Revolutionary Figure 4 platform combined with NextDent materials delivers disruptive total cost of operations from chair-side to labs

CHICAGO, March 21 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) today unveiled a next-generation additive manufacturing platform, based on the company’s Figure 4 technology and NextDent materials, that delivers better, faster and more predictable patient treatments with disruptive total cost of operations that can revolutionize the multibillion-dollar dental industry.

The company expects the new platform will be able to achieve improvements of up to 10 times in total cost of operations, along with significantly reduced fabrication times and far less material waste.

3D Systems has deep domain expertise in the dental market, including many years of leadership in the aligner category, and is well-positioned to lead the next evolution of the dental industry. This is a direct result of the company’s multi-year development efforts of the Figure 4 printer technology, combined with the acquisition of NextDent’s portfolio of 12 clinically effective materials with regulatory approvals in over 70 countries.

“Traditional milling machines only mill one crown at a time, making the process slow, ineffective and costly,” said Vyomesh Joshi (VJ), President and CEO, 3D Systems. “Today’s announcement is game changing. Our system can print 20 – 30 crowns in fewer than 15 minutes, which is the same time it takes most milling solutions to produce just one single crown.”

3D Systems will offer a modular printer platform that can enable smaller labs to cost-effectively produce thousands of crowns or other dental products per year, while providing fully automated solutions for larger labs producing more than 1 million crowns or other dental indications per year. The company plans to begin shipping in the fall of 2017.

Demonstrations of 3D Systems’ transformative solutions for digital dentistry will be featured at the International Dental Show (IDS) 2017, in Cologne, Germany, March 21-25, in the 3D Systems (Hall 3.1, booth M059), NextDent (Hall 4.1, booth E011) and 3Shape (Hall 4.2, booths L090, N091 and N090) displays at the Koelnmesse.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In many cases, forward looking statements can be identified by terms such as "believes," "belief," "expects," "may," "will," "estimates," "intends," "anticipates" or "plans" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology.  Forward-looking statements are based upon managements beliefs, assumptions and current expectations and may include comments as to the company’s beliefs and expectations as to future events and trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside the control of the company.  These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the ultimate timing, outcome and results of integrating the operations of Vertex-Global Holding B.V.; the effects of the business combination of 3D Systems and Vertex-Global Holding B.V., including the combined company’s future financial condition, results of operations, strategy and plans; expected synergies and other benefits from the proposed transaction and the ability of 3D Systems to realize such synergies and other benefits. The factors described under the headings "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other factors, could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected or predicted in forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included are made only as the date of the statement. 3D Systems undertakes no obligation to update or review any forward-looking statements made by management or on its behalf, whether as a result of future developments, subsequent events or circumstances or otherwise.

About 3D Systems
3D Systems provides comprehensive 3D products and services, including 3D printers, print materials, on demand manufacturing services and digital design tools. Its ecosystem supports advanced applications from the product design shop to the factory floor to the operating room. 3D Systems’ precision healthcare capabilities include simulation, Virtual Surgical Planning, and printing of medical and dental devices as well as patient-specific surgical instruments. As the originator of 3D printing and a shaper of future 3D solutions, 3D Systems has spent its 30 year history enabling professionals and companies to optimize their designs, transform their workflows, bring innovative products to market and drive new business models.

More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com

Investor Contact:
Stacey Witten
Email: investor.relations@3dsystems.com

Media Contact:
Diane Parrish
Email: press@3dsystems.com

SOURCE : 3D Systems Corporation

--BERNAMA