Michael Cao has created IC3D Printers into a unique firm trading the filament that operates 3D printers. The previous Acura NSX project motorman began the company in his basement. In case you walk into IC3D Printing’s production warehouse you will first see a warning on the door: “The Room of Manifesting.” It may be a unique word, but as CMO Kimberly Gibson states, new is what’s asked for in the current age.
“Manufacturing is the old term, and that’s fine— but what we’re doing is pulling things out of your imagination and creating them three-dimensionally,” Gibson states. “That dance between man and machine, that’s what we do.”
What started in 2012 in the imagination of founder Michael Cao has since developed considerably. Initially, a one-man business run out of Cao’s basement. These days, IC3D Printers’ 18 employees hold a 10,000sq ft office on Columbus’ west side. And in a sector where rapid progress is the model, that development has been a must Cao states.
“I think any business that’s involved with technology or doing something new, with the rapid improvement of software and hardware, it’s a challenge to keep up,” Cao says.
“Obviously you need to keep tabs on what the industry is doing, but our other strategy has been to become more well-balanced as a company.”
Cao states that stability has taken the style of vertically combining the firm. IC3D patterns and creates its own printers makes different kinds of filaments for its use and sale. It also operates printing services for customers and anticipates to start selling whole-format commercial printers. The firm concentrates mainly on B2B connections, Cao says. This is with a stress on automotive makers.
Ron Myers, senior mechanical engineer at manufacturer Honeywell, states additive manufacturing technology has been improving at such a quick pace. This has caused some features of the making procedures to have been reduced from some months to weeks or days.
“Previously when we would injection mold something, it was about a 16-week process by the time the parts could be made, tested and adjusted,” he explains.
“With 3D printing, we can give someone a model and get a finished part back in a couple days. Then if changes are needed, we just send an updated CAD file, and it’s fixed.”
Gibson mentions giving more services to customers extends those connections and keeps IC3D ahead of a quickly evolving market.
“The idea is to be a turn-key solution for anyone interested in utilizing 3D printing,” she explains. “It’s not just about having us do the printing, but having someone who truly understands how to tune your machine and custom-make the materials needed for the job. That’s the unique position Michael’s put together for all of us.”
