More than 600 students from 10 countries submitted designs for the 2016 Extreme Redesign 3D Printing Challenge.

MINNEAPOLIS & REHOVOT, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq:SSYS), the 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions company, has selected finalists for the 12th Annual Extreme Redesign 3D Printing Challenge.

This worldwide contest gives students in secondary and post-secondary educational institutions the opportunity to redesign an existing product, create a new product that improves how a task is accomplished, or design an original work of art or architecture. Entries must include a written description and/or video, as well as an STL file.

Categories include:

Engineering: Secondary Education (middle and high school)

Engineering: Post-Secondary (university, college or post-secondary)

Art or architecture (any grade level)

Entries are evaluated based on creativity, being mechanically sound and being realistically achievable.

Regional semi-finalists in each category will receive a 3D printed model of their design. The top-ten finalists in each category advance to the final stage of judging and will receive a Stratasys apparel item valued at $50. To view a complete listing, follow the links for the regional semi-finalists and top-ten finalists:

During the final round of judging, industry experts will select winners in each category. The judges are:

Tim Shinbara, VP, Manufacturing Technology, Association for Manufacturing Technology
Leslie Langnau, Managing Editor, Design World magazine
Todd Grimm, President, T.A. Grimm & Associates
Steve Deak, Senior Engineer-Additive Manufacturing, GE, & Vice President, AMUG Board
Stratasys will award first place winners a $2,500 scholarship, with second place winners receiving a $1,000 scholarship. The winner of this years new bonus category, "Make a Difference" will receive a $1,500 scholarship. The instructor of the first-place winner in each category will receive a demo 3D printer to use in the classroom for a limited time. As an added bonus, if your school is a NCATC member, you have the chance to be selected as the Coalitions top entry in the post-secondary category, and the winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Winners will be announced this April.

Since the contests inception, Stratasys has awarded more than $130,000 in scholarships to innovative students. Video, photos and descriptions of previous winning designs, as well as contest rules and regulations are available on the Stratasys website.

For more than 25 years, Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS) has been a defining force and dominant player in 3D printing and additive manufacturing - shaping the way things are made. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Rehovot, Israel, the company empowers customers across a broad range of vertical markets by enabling new paradigms for design and manufacturing. The companys solutions provide customers with unmatched design freedom and manufacturing flexibility - reducing time-to-market and lowering development costs, while improving designs and communications. Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and Solidscape, and the Stratasys ecosystem includes 3D printers for prototyping and production; a wide range of 3D printing materials; parts on-demand via Stratasys Direct Manufacturing; strategic consulting and professional services; and the Thingiverse and GrabCAD communities with over 2 million 3D printable files for free designs. With more than 2,700 employees and 800 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents, Stratasys has received more than 30 technology and leadership awards. Visit us online at: www.stratasys.com or http://blog.stratasys.com/, and follow us on LinkedIn.