CANON'S
CANOBEAM DT-130 HELPS STRATASYS CREATE THE SHAPE OF THINGS
TO COME
Free-Space Optics Ensures Reliable Networking for
Rapid Prototyping Business
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Nov. 1, 2004 — It sounds like
science fiction, but it's not. A person at a computer
draws a 3D object, presses a button, and a special machine
turns that design into an actual solid item. That machine
is called a Rapid Prototyping System, and it's made by
Stratasys Inc., of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. And when this
high-tech leader recently expanded to a third building
they chose Canon's Canobeam DT-130 Free Space Optics Transceiver
System to ensure that design files sent across their computer
network always result in precision-made prototypes.
"We have a Canon Canobeam connection to a building
we recently opened three-quarters of a mile away across
a four-lane highway," explained Steve Glennon, Stratasys
system administrator. "The four-lane highway ruled
out a fiber link, but line-of-sight Free Space Optics
was the perfect solution."
Stratasys' rapid prototyping systems enable engineers
in high-tech industries such as aerospace and automotive
to turn their computer designs into precision models that
can be tested for form, fit, and function throughout the
product-development process. Stratasys' need to internally
network large amounts of computer-design data among its
three buildings in addition to its own day-to-day IT requirements
necessitated study into the best options for a high-speed
data link.
"We brought in Technology Management Corporation,
a Sherwood, Minnesota consulting firm," Glennon recalled.
"They did a study of what we needed, and presented
us with a report on the best methods of connecting the
buildings. They analyzed our options and costs, including
initial versus long-term. These options included a high-speed
radio link, a high-speed data line leased from the phone
company, and a Free-Space Optical connection. Looking
at the return on investment versus performance for these
options, Free-Space Optical was the clear winner. It had
a return on investment of about a year, so it was ideal
for us."
Once it was clear that Free-Space Optics was the best
solution, the next task was to choose which brand.
"We chose Canon's Canobeam for its active optical
(Auto-Tracking) connection," Glennon revealed. "The
problem with most Free Space Optical systems is that the
beam spreads; the more distant the connection, the wider
it gets. Normally the way to handle that or to handle
movement and alignment issues is to let the beam spread
and take a loss in power, which usually limits the distance
that the buildings can be separated.
"What Canon added to the equation is their optical
expertise. Canobeam has an active system that aims the
beam precisely and spreads it less. This enables Canobeam
to handle movement between the buildings as well as vibrations
and all the things that a high-precision laser is possibly
affected by. After all, you've got this beam precisely
aimed while cars and trucks are rumbling by, people are
walking around inside the building, and heating &
cooling systems are functioning. All of that can be enough
to throw a laser beam off. But Canobeam can handle a much
tighter-focus beam and optically correct the aiming while
it's in use. We need networking to our third building
to be reliable, and Canobeam provides that. We also installed
a back-up T-1 connection, but we prefer Canobeam's optical
connection for its higher speed.
"At three-quarters of a mile we were right at the
limit that Canon specifies Free Space Optical for,"
Glennon added. "But we're seeing very high-quality
signal strength at that distance. And although we were
most concerned about fog-the bane of optical connections-I
checked the reading on a recent foggy morning and found
that the signal strength dropped only about 40 percent,
which is very good and sufficient to run the connection
channel at full speed."
Now in its latest generation, the Canobeam DT-100 series
is a proven, reliable, and versatile solution for low-cost,
high-security, high-speed data-transmission networking
at up to 2km (1.24 miles) at 1.25 Gbps (Gigabits per second).
All models in the Canobeam DT-100 series employ Canon's
Automatic Tracking Function to maintain beam alignment
and compensate for vibrations in the installation base
due to temperature, weather, and other factors. Canobeam
systems are protocol-independent (like fiber), require
no radio-frequency permits or licenses, and are highly
secure. Canobeam users include a wide range of business,
government, and educational institutions.
"We're happy with the job Technology Management
Corporation did, we're happy with the installer, Peter
Schoon of System Support Solutions (Orono, Minnesota),
but we're especially happy with Canobeam," Glennon
concluded.
About Stratasys: Stratasys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSYS) is a
leading manufacturer of rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing
systems for automotive, aerospace, industrial, recreational,
electronic, medical, and consumer product OEMs. Using
patented Fused Deposition Modeling and PolyJet rapid prototyping
processes, Stratasys RP systems create precision three-dimensional
prototyping parts directly from 3D CAD systems for use
in testing form, fit, and function throughout the design
and development process. Stratasys systems allow design
engineers to model highly complex geometries from high-performance
plastics-right from their workstation or network. These
systems require no chemical post processing, special venting,
or facility modification. For more information, visit
www.stratasys.com.
About Canon U.S.A., Inc. Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers
consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging
solutions. The Company is listed as one of Fortune's Most
Admired Companies in America, and is ranked #35 on the
Business Week list of "Top 100 Brands." Its
parent company Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent-holder
of technology, ranking second overall in the U.S. in 2003,
with global revenues of $29.9 billion. For more information,
visit www.usa.canon.com.
All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks
of their respective owners.
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For more information, please call Canon Broadcast and
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