3D Systems erased its history
The Atomic Layers: S3E20 (00076)
Atomic Layer of the Day:
I wrote about this a month ago on LinkedIn, but I thought (hoped) it was just a glitch. However, it seems that’s not the case. The history on 3D SYstems official page is gone. The archive ends in 2019. After that year, there are only three older items—one each from 2018, 2014, and 2012. The last two relate to the company Simbionix.
Why am I writing about this, and how did I find out?
A few months ago, I dug through the entire archive of the company’s press releases, which dated back to 1998. Although, to be fair, the oldest news items were about companies that 3D Systems had acquired over the years, such as Geomagic and Z Corporation. It was a true treasure trove of historical data, offering insights into the spirit of those times and the atmosphere surrounding Additive Manufacturing.
You see, news was written very differently in 2004 compared to 2014. In 2004, nobody cared. In 2014, at the mention of "3D printing," investors were opening their wallets, throwing a million dollars, and asking how much more they should contribute. Those were the times…
But now, it’s not so easy to verify and check these things. I’ve noted most of the key events in the company’s history and those it acquired. Unfortunately, we can no longer find the original news about the acquisition of BitsFromBytes or today’s story—the launch of the Z Printer 650, which has been operating under the name ProJet 660Pro since 2013. That’s how I know the archive has been cleared. I still have the links - but they are dead.
I don’t know why 3D Systems shut off access to their history. What I do know is that people like me won’t let it be forgotten.
Atomic Layer from the Past:
10-20-2008: Z Corporation unveiled the ZPrinter 650 – a full-color 3D printer based on gypsum powder.
Atomic News & Gossips:
US Navy 3D prints functional parts with ADDiTEC’s ElemX.
Elkem will present its latest developments in silicones for 3D printing at Formnext 2024 in Frankfurt.
Also, Lynxter has announced the launch of its S300X – FIL11 | FIL 11 IDEX 3D printing system ahead of next month’s Formnext event in Frankfurt.