science

Voxeljet

Voxeljet is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Voxeljet rather than just read about it. In short: voxeljet AG, which is based in Friedberg (Bayern) near Augsburg (Germany), is a manufacturer of industrial 3D printing systems. The company has been listed on the Nasdaq since 2020, and previously listed on the New York Stock Exchange since its IPO in 2013.

Key takeaways

Voxeljet belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Voxeljet to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Voxeljet from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

voxeljet AG, which is based in Friedberg (Bayern) near Augsburg (Germany), is a manufacturer of industrial 3D printing systems. The company has been listed on the Nasdaq since 2020, and previously listed on the New York Stock Exchange since its IPO in 2013. In April 2024, the company delisted from Nasdaq and now trades OTC (OTCMKTS:VJTTY). Besides the development and distribution of printing systems, voxeljet AG also operates service centers for the on-demand manufacture of molds and models for metal casting in Germany, the USA and China. These products are manufactured with the help of a generative production method based on 3D CAD data (also referred to as "3D printing").

History

Beginnings voxeljet AG traces its roots back to the year 1995, with the first successful drop-dosing of UV adhesives. The first 3D printing trials were conducted at the Precision Engineering department of the Technical University of Munich as part of the "Generation of 3D structures" project. In 1996, Dr. Ingo Ederer and Rainer Höchsmann participated in the first Munich business plan competition and was awarded his first patent in 1998. The first sand molds were printed in the same year.

Formation of the company Generis GmbH, the predecessor of today's voxeljet AG, was founded on 5 May 1999 by Dr. Ingo Ederer, Rainer Höchsmann and Prof. Dr. Joachim Heinzl at the Technical University of Munich. The purpose of the company was the development of new generative processes for the production of cast and plastic components. The company started its operations at the Technical University of Munich with four employees. Shortly afterwards, it refurbished and relocated into the premises in Augsburg. In the year 2002, the company completed its first orders for the delivery of sand-based printers to BMW AG and Daimler AG, before opening the service center in Augsburg in the year 2003. In the same year, Bayern Kapital GmbH, the Startkapital Fonds Augsburg and Franz Industriebeteiligungen AG joined as new shareholders.

Establishment phase The first VX800 system was sold to Alphaform AG in 2005. This was followed by the sale of the first VX500 to the University of Rostock two years later. In 2008, voxeljet technology GmbH received an award as part of the Bavarian Innovation Prize from the hands of Bavarian premier Günther Beckstein. The company celebrated its 10-year anniversary one year later. In the spring of 2010, voxeljet moved into a new administration building and production halls in Friedberg. During the same year, voxeljet was added to the list of Germany's top 100 innovators and received the "Top 100" seal of approval.

Growth phase In the year 2011, voxeljet introduced a series of technical innovations. In April 2011, the company opened up a new dimension of generative production methods with the VX4000 3D printing system. This system makes it possible to produce objects with a size of 4 x 2 x 1 meters at a build speed that is up to three times faster than earlier systems, while maintaining the same resolution. At the international trade fair for foundry technologies ‘’GIFA’’, voxeljet introduced the world's first continuous 3D printer, the VXC800. The development of this continuous 3D printing technology represented the manufacturing of molds and models without tools. This machine generation runs the process steps "building" and "unpacking" in parallel, without having to interrupt system operations. Therefore, this printing system represents an important step towards industrial series production on the basis of a generative production process. In the same year, voxeljet celebrated the global premiere of its 3D printer VX1000 at EuroMold, the trade fair for tooling and mold-making, design and product development in Frankfurt am Main. By combining high performance and a large build space, this printing system was able to meet the growing requirements of industry. In addition to these system innovations, the company also presented the newly developed material system Polypor type C in the year 2011. It allows voxeljet to meet customer demand for pure white plastic models. Moreover, this material also satisfies higher requirements regarding the stability and surface properties of the models. A year later in 2012, the first VX1000 printing system was sold to the British company Propshop (Model Makers) Ltd.. It was the fifth voxeljet system that was in use in the United Kingdom. The movie industry opened a completely new customer market for voxeljet. In the year 2012, voxeljet introduced its smallest system, the VX200, to the market. This printing system uses the same method as the larger series, but is very compact and easy to operate.

IPO In the year 2013, the company went ahead with its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. To this end, voxeljet technology GmbH was converted into a stock corporation that now operates as voxeljet AG. On 17 October 2013, voxeljet placed 6.5 million ADS on the NYSE at an issue price of US$13. Five American Depositary Receipt corresponded to one share. The IPO enabled voxeljet AG to take in US$64.5 million after deduction of the price discount granted to the issuing banks and issue costs. Six months after the IPO, voxeljet AG generated another US$41.1 million as part of a capital increase, after deduction of the price discount granted to the issuing banks and issue costs. In the process, the company issued another three million American Depositary Shares at the New York Stock Exchange at a unit price of US$15.

Globalization

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Voxeljet

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Voxeljet claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Voxeljet before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Voxeljet ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Voxeljet

In research: Voxeljet appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Voxeljet in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Voxeljet is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 3D printer companies, Companies formerly listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Companies listed on the Nasdaq, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Voxeljet outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Voxeljet in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Voxeljet means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Voxeljet out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Voxeljet in simple terms?

Why does Voxeljet matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Voxeljet?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Voxeljet.