Being an Engineer S6E37 Duann Scott | Computational Design & The Best File Format for 3D Printing
Duann Scott is a globally recognized leader in computational design, additive manufacturing, and the emerging intersection of software and fabrication. With a background in industrial design and a PhD research foundation from the University of South Australia, Duann launched BITS to ATOMS in 2009 to explore how digital tools would revolutionize product design and manufacturing. What started as an academic pursuit quickly transformed into a dynamic industry journey through some of the most innovative companies in the space.
At Shapeways, he helped build one of the first online 3D printing communities. At Autodesk, he shaped the strategy for the $100M Spark investment fund and led the acquisition of Netfabb, now integral to Autodesk's digital manufacturing suite. At nTopology, Duann served in multiple executive roles, driving growth and expanding the company’s software integrations for advanced manufacturing applications.
In 2021, he relaunched BITS to ATOMS as a consultancy and launched CDFAM, the Computational Design Symposium Series. CDFAM now brings together cutting-edge thinkers across engineering, software, and architecture at events in NYC, Berlin, and Brooklyn. Whether supporting MIT xPRO students, contributing to the Wohlers Report, or guiding the 3MF Consortium as Executive Director, Duann is committed to building better tools, workflows, and communities around computational manufacturing.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Duann brings a creative edge from his past life as a musician and designer, continually pushing the boundary between art and engineering. His mission? To create a better digital thread from bits to atoms.
LINKS:
Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duann/
Guest website: https://cdfam.com/
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