Case Study: Powermate Corp. achieves rapid prototyping and slashed costs with 3D Systems' ZPrinter 310 Plus

Powermate brings 3D printing in-house to speed design, slash costs and enhance products

Powermate, a 700‑employee maker of portable and standby generators, air compressors and related equipment, faced long lead times and high costs for part prototypes—often paying up to $2,000 per part and spending about $75,000 a year while waiting weeks for outsourced prototypes. The slow, expensive process hindered the design team’s ability to refine aesthetics and fit for consumer‑facing parts like knobs, handles and control panels.

Powermate brought 3D printing in‑house with a ZPrinter 310 Plus, which integrates with SolidWorks and is fast, compact and low‑cost to operate. The company cut prototyping time from weeks to a half day, reduced annual prototyping spend to about $25,000 (recouping the printer cost in six weeks), improved communication with overseas manufacturers and fewer errors, and now produces several prototype parts per week.

Powermate Corp.

Andy Johnson

Industrial Designer