WSI eyes manufacturing sector with 3D printing business

The manufacturing sector is driving the adoption of 3D printing in the Philippines, according to IT distributor Wordtext Systems, Inc.  The company has a 3D Design and Printing Hub that showcases the latest design and printing solutions from MakerBot and Stratasys.

 

“3D printing, otherwise known as additive manufacturing, can transform manufacturing processes into modern design,” said Alex C. Ulanday, Senior Manager, Solutions 2 at WSI. “It can be used for prototyping where an object is created from a 3D design. Assemblers need to customize their tools but most of the time customization is costly so they end up using 3D printing. In the future, it could be the best method of manufacturing things.”

Thus, the manufacturing sector, particularly automotive and semiconductor assemblers and firms that require product designs, is the No. 1 target customer of WSI’s 3D printing business.  WSI also caters to service bureaus and 3D printing service providers.

The 3D printers WSI distributes use resin or simulated plastic as the material for 3D printing. Customers can design and customize their own product, and choose the colors and materials they want. Even parts of the body can be designed and printed by a 3D printer.

 

The printing of designs depends on the design itself and requirements of the client. “Printing takes a minimum of minutes and the longest is days,” said Ulanday. For continuous printing, he advises users to have a UPS or generator so printing will not be disrupted in case of brownouts.

Ulanday noted that the Stratasys 3D printer can print three materials and assorted designs. “The printer has its own process that when the design is printed, it has the capability to assemble it,” he said.

He added that there is no need to be a 3D expert to print but technical skills are needed as the printing machines are delicate. “We have authorized engineers to install and service the machine for our customers. We also provide free training for them,” added Ulanday.

Ulanday said the printer uses Autodesk or AutoCAD with 3D file that can be converted to .STL file.

WSI Unboxed

During the “WSI Unboxed” event, WSI unveiled other product offerings intended to address the IT needs of consumers as well as enterprises in all industries and of all sizes.

When the company was established in 1982, it was only offering a dot matrix printer. Today, the company carries 39 brands in the areas of 3D printing, analytics, business intelligence, cloud and virtualization, security, unified communications, networking, designs, printing and imaging, and computing.

These products are currently available through WSI resellers/dealers which number over 1,700 nationwide. The company has branches in Cebu and Davao that cater to its growing clientele in Visayas and Mindanao.

“We are very fortunate in the IT industry as there are always exciting things happening like what you’ve seen in 3D printing. There are several other things that we are involved with like analytics and business intelligence. You’ll be seeing a lot of things about analytics. And as long as you keep the urge to learn, you’ll always be rewarded,” said Juan Chua, President and CEO of WSI.