Streamlining Industrial 3D Printer Procurement: Gil Lavi on 3D Evaluate’s Transformative Power

The additive manufacturing industry, like many sectors, faced unprecedented challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional avenues for buyer-vendor interaction, such as trade shows and conferences, were either cancelled or severely restricted, creating a significant communication gap. Recognizing this critical need, 3D Alliances, a prominent consulting firm specializing in the 3D printing domain, launched a groundbreaking solution: 3D Evaluate. Founded by Gil Lavi, a seasoned veteran in additive manufacturing, 3D Alliances has built a reputation for helping innovative startups thrive. Now, with 3D Evaluate, the company aims to revolutionize how industrial 3D printers are discovered, evaluated, and purchased. We were keen to delve deeper into this innovative platform, its core applications, and the substantial benefits it offers to both buyers and sellers. Our discussion with Gil Lavi, Founder and CEO of 3D Alliances, sheds light on the genesis and future of 3D Evaluate, an initiative poised to redefine the industrial 3D printing marketplace.

The Visionary Behind 3D Alliances and 3D Evaluate

Gil Lavi brings over 25 years of profound experience to the printing industry, a journey that began in 1995 within the digital 2D printing divisions of industry giants like HP and Kodak. His transition to 3D printing began in 2006 when he joined Objet as a direct sales manager in Israel. This pivotal move marked the start of a decade-long engagement with additive manufacturing, where he played a crucial role in shaping the European market. In 2008, Lavi relocated to Objet GmbH, instrumental in building and managing the company’s extensive European channel network. Following the significant merger with Stratasys in 2012, he transitioned to managing strategic accounts across Europe, deepening his understanding of the industrial 3D printing landscape and complex client needs. After ten impactful years, Lavi departed in 2015, driven by a desire to channel his vast experience into nurturing emerging talent and innovative technologies within the sector.

In 2016, Gil Lavi founded 3D Alliances, a consulting company dedicated to empowering innovative 3D printing startups. The firm’s core activity revolves around assisting these nascent companies in establishing and effectively managing their global channel networks, a critical component for market penetration and growth. Over the years, 3D Alliances has successfully collaborated with a distinguished roster of companies, including BigRep, XJET, Essentium, Xact Metal, and PostProcess, guiding them through the complexities of market development and sales strategy. Beyond channel management, 3D Alliances has expanded its service offerings to include crucial support in accessing funding and the strategic recruitment of top-tier sales talent, ensuring a holistic approach to startup success. The strength of 3D Alliances lies in its expert team, a group of six seasoned professionals, four of whom are former channel managers and 3D printing specialists from leading companies such as Stratasys, 3D Systems, SLM Solutions, Materialise, and Siemens. This collective wealth of experience provides an unparalleled depth of insight and strategic guidance to their clients.

Identifying the Need: Why 3D Evaluate Was Born

The decision to launch 3D Evaluate stemmed directly from a glaring market need that became acutely apparent during the global COVID-19 crisis. As public trade shows, which are traditionally the cornerstone of business development in the industrial 3D printing sector, were cancelled worldwide, a significant communication chasm opened between buyers of industrial 3D printers and the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) or vendors. These events serve as invaluable platforms for both parties. For vendors, trade shows are unparalleled opportunities to showcase their latest innovations, demonstrate their additive manufacturing technologies in action, and connect directly with a broad spectrum of potential customers. Conversely, for buyers, these gatherings are essential for meeting vendors face-to-face, experiencing printers firsthand, and meticulously examining 3D printed parts. This direct interaction is crucial for making informed purchasing decisions on high-value capital equipment.

With the indefinite suspension or severe limitation of these vital events, a void was created in the sales and procurement process. This situation not only hindered vendors’ ability to generate leads and close sales but also complicated buyers’ efforts to properly evaluate competing technologies. Recognizing that this disruption would persist for the foreseeable future, 3D Alliances was compelled to innovate. Their solution, 3D Evaluate, was conceived to effectively bridge this gap by providing an intuitive and robust online platform where both buyers and vendors could connect, interact, and conduct business efficiently. Through this digital medium, buyers gained the ability to explore and compare diverse vendors across specific solution categories, while vendors could proactively identify and engage with qualified potential buyers for their advanced industrial 3D printing systems. This strategic pivot ensured continuity and introduced a new, streamlined approach to an evolving market landscape.

How 3D Evaluate Works: A Step-by-Step Guide for Buyers

The fundamental philosophy underpinning the 3D Evaluate platform is the belief that, beyond technical specifications, the most critical element for buyers in evaluating and comparing competitive additive manufacturing technologies and products lies in the examination of actual 3D printed parts. This hands-on assessment offers tangible insights into quality, accuracy, and material performance that no datasheet can fully convey. Let’s illustrate this process with a practical example: consider a buyer in search of an advanced FDM 3D printer capable of processing high-performance thermoplastic materials such as PEEK and ULTEM. Upon arriving at the 3D Evaluate platform, the buyer can effortlessly navigate to find various vendors offering these specific types of printers. The initial step involves a direct comparison of the technical specifications of their respective products, allowing for a quick overview of capabilities and features.

Should the buyer wish to proceed further into the evaluation process, the next crucial step is to apply for a 3D printed sample kit. This meticulously curated kit includes a selection of 3D printed sample parts, each produced by a different vendor and made from specified high-performance materials like PEEK, ULTEM, PEEK-CF, and others relevant to the buyer’s interest. After the application is submitted, the 3D Evaluate team takes the initiative to contact the buyer, engaging in a detailed discussion to thoroughly understand their precise needs, project requirements, and budget considerations. This personalized interaction ensures that the buyer is genuinely mature in their purchasing process and that the recommended solutions align with their operational and financial capacities. If these criteria are met, the sample kit is promptly shipped to the buyer, free of charge, typically arriving within a few days. This tangible experience marks the buyer’s first direct encounter with the print quality, dimensional accuracy, and overall finish of the parts, providing an invaluable initial impression.

For an even deeper dive into performance evaluation, buyers have the option to progress to the subsequent stage: sending their own 3D benchmark file to 3D Evaluate. This file is then printed on the printers of each chosen vendor, utilizing the buyer’s specified polymer. This standardized benchmark printing allows for a direct, apples-to-apples comparison under controlled conditions. Once all the custom-printed parts are delivered to the buyer, this becomes the most critical phase for discerning which vendor’s system delivers the optimal results for their specific application. Having meticulously evaluated the physical samples and benchmark parts, if the buyer is ready to move forward with a purchase, 3D Evaluate facilitates a seamless connection to the chosen vendor or their local reseller. This structured approach ensures that the buyer-vendor interaction commences only after the buyer has completed a thorough, objective, and hands-on evaluation process, leading to more confident and informed purchasing decisions.

Who Benefits? The Target Audience and Broader Vision

The vision for 3D Evaluate is ambitious and comprehensive: to establish itself as the definitive, objective hub for all buyers of industrial 3D printers. The platform is designed to serve as a centralized resource where users can effortlessly examine and compare leading technologies and vendors across the entire spectrum of industrial 3D printing systems. This includes, but is not limited to, prominent technologies such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Stereolithography (SLA), and Material Jetting. By simplifying what is often a complex and time-consuming evaluation process, 3D Evaluate anticipates that virtually any professional or organization considering the acquisition of an industrial 3D printing system will utilize its services. The platform offers a streamlined, efficient, and user-friendly mechanism to manage the entire decision-making journey, ensuring that buyers can make well-informed choices before committing to a significant investment.

While buyers traditionally have the option to manage their evaluation process independently, engaging separately and directly with each vendor, this conventional method often proves to be protracted and inefficient. The distinct advantage of leveraging 3D Evaluate’s service is multifaceted. Firstly, it offers a dramatic reduction in the duration of the evaluation phase, consolidating multiple interactions into a single, cohesive online experience. This efficiency translates into significant time savings for busy professionals. Secondly, and critically, buyers gain the invaluable support of a neutral, third-party platform and its dedicated team throughout the entire process. This unbiased assistance ensures that buyers receive objective information and guidance, free from individual vendor biases. This objectivity is paramount when comparing sophisticated additive manufacturing solutions, enabling buyers to focus solely on what best meets their specific technical and application requirements, without the added pressure of direct sales engagements until they are truly ready. This positions 3D Evaluate not just as a comparison tool, but as a strategic partner in procurement.

The 3D Evaluate Advantage: Beyond Conventional Procurement

Understanding the value proposition of 3D Evaluate becomes clearer when juxtaposed against the conventional procurement process for additive manufacturing systems. Traditionally, buyers navigating the industrial 3D printer market follow a series of often arduous and fragmented steps. This conventional approach typically involves five major stages, each with its own set of challenges and time commitments:
1. **Online Research and Vendor Identification:** This initial phase requires buyers to extensively search online to identify leading vendors with mature products and established reputations within the dynamic 3D printing industry. This can be a daunting task given the proliferation of new companies and technologies.
2. **Product Comparison:** Following identification, buyers then delve into comparing the offerings of various competitive 3D printer vendors. This primarily involves scrutinizing technical specifications, assessing software capabilities, and evaluating pricing structures, which often requires sifting through vast amounts of data.
3. **Initial Vendor Contact and Engagement:** The next step is to initiate contact, often separately, with each shortlisted vendor or their respective sales partners. This involves asking detailed questions, clarifying technical doubts, and crucially, attempting to arrange meetings at trade shows or showrooms to witness the printers in live operation—a logistical challenge in itself, especially in a post-pandemic world.
4. **Physical Evaluation and Benchmarking:** A critical phase involves examining 3D printed sample parts provided by vendors. More importantly, buyers often seek to print their own specific benchmark parts on the machines of competitive printers, a process that requires significant coordination and can incur costs.
5. **Final Comparison and Decision:** Finally, after collecting all necessary information, buyers undertake a comprehensive comparison of perhaps 2-3 leading vendors, meticulously weighing all factors before concluding and choosing which industrial 3D printer best meets their requirements.

The 3D Evaluate platform fundamentally re-engineers this complex procurement journey, offering a suite of benefits that dramatically simplify and shorten the buyer’s evaluation process, all consolidated within one intuitive online platform:
1. **Expanded Vendor Discovery and Comparison:** Buyers can efficiently find and compare leading vendors, including innovative companies they might not have discovered through conventional research. This broadens their options and ensures a more comprehensive market review.
2. **Time and Effort Savings on Interactions:** The platform eliminates the need for buyers to interact separately and repetitively with each vendor for product specifications, sample part requests, and benchmark printing. 3D Evaluate centralizes these processes, saving considerable time and administrative effort.
3. **Objective, Remote, and Effective Management:** Most significantly, 3D Evaluate provides an objective, third-party platform that enables buyers to manage an effective evaluation and comparison process entirely remotely. This not only mitigates logistical challenges but also ensures that decisions are based on unbiased data and tangible results from physical samples, fostering greater confidence and accelerating the path to an optimal purchasing decision for their industrial 3D printing system.

Ensuring Quality and Fostering Education: 3D Evaluate’s Commitment

As 3D Evaluate continues to grow and establish itself as a premier resource for procuring industrial 3D printing systems, a cornerstone of its operational philosophy is an unwavering commitment to quality and reliability. It is paramount for 3D Evaluate to ensure that buyers interact exclusively with professional and dependable vendors. Consequently, the platform does not simply add 3D printer manufacturers upon their request. Instead, prospective vendors must rigorously meet several stringent criteria to be featured on the platform. This selective approach is crucial for maintaining the integrity and objectivity that buyers expect from 3D Evaluate.

To uphold this standard, 3D Evaluate conducts its own comprehensive research on potential vendors. This meticulous vetting process includes gathering feedback from actual end-users and resellers, inquiring about their experiences with the vendors’ products, customer support, and overall reliability. This due diligence ensures that only manufacturers with a proven track record of quality and customer satisfaction are listed, providing buyers with confidence in the solutions presented. Beyond facilitating efficient procurement, another significant aspect that 3D Evaluate is passionately committed to is providing customers with high-quality educational content. This educational pillar aims to empower buyers with deeper knowledge about the diverse 3D printing technologies, a wide array of materials available, and most importantly, their practical applications.

For instance, the platform will offer valuable insights into specific use cases, such as when and why to utilize materials like PEEK for producing high-performance metal replacement parts, detailing the numerous benefits associated with such applications. This focus on educational content transforms 3D Evaluate from merely a comparison tool into a comprehensive knowledge hub, enabling buyers to not only find the right industrial 3D printer but also to understand the broader strategic implications and innovative possibilities that additive manufacturing brings to their operations.

3D Evaluate represents a significant leap forward in the procurement landscape for industrial 3D printers, transforming a traditionally complex and fragmented process into a streamlined, objective, and efficient journey. By bridging the communication gap between buyers and vendors, particularly in an era where physical interactions are limited, 3D Alliances and Gil Lavi have introduced a platform that not only simplifies evaluation but also fosters informed decision-making through physical samples and rigorous benchmarking. With its commitment to quality vendor selection and robust educational content, 3D Evaluate is poised to become an indispensable resource for anyone seeking to invest in additive manufacturing technology. We encourage you to explore the capabilities of 3D Evaluate HERE and experience the future of industrial 3D printer procurement. What are your thoughts on this innovative platform? Share your insights in the comments below or engage with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to subscribe to our free weekly Newsletter for all the latest news, research, and entrepreneurial advancements in the dynamic world of 3D printing, delivered directly to your inbox!