V-Flash Printer May Infringe on German Patents

By Sara Ferris

EnvisionTEC (Gladbeck, Germany)  says it has officially notified the German distributor of the 3D Systems’ V-Flash Desktop Printer that the printer potentially infringes on EnvisionTEC’s German patents.

“Our intellectual property is very essential to our strength in delivering innovative solutions to our customers, and growing our market share in the rapid prototyping and manufacturing market. We intend to vigorously defend our patents when we believe that they are being infringed upon” said Al Siblani,  CEO of EnvisionTEC.

EnvisionTEC Gmbh manufactures a line of rapid prototyping systems that includes the Perfactory Standard, MINI , and Desktop. It also manufactures the Perfactory Vanquish Flashcure System as well as its latest offering, the Perfactory Xede. The Perfactory systems are based on photopolymerization technology, in which light is used to cure the RP material.

3D Systems (Rock Hill, SC) denies EnvisionTEC’s claims. “As a company, we are keenly aware of the importance of intellectual property, and we make every effort not only to protect our own intellectual property but also to respect the valid intellectual property rights of others,” president and CEO of 3D Systems Abe Reichental said.

3D Systems believes that its V-Flash Desktop Modeler does not infringe on any of EnvisionTEC’s German patents. In addition, the company is “ currently involved in litigation with EnvisionTEC in the United States,  charging that its Perfactory and Vanquish prototyping systems infringe a number of our United States patents,” according to Reichental.

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