Objet Geometries

Objet Geometries
Name	Objet Geometries Ltd.
Type	Private (acquired)
Founded	1998
Fate	Acquired by Stratasys (2012)
Headquarters	Rehovot, Israel
Products	3D printers, polymer materials, rapid prototyping systems

Objet Geometries

Objet Geometries was an Israeli high-technology company specializing in photopolymer-based 3D printing systems and materials. It developed proprietary inkjet-based additive manufacturing platforms used across industrial, medical, and consumer sectors. The company merged business interests and technologies with major industry players before integration into a larger manufacturing group.

Overview

Objet Geometries developed and commercialized high-resolution polymer 3D printing systems, marketed to design bureaus, research institutions, and manufacturing firms. The company competed and collaborated with firms such as Stratasys, 3D Systems, HP Inc., EOS GmbH and engaged in technology transfer with research centers including Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Objet supplied hardware and consumables to customers that included automotive groups like Ford Motor Company, aerospace firms such as Boeing, medical organizations including Mayo Clinic, and consumer electronics companies like Apple Inc..

History and Development

Founded in 1998 in Rehovot, Objet built on academic work linked to Israeli research entities and entrepreneurs associated with Tel Aviv University and Weizmann Institute of Science. Early growth involved venture capital from investors familiar with firms such as Intel Corporation and Applied Materials. The company introduced novel inkjet photopolymerization around the 2000s, expanding sales to design houses and labs used by companies like Nike, General Motors, Lockheed Martin, and universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University. In 2012, Objet announced a business combination with Stratasys that consolidated product lines and market channels, affecting clients including NASA and hospitals like Cleveland Clinic.

Products and Technologies

Objet marketed product families including high-resolution desktop and production-scale systems used in prototyping and low-volume manufacturing. Its technologies centered on PolyJet-like inkjet deposition of photopolymers, competing with stereolithography systems from 3D Systems and selective laser sintering platforms from EOS GmbH. Objet developed build styles and support strategies similar to those used by companies such as Arcam AB and SLM Solutions for metal systems, while offering color and multi-material capabilities sought by firms like Procter & Gamble and Sony. The product lineup served professional designers at studios such as IDEO and research groups at Harvard University.

Manufacturing Processes and Materials

Objet’s core process deposited micro-droplets of liquid photopolymer cured by ultraviolet light to form layerwise geometry, analogous in workflow to technologies used at institutions like Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for rapid prototyping. Materials included rigid, flexible, transparent, and support resins formulated for mechanical testing protocols followed by organizations such as ASTM International and ISO. Objet’s material science collaborations overlapped with suppliers and labs associated with DuPont and BASF. The company developed digital slicing, support removal, and post-curing workflows used in production environments such as those operated by General Electric.

Applications and Industries

Objet systems supported applications across automotive, aerospace, healthcare, consumer products, and education. Automotive customers such as Volkswagen and BMW used parts for concept models and jigging; aerospace clients including Airbus and Rolls-Royce Holdings applied parts in cabin prototyping and tooling validation. In healthcare, clinicians at institutions like Johns Hopkins Hospital and Mount Sinai Health System employed printed anatomical models for surgical planning and prosthetics development alongside medtech firms like Medtronic and Stryker. Consumer brands such as Samsung Electronics and Puma used rapid prototypes for industrial design cycles, while academic labs at University of California, Berkeley used Orion-class systems for materials research.

Corporate Structure and Partnerships

Objet operated as a private company with international sales offices and channel partners including distributors and integrators associated with corporations like Ricoh and Canon Inc.. Strategic alliances and reseller agreements connected Objet to service bureaus and research consortia involving entities such as MakerBot Industries partners and FabLab networks linked to Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The 2012 combination with Stratasys altered governance and product management, aligning teams with global customers including Siemens and ABB.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques of Objet’s operations reflected broader debates in additive manufacturing about material longevity, intellectual property, and industry consolidation. Technical criticisms paralleled those raised against competitors such as 3D Systems and EOS GmbH regarding anisotropic properties and recyclability of photopolymers, referenced in standards discussions with bodies like ASTM International. The merger with Stratasys prompted regulatory and customer scrutiny similar to other consolidations in technology sectors involving firms like HP Inc. and Canon Inc., with commentators from business outlets comparing market impacts to earlier transactions in the high-tech manufacturing industry.

Category:3D printing companies