PolyJet Technology (3) Page 3

GrabCAD Print version 1.54 now gives all FDM users access to the Wall Stabilizer tool so they can apply this tool to a 3D print that is tall and thin for better builds. Let’s dive in and take a quick test drive through the interface and check out the options that are available.

It has been an eventful year so far for the TriMech RP Services team. Six months ago we outgrew our longtime printing facility and now we’re established at our new location in Connecticut and fully operational! We keep up with the advancements in new technologies that come out regularly including several new materials and machines released from Stratasys the past few months (with more coming out later this year). 

Additionally, TriMech and another industry leader, Javelin Technologies of Canada have come together as one team. All of these changes are exciting TriMech, as well as the industry as a whole, but what I'm really excited to talk about are the changes to our Rapid Prototyping Services department and how we are making these technologies more accessible to new and existing customers.

As engineering and design needs evolve, new challenges must be overcome. Adapting to change and understanding the needs of clients while providing cutting-edge solutions is a necessity to staying on top, both in technology and price point. Stratasys continually pushes the boundaries of 3D printing with these important factors in mind and recently launched their newest innovations as a firm testament to that. 

Whether you are an in-house engineer looking for something that offers multi-material options with a smaller footprint, an in-house designer with a desire to generate maximum output, or a medical professional that wants to produce high-quality, certified models, you will absolutely love the fantastic options that are now available in the 3D printing space from Stratasys. 

The 3D printing space is chock full of different OEM’s boasting features and benefits that make them appear better, faster, or less expensive. Meanwhile; Stratasys is putting their money where their mouth is by constantly developing new materials to push the limits of additive manufacturing. Vero UltraBlack™ Black and Vero UltraWhite™ have opened a new avenue of 3D printing by allowing users to achieve rich and full true colors at a mind-boggling thickness. Additionally, they have increased their achievable color gamut to over 560,000 different colors, giving users more design possibilities allowing them to create without compromise on the PolyJet J8-Series and J55 Printers.

Here is another installment in the Know your Materials video series. In this video, we have some samples of the new Vero UltraBlack and Vero UltraWhite PolyJet material. You may be asking “What’s so 'ultra' about these materials?”

3D printing in color has been around longer than you think. Do you need a prototype printed in yellow ABS? No problem, load a yellow spool of filament in your 3D printer and voilà! You have yourself a yellow part. How about blue? We have you covered, just toss some blue photopolymer in your SLA vat and BAM! A blue part can be printed. How about a part with multiple colors? No problem. Break out the trusty sandpaper and good old-fashion elbow grease, maybe some primer, then either spray or hand paint your model until your heart is content.

Oh… you were hoping to have full color printed parts straight off the printer? Why didn’t you say so? Let me introduce you to Stratasys PolyJet technology.

After the turbulence of 2020 and the cancellation of nearly all trade shows, conferences and in-person meetings, the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) returned to an in-person event in Orlando, FL for the AMUG 2021 conference. Considering additive manufacturing is an industry that thrives on collaboration and training, this was a welcome relief after a year of Zoom, WebEx and GoToMeeting calls!

For the last 15 years Stratasys and their value-added resellers, like TriMech, had to field one reoccurring question that divided our 3D printing world into two clearly different segments. That question was, “Can I have the material performance of FDM, with the surface finish of PolyJet right out of the printer?" For so long, that answer was “no” unless you did some post-processing of the prints. Even looking into the history of Stratasys in the years before the Objet and Stratasys merger, you were mainly on one side or the other – strength or surface finish. However, this all changed with the advent of Programmable Photopolymerization (P3) technology, which is now found in the Stratasys Origin One 3D printer, and finally, we can say “yes”...

Technology continues to develop at an ever-faster pace and educators have long realized that the best way for students to keep up, is to gain hands-on experience. 3D printing is no exception, and many schools and universities are integrating 3D printers into their curriculums. These tools give students capabilities that could only have been imagined years ago, while building skills that apply to real-world applications. The challenge for educators is sorting through the wealth of options that exist, to narrow down the best choice for their students. In this article, we will explain some of the benefits of key 3D printing technologies and the departments that could take advantage of each one.