New high-tech E-Commerce Web Site to use Rapid Prototyping (RP) technologies to design and build custom toys for the general public.

From: Karl R. Denton (karl@toybuilders.com)
Date: Wed Aug 09 2000 - 01:57:47 EEST


For Immediate Release

New high-tech E-Commerce Web Site to use Rapid Prototyping (RP) technologies
to design and build custom toys for the general public.

Commerce Township, MI, August 8, 2000

ToyBuilders.com, LLC a Michigan Limited Liability Company has announced that
it will begin taking orders via its website www.ToyBuilders.com
<www.ToyBuilders.com> for custom designed toys. The site, which will
officially begin taking orders by the 30th of August, is fully functional at
this point minus the order-processing segment. The idea behind
ToyBuilders.com came from its founder Karl Denton when his daughter was
asking for a particular toy that could not be found. Realizing the time had
come to introduce the general public to the RP industry the site name was
secured while the company behind the site was created. "We saw the United
Parcel Service (UPS) commercial that aired during the Super Bowl game this
year and realized that the technology and infrastructure was there to
support such a venture", says Karl. The full story is posted on the
ToyBuilders.com website.

"The enabling factor(s) in all of this is the availability of inexpensive
solid modeling applications and service bureaus (SBs) using Rapid
Prototyping technologies", says Karl Denton. ToyBuilders.com is dedicated
to using SolidWorks2000(tm) and is establishing a nation wide network of CAD
designers. "Using the service bureaus also made complete sense and we have
established a Technical Affiliate Program (TAP) in which service bureaus
sign up to an annual contract that states among other things the types of
materials, paints and other aspects of toy building" Karl continued. The
TAP program helps standardize an otherwise unruly maze of materials,
coatings and processes.

The toy building process starts by a visitor at the website answering a few
questions regarding the desired toy. With-in 24 hours they will receive a
quote and must give permission to continue. Once permission is given the
toy will be created in SolidWorks2000 and using eDrawings (a software
package that allows solid models to be easily viewed and transported) will
be sent to the client via email for final approval. Once final approval is
given the toy will be constructed on the RP technology that best suits the
intended child/person and use. Current RP technologies use one or more of
the following materials: epoxy based plastics, ABS (rugged) plastics, nylon
based materials, laminated paper that forms wood like material, wax
materials that can be cast into metal parts such as jewelry and other
materials that exhibit various other properties.

"The only limiting factor here is literally your imagination! For example:
ToyBuilders.com has developed a technique that can convert two photographs
of a person's head (a side view and a front view) to a solid model. Once
that has been done the model can be scaled up or down to any size, so a
child can now have his or her favorite action figure look exactly like them,
or anyone else! This being only one example of the power of these
technologies; they could be considered the early versions of the replicators
that we all grew-up with watching Star Trek(tm)" says Karl

One of the most widely visible uses of Rapid Prototyping was in the
DreamWorks/Universal release of Small Solders. During the opening moments
of the film we see Commando leader Chip Hazard being built on a 3D Systems,
Inc., Valencia, CA. Stereolithography (SLA) machine. Rapid Prototyping
technologies have been helping various industries cut time to market by
building fast prototypes and prototype tooling.

ToyBuilders.com, LLC is wholly owned by Advanced Technology Consultants, LLC
a leading industry consulting firm in Rapid Prototyping technologies and
engineering. With well over ten years of experience in the area of
prototype engineering Advanced Technology Consultants, LLC's President, Karl
Denton, has spent several years promoting industry safety through talks and
the sales of products. Developing a new tooling method for Ford Motor
Company, pushing machine accuracy's for the aircraft industry and winning
the 1994 Stereolithography Excellence Award are just a few of his
accomplishments. The Advanced Technology Consultants, LLC web site can be
found at www.karldenton.com <http://www.karldenton.com> .

Contact Information:

Karl Denton
ToyBuilders.com, LLC
4778 Greenview Ct.
Commerce Twp., MI 48382
Phone: 248-366-5012 (Active on 8-10-2000) or 248-363-1478
Fax: 248-363-7488
karl@toybuilders.om <mailto:Karl@toybuilders.om>

General Information:
info@toybuilders.com <mailto:Info@toybuilders.com>

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