Stratasys Dominates Market For Low-Cost Prototype Printer; 3-D Plastic Models; At $29,000, machine sells for less than half that of other products.(THE IBD 100)

Byline: JONAH KERI

Ron Popeil became a millionaire by designing a line of food preparation products reputed to be so simple, you could "set it and forget it."

Stratasys has applied that principle to tasks a lot tougher than making jerky. Designing a prototype for an intricate engine block or cell phone? The firm's Dimension printer lets engineers and designers -- as well as laymen -- set it and forget it.

Designed as an alternative to computer-aided design devices costing $60,000 and up, Dimension retails for $29,900. Its price and ease of use have fueled heavy demand and propelled Stratasys' profit growth.

"It's a better, cheaper mouse trap," said Shane Glenn, vice president at Dougherty & Co. and analyst covering Stratasys. "The untapped demand comes from designers, really anyone who designs almost anything you can imagine that you can hold in your hands.

"There are a lot of things you can't tell just by looking at a computer screen. This way you can print out, hold it, touch it, use it in a way it's meant to be used, giving you an idea of whether the product was designed correctly."

The Dimension works like a printer, except it spits out 3-D plastic models instead of paper. It's filled with a long plastic filament that feeds into a pump.