February 26, 2018 — When HP introduced 3D printers in 2016, Avid Product Development was one of the first companies to buy a Multi Jet Fusion unit. Nearly two years later, co-founders Doug Collins and Ryan Billson have transformed Avid from a contract mechanical design and engineering firm into a manufacturing center providing customers a solution for quick-turn 3D printing production.

This increased production capacity also allows Avid to offer a “bridge” between prototyping and injection molding for its growing client base, ranging from inventors to large companies. “Mold tooling is really expensive,” stated Collins. “It might cost you $200,000 to tool up.” With Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing, he added, “The per-part cost is more but there’s no tooling involved.”

Avid enjoyed more than 100 percent growth in 2017, and has grown from just Collins and Billson to eight employees in the last three years. Increased capacity and more people will be the continued focus for Avid. To fill the former, Avid will likely buy a second HP printer in 2018, stated Collins. As for the latter, Avid will hire sales and operations people “in the near future.”

Another focus for Avid is “getting big manufacturers to understand the utility of 3D printers like we have,” added Billson. Taking a few minutes a company leader, however, “really open their eyes.”