With more than 700 patent applications issued or pending and a solid reputation for high-tech innovation, Xybernaut Corporation based in Fairfax VA, USA ranks as one of the hottest names in the rapidly-expanding mobile computer business. Users of Xybernaut's custom-designed software/hardware packages include DaimlerChrysler, Siemens, Fed-Ex, Defense and government organisations, as well as international front-line media E-Press organisations. To stay ahead of Far-East competition, Xybernaut GmbH relies heavily on imbedded logic technology and Rapid Prototyping (RP) utilising DSM Somos’ materials from ASG GmbH, a design and prototyping company based in Sindelfingen, Germany.

“ASG switched both of its SLA machines to Somos White and Somos WaterShed early in 2004," said ASG Managing Director Cristoph Beutel. "Without a doubt, this was the right move! Both materials have excellent surface quality, are extremely fast but accurate and, thanks to their extremely low moisture absorption of around 0.3%, are also stable over time. Whether we are producing parts for design evaluation, functional testing or patterns for RTV silicon-mould soft-tools, ASG is able to deliver high quality prototypes within an extremely short time-frame. This is key to our overall business strategy — whether it be for customers in the automotive, consumer or, like Xybernaut, IT segments."

Xybernaut's Senior Vice President Research and Development Dr. Edwin Vogt said that access to high-quality soft tooling allows the company to rapidly produce fully functional models at a price that enables it to retain its leadership position — even in the face of strong competition from the Far East. “We have found a great partner in ASG,” said Vogt. "The company not only helps us to optimise our hardware designs, but also produces high-quality SL models for evaluation and functional testing. Once this step has been completed, we can move rapidly to the critical stage of small-series production of up to 30 to 40 models either for prototyping or quantity-limited customer trials and evaluations. The availability of ASG's high quality RTV soft-tools for vacuum casting, particularly in the design and development phase, is critical: without them it would be difficult to compete with many of our competitors in Europe and the Far East."

Vogt continued, "With ASG's RTV soft-tooling capability we can reach the same level of quality as with hard-tooling, but at only one tenth of the cost. This allows Xybernaut to rapidly incorporate design changes, tailor a base model to a client's highly specialised design specification or extend runs with a second, third or even fourth soft-tool. In short, access to high quality RTV soft-tooling based on the original SL model gives the company an extremely high level of flexibility at comparatively low cost."

Cristoph Beutel believes that, given the right materials, stereolithography is the optimum RP technology for the production of both high quality models and RTV soft-tooling for small-series manufacture. "Both Somos White and WaterShed are excellent materials for these applications," he said. "Somos White provides an ideal base for a range of models, while the total transparency of WaterShed allows us to produce prototypes for fluid and gas-flow analysis, as well as LCDs and other data transmission and display systems. Moving on from that, the surface finish and long-term stability make both materials ideal for ASG's RTV soft-tooling process."