratasys and our customers as we advance into applications that are critical to their success.”
In line with Stratasys' announcement of the Customer Advisory Board, several advisors have welcomed the move to implement a committee of users to support future product and capability development.
"We realise significant value from AM technologies today, and to continuously open new scalable applications, we must evolve beyond purchasing products to working with collaborators like Stratasys to develop solutions," commented Melissa Orme, Vice President of Boeing Additive Manufacturing. "I am looking forward to working with Stratasys to advance capabilities and value for our industry."
"The Advisory Board assembled by Stratasys includes market leaders from several industries and I believe that working with its members and Stratasys, we will further the value that AM delivers to our organisation as we continue to advance into critical parts and applications," added Jamie Janawitz, Chief Technology Officer, Aerospace, Defense and Marine at TE Connectivity. "In creating this unique advisory board, Stratasys is showing its dedication to being a true partner and is willing to merge the expertise of many experts to create new standards in additive manufacturing."
"The engagement with this board and the opportunities are several of the largest manufacturers are collaborating with the key player in industrial polymer 3D printing to solve problems that will have positive long-term impacts on additive manufacturing," offered Eduardo Guzman, Production Engineering, Advanced Technology Manager at Toyota Motor North America. "From a Toyota manufacturing point of view, we see tremendous value for us and the entire industry as we work toward taking additive more mainstream in the production process."
