1024 has been using FDM for quite a while too. Over the years we've found theres places to use it and places to not use it.... but really it depends on an application by application basis....
Some of the best places we've found it useful are applications where items need to be feeded, such as poof balls for the aim high competition. If you'll remember, FDM could be found in the shooter wheels, shooter guards, feeder system, as well as the drive sprockets for the track drive.
The school we are located at (McKenzie Career Center) has a Stratasys FDM Maxum rapid prototyper (24x20x24" build size).
At the place where i work we looked at getting a smaller Dimension line FDM machine.... the price of the machine isnt what stopped it... its the material!
As stated in previous posts, it costs hundreds of dollars to make a part of any decent size.
Which reminds me... FDM'ers out there.... have any of you wondered if string trimmer line (which you can find in ABS as well as PC) would work as well? I mean... talk about a lower cost option... it might be a conspiracy!
...but then again who wants to risk their machine... hmm.
-q