Worldwide Guide to Rapid Prototyping Updated

By DE Editors

Castle Island Co. (Arlington, MA) has recently completed a major update to the Worldwide Guide to Rapid Prototyping’s Service Bureau Directory and Database. The Database and corresponding Web directory are sources of information about additive fabrication and reverse engineering technology service providers.

There are now more than 730 locations worldwide where RP and RE services can be obtained, up from 640 from the last complete survey in 2003.

The dominant technology provided by service bureaus is still stereolithography, with nearly 58% of the providers offering it. Selective laser sintering is the second most prevalent technology at about 53%. Commercial service providers outside the US are nearly twice as likely to provide selective laser sintering (SLS) as their US counterparts.

About 49% of commercial companies provide only a single technology, but nearly 50% can provide two or more, and about 20% can provide three or more.

The Web directory of RP service providers is available free. For more information and pricing on the database, click here. 

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.