We have two of these in our Engineering Technology Rapid Prototyping Lab here at the university. They are used extensively in prototype work for the Senior Design program and with great success. I am more drawn to the 3D scanner, a capability we don't have yet and which apparently works well with Solidworks. The ability to import scans into Solidworks would certainly allow for the addition of drafts, shrinkage allowances, etc. prior to solid model printing if the models were to be used as casting patterns. I will definitely be looking further into the scanner and ading that to our current lab capabilities. I agree that this technology has replaced machining skills but that is the world we live in, and the cost keeps coming down. These printers are now in the $25-30,000 range, not yet in the home shop budget but still amazing for what they can do and the time and money they can save in the product design and manufacturing engineering arenas.
Thanks for posting the link!!
Bill