3D Systems Elevates Business with ASUS Ascent GX10

For 3D Systems, staying at the forefront of additive manufacturing demands a constant search for cutting-edge technologies—technologies that empower industries from aerospace to healthcare with groundbreaking solutions. Recently, 3D Systems invested in just such a technology: the ASUS Ascent GX10.

For 3D Systems, the future of manufacturing hinges on integrating the physical and digital worlds. Their clientele, often operating within highly regulated environments and fiercely protective of their intellectual property, require solutions that are not only powerful but also inherently secure and absolutely reliable. This is where the ASUS Ascent GX10 comes in—enabling 3D Systems to reach new heights of performance and efficiency while upholding the strictest standards of data privacy and control.

The Challenge: Navigating the AI Landscape with Security as a Priority

3D Systems understands the transformative potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning. They see AI as a key to revolutionizing their operations. However, their unwavering commitment to safeguarding their customers' intellectual property and guaranteeing the security of their data has always taken precedence.

Historically, 3D Systems has relied on cloud-based solutions for AI workloads. While the cloud offers scalability and accessibility, it also introduces significant challenges concerning data privacy, latency, and control. Their customers, many of whom are involved in sensitive projects, are understandably hesitant to entrust their valuable data to third-party providers. As Scott Green, Sr. Director Advanced Software R&D for 3D Systems, notes, "When you look at the types of customers that we have, they're typically very IP sensitive. Offering a cloud-based solution usually doesn’t work; it’s deal-killing for a lot of clients."

The inherent unpredictability of cloud latency can also create bottlenecks for real-time applications such as simulation and control, which is a serious downside for some companies.

The Solution: ASUS Ascent GX10 – A Local AI Powerhouse

One of the most compelling advantages of the GX10 is its ability to execute complex AI tasks locally, eliminating the need to transmit data to the cloud. This not only mitigates the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access but also significantly reduces latency and improves responsiveness. With the GX10, 3D Systems can process data in real-time, enabling faster, more informed decision-making.

After some preliminary testing, 3D Systems became convinced that the GX10 could provide the ideal blend of performance, security, and control needed to fully realize the potential of AI within their business.

3D Systems turned to ASUS Ascent GX10 for executing their AI tasks locally. Reference image only.

Benefits and Applications

The integration of the ASUS Ascent GX10 has yielded tangible benefits for 3D Systems.

• Enhanced Simulation and Modeling: The GX10's support for clustering and unified memory has proven invaluable for simulation and modeling efforts. With the GX10, 3D Systems can simulate complex scenarios with greater accuracy and fidelity, validating designs and optimizing processes before committing to physical prototypes. Plus, the ability to unify memory of up to 256GB or higher has significantly expanded the scope of simulations they can undertake.
• Powerful Local LLMs and CUDA Acceleration: The GX10's performance with local Large Language Models (LLMs) and CUDA acceleration has been particularly impressive. This has enabled 3D Systems to explore AI-driven applications that require real-time processing of large datasets and perform local/offline inference.
• Clustering for Running Larger Models: With NVIDIA ConnectX-7 networking, 3D Systems can cluster a pair of GX10 systems instead of relying on multiple power-hungry machines, efficiently handling their machine learning workloads.

Green notes the value of clustering and unified memory for large-scale modeling and simulation. He also praises the GX10's performance for local LLMs and CUDA acceleration, stating, "Just the amount of the speed of local LLMs was amazing. And then just the raw CUDA performance that's available just as an accelerator was also amazing. Additionally, the system is portable and low power, which means we can put it in a backpack and travel with it, and work anywhere securely, without needing to worry about network bandwidth, or unmanageable accelerator HW setups."

Virtual Lab Benefits: Seamless Collaboration and Rapid Integration

The virtual lab setup provided by ASUS has been crucial to the successful integration of the GX10. As a geographically dispersed team, the ability to collaborate remotely without the need for physical system transfers has proven invaluable. This has not only saved time and resources but also allowed 3D Systems to leverage the expertise of team members in any location.

"The virtual lab setup that ASUS provided was incredibly valuable due to the fact that we are a distributed team,” explains Green. “I could work from wherever I needed to and still be able to interact with the system as and when needed."

The virtual lab environment also enabled 3D Systems' engineers to quickly and efficiently familiarize themselves with the new product. Early access to the system minimized the learning curve and allowed them to immediately experiment with the GX10's capabilities.

Cost Savings and Enhanced Business Value

The ASUS Ascent GX10 has not only improved performance and efficiency but has also delivered cost savings for 3D Systems. By performing AI tasks locally, the company has reduced reliance on cloud-based services. Furthermore, the GX10's support for clustering and unified memory has eliminated the need for expensive hardware upgrades.

Conclusion: Success With A Powerful Local AI Solution

For 3D Systems, the ASUS Ascent GX10 has been a catalyst for innovation, enabling them to leverage the potential of AI while maintaining the highest standards of data privacy and control. Its ability to perform complex AI tasks locally, support clustering and unified memory, while providing a seamless virtual lab experience has made it a invaluable tool for business.

About 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD)

For more than 30 years, 3D Systems has led innovation in additive manufacturing, delivering hardware, software, materials, and services that transform how products are made. Their application-specific solutions span healthcare, aerospace, automotive, and other industrial sectors, empowering customers to achieve designs and business models once thought impossible. Learn more at www.3dsystems.com