Julia S. in NewsWebinars

WEBINAR: Unlocking Production with Industrial AM: Lessons from Experts, Resellers & Real Users

When does resin printing move from a prototype to a production asset? Can SLA patterns actually survive the burnout process in a high-stakes foundry? How does the cost-per-part on an SLA system compare to traditional tooling at scale? If you are managing a precision-driven shop, these are the questions that determine your bottom line. That’s why 3Dnatives hosted a practical conversation with Raplas Technologies on how its technology is being used for real-world production. Watch the replay here. At this webinar, speakers discussed the shift toward resin-based manufacturing, why precision is non-negotiable in today’s market, and how companies like Sulzer Pump use the Raplas PR series to replace traditional tooling.

If you’re not familiar, Sulzer is a global leader in critical applications for core infrastructure and processes for large essential industries around the world. As a part of its Flow Division, Sulzer Pump is one of the world’s leading pump manufacturers. The company provides a wide range of products for engineered, configured, and standard pumping solutions as well as essential auxiliary equipment. Sulzer Pump uses Raplas’s SLA technology, which leads to massive lead-time reductions in investment casting.

Why Attend?

In this webinar, viewers heard from an expert, (Richard Woolridge, CEO and Co-Founder of Raplas), a reseller (Frank Marangell, Founder of Ugogo 3D), and a user (Chad Hibner, a project engineer at Sulzer Pumps). With these three perspectives, attendees learned about the following topics:

The Casting Workflow: Integrating SLA patterns into modern foundry operations.
Engineering Fundamentals: Why the Raplas architecture is built for “always-on” manufacturing.
The Business Case: Calculating cost-per-part, reducing risk, and knowing when resin makes economic sense.
Scaling Up: Moving from one-off parts to flexible, high-volume production.

Meet Our Speakers

Richard Woolridge, CEO and Co-Founder of Raplas Technologies

Richard spent over 30 years at Ford Motor Company, where his responsibilities included 3D Printing Technical Specialist for Ford Europe. Having spent his entire Ford career as a 3D printing customer, Richard saw firsthand the industry’s recurring frustrations — overpromised performance, restrictive service contracts, and locked-in consumables that limited users rather than empowering them. These experiences ultimately led him to cofound Raplas Technologies with a clear mission: to build industrial SLA systems that genuinely serve the user, delivering reliability, openness, and flexibility without compromise. Outside of Raplas, Richard pursues his longstanding interest in military history. He is the founder and a trustee of the Combined Services Military Museum in Maldon, UK.

Frank Marangell, Founder of Ugogo 3D

Frank Marangell is a seasoned leader in the additive manufacturing industry, with 20 years of experience driving innovation and business growth. He began his journey by launching Objet USA from his basement, scaling it into a major player that later merged with Stratasys to form the world’s largest 3D printing company. Over the years, Frank has led and founded several high-profile additive manufacturing companies, shaping the industry through his strategic vision and expertise.

As the founder of Ugogo3D, Frank is dedicated to bringing the most advanced and commercially proven additive manufacturing technologies to a wide range of industries. He believes in helping businesses scale efficiently, accelerate their growth, and bring products to market faster by leveraging cutting-edge 3D printing solutions.

Chad Hibner Project Engineer/BrandX at Sulzer Pumps

Chad Hibner is a project engineer at Sulzer Pumps, specializing in elevating OEM capabilities through 3D scanning and modeling under its OEM-X Brand. Hibner has over a decade of experience in reverse engineering pump equipment, and he holds a degree in manual and CNC machining. Hibner also holds degrees in engineering design and manufacturing engineering through Marshall University’s partnership with Mountwest Community & Technical College. In 2018, Hibner received an honorable mention for Sulzer’s Global Innovation Award.

Watch the webinar replay HERE. Did you watch it? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn or Facebook pages! Plus, don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter to get the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox. You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.

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Julia S.: