Colour 3D printer and materials save design time
Designers can save weeks on the design process, says Stratasys, as it claims to push the boundaries of 3D-printed realism, unveiling the latest full colour, multi-material PolyJet printer. The J850 3D printer can shorten overall modelling time by up to 50 per cent at significantly lower cost, compared with traditional modelling, says Stratasys.
The J850 offers advanced settings that can produce concept models twice as fast as previous J-Series systems and introduces the Super High Speed mode, allowing designers and engineers more time for part refinement by printing concept models at double the speed. In addition, it has a seven-material capacity for designers to print a full range of colour, transparency and flexibility combinations in a single part.
Stratasys is also introducing two PolyJet materials. VeroUltraClear material can deliver high clarity and finely detailed models that are similar in appearance to glass, claims the company. It can help designers visualise internal features and create concept models that verify the design of clear parts. The second new PolyJet material is DraftGrey. This is a low-cost concept material that is suitable for fast, affordable iterations in the beginning of the design process.
Jeremy Garrard, director of design and advanced technologies, Quadpack Industries, comments: “The application areas in which our J850 is currently deployed include prototype models to test new ideas for our Q-Line range of beauty packaging solutions and supporting our clients’ bespoke work. The J850’s . . . colour, multi-material capabilities give us unparalleled ability to quickly and easily trial new concepts and ideas, while also expediting the initial design and development phase.”
“The J850 has been built to meet the needs of the full design process in industries such as consumer goods, consumer electronics, automotive, as well as education settings,” says Shamir Shoham, vice president, PolyJet Business Unit at Stratasys. “Typically, that process includes two separate streams: evaluating geometric shape with a physical single-colour model, and considering colour and texture on the screen. The J850 merges these two mediums into one full-colour, multi-material model to make better design decisions, earlier.”
The J850 also provides Pantone Validated colour for continuity, while GrabCAD Print software is supported to enable the J850 3D print directly from a favoured professional CAD format to avoid converting STL files.