Q. How has the HP Open Platform been received in the region, and why is that initiative so important
A. When potential partners begin to understand the motivation behind HP’s open approach to materials innovation their eyes light up. The HP Open Platform addresses those opportunities I mentioned earlier -- it enables the creation of new 3D printing materials, lowers materials and development costs, drives speed and performance improvements, and creates new possibilities for parts that address specific industry needs. Our newest materials partner Sinopec Yanshan Petrochemical is joining our growing materials ecosystem, which already includes global leaders such as Arkema, BASF, Evonik, Henkel, and Lehmann & Voss. And we are talking with dozens more materials leaders across the region who want to work with our labs and begin developing new materials.
Q. Which industries have the biggest opportunity to benefit from 3D Printing manufacturing at scale?
A. What’s so impressive about HP’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D technology is that it can produce superior quality physical parts up to 10 times faster at around half the cost of comparable 3D printing systems, and its precision is extraordinary. I’m excited because leading service providers and resellers across Asia-Pacific understand how disruptive the technology will be for their business and the impact for their customers. Shining 3D ePrint has more than 10,000 customers in more than 70 countries around the world and plans to deploy our 3D printing solutions in more than 50 locations across China. Infinite 3D Printing also plans to offer the technology in multiple locations, and more than a dozen new partners have been selected to join HP’s Partner First 3D Specialization reseller program.
Our partners allow us to scale not only geographically, but across vertical markets. We are already seeing applicability in the automotive and healthcare industries, and of course consumer goods and aerospace are also among the most relevant. But virtually any manufacturer can benefit. No matter what kind of part you make, now you can make it better. Our technology offers speed and precision, we’re offering not just mass production but also the possibility of mass customization, and that’s a very big deal. By enabling local, on-demand production, we’re also going to help transform manufacturing and distribution supply chains.
Q. What about the future of 3D Printing should excite the manufacturing industry in Asia-Pacific?
A. Going forward, we’ll expand our palette of materials and colors, opening amazing possibilities for 3D printing, some of which haven’t even been imagined yet. Manufacturers and service bureaus will gain unprecedented control over limitless combinations of applications, colors, and materials. They’ll be able to embed intelligence such as sensors and information such as invisible inventory codes, into their 3D-printed products. And while they’re doing all that, they’ll also be driving cost, carbon, and waste from their manufacturing processes and supply chains. I can’t wait to see the 3D printing innovations generated from this region.