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For many decades, mold making and casting were the go-to methods to produce realistic prototypes of smaller plastic goods. Often referred to as Room Temperature Vulcanization (RTV) or silicone molding, this is the process of producing a master part and making a flexible mold off that master. Then, the mold is filled with a two-part urethane resin, which cures into the shape of the mold. This produces a part that exactly mimics the original master’s shape and surface finish. This process is extremely versatile and is in use in many industries. Still, it requires a skilled model maker to produce a master and understand the proper molding techniques to achieve the desired result. Today, 3D printing is changing the way RTV molding is approached and no 3D printing technology is better suited for the task than Stratasys’ PolyJet technology. In this article, we will illustrate the process of RTV molding and explore how PolyJet printing can augment the various steps.

With the many improvements to GrabCAD Print over the last year, one of the most notable is the addition of Manufacturing Notes. This add-in allows the user to add notes to the faces of parts to be 3D printed. These notes can then be printed off on paper and follow the 3D printed part from initial printing through post-processing. High-volume 3D printing labs, universities and manufacturing may benefit the most from this feature, where multiple engineers and departments are utilizing their printers daily.

Stratasys just released the newest addition to their J-series family of PolyJet 3D printers, the Stratasys J826, an entry-level printer for the enterprise design world. Just like the J850, the J826 has been created using Stratasys' best-in-class PolyJet technology and is part of the only family of printers currently available that can print full-color, multi-material models in a single print. It provides the same end-to-end solution for the design process and ultra-realistic simulation at a lower price point.

Almost everybody loves chocolate, right? That’s exactly what I was thinking when I was working on some models for our previous Halloween and Christmas candy articles. As I was working on those projects, I came across a surprisingly quick and easy way to apply full-color patterned textures to CAD models for 3D printing on the Stratasys J750 and J850, using SOLIDWORKS Visualize, and had the idea to use this method to make chocolate bars for Valentine’s Day!

PolyJet technology uses resins that are dispensed onto a build tray in very small droplets and cured between passes with ultraviolet light in order to create a 3D shape or shapes. PolyJet 3D printers use this process to create parts with a high level of detail and realism because they can print in multiple materials/colors at once and at a higher resolution than other print technology like Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). Stratasys PolyJet machines can blend anywhere from two to six resins in order to obtain features like soft touch points and full range of color in a single printed part. This makes the technology very attractive for multiple industries when needing to create realistic prototypes and tactile end-use-parts. In this blog article, we highlight some of the most common blends of these composite or "digital" materials and how they are made.

For thirty years, Stratasys has been the world's leading 3D printing company, empowering global business to innovate in their designs and manufacturing processes. In 2019, Stratasys launched new products and materials that continue to make an impact across different industries. This past week, TriMech employees attended Impact 2020, the event that Stratasys organizes for all partners. Here's a look at what we can actually reveal!

3D printing has revolutionized many industries, and the field of dentistry is no different. Due to the numerous benefits of 3D printing, dentists are finding various ways to implement it into their practices. One of the most significant advantages that 3D printers offer for is the production of multi-material elements. Dental 3D printers can simultaneously print a range of cases from implant models with soft tissue and custom-fit surgical guides, aligner setups and indirect bonding trays, a variety of restoration mock-ups and more.

MakerBot recently announced that it was further expanding the material capabilities of its Method platform with a new experimental MakerBot LABS print head and what they are calling the "Partner Materials Development Program." This opens up the Method platform to use a potentially unlimited number of materials as filament suppliers can now qualify their 3D printing materials for the platform in-house. Engineers and designers can discover the resulting pre-qualified materials from leading filament companies to explore new 3D printing applications.  

The Stratasys Continuous Build 3D Printer is here to help you reduce your production time by allowing you to print various jobs at once, one after the other. This smart, modular, FDM manufacturing automated printing system will enable you to produce multiple parts quickly without any interruptions and with a variety of colors.

MakerBot Method 3D printers use production-grade thermoplastics to create functional prototypes, manufacturing tools and end-use parts that are durable, detailed and dimensionally accurate, all from a desktop sized printer. Getting industrial-grade jobs from a smaller footprint makes 3D printing real ABS much more convenient. Let's take a look at these new materials and what they mean for desktop 3D printing.

Stratasys GrabCAD Print is a sophisticated 3D printing app that allows designers and engineers to prepare, schedule and monitor 3D printing jobs. Since its release, GrabCAD has continued to make exciting updates to this software; and we will be updating you every other month on its new features – in this set of release notes we will be looking at versions 1.32, 1.33, and the just-released 1.34.

3D printing has become increasingly popular in the Medical industry over the last few years and this is evident in the fields of teaching, planning and practicing medicine. In this blog article, we uncover the possibilities in each one of these fields to utilize Stratasys 3D printers, such as the new J750 Digital Anatomy Printer (DAP) that is capable of replicating the look, feel and responsiveness of human tissue.