Browse by Editorial Category
Browse by Edition Date

March 2014

Skip Navigation Links.
Collapse Additive ManufacturingAdditive Manufacturing
Expand Applying TechnologyApplying Technology
Expand Education-TrainingEducation-Training
Expand Current NewsCurrent News
Expand MaterialHandling-AGVs-Storage-InvCtrlMaterialHandling-AGVs-Storage-InvCtrl
Expand Quality Control-MeasurementQuality Control-Measurement

show all editions →

Click here to watch Tutorial Videos >

Color Multi-Material 3D Printer



PolyJet photopolymers cure instantly with UV light.

Objet Studio Software lets users assign materials and colors.

Simulate overmolding, even with strong Digital ABS material.

Connex3 can mix Digital ABS with another material.

Each set of colorful moving gears was built in one piece.

Stratasys Ltd. now offers the Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer.

"A game-changer for product design, engineering and manufacturing processes, the Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer features a unique triple-jetting technology that combines droplets of three base materials to produce parts with virtually unlimited combinations of rigid, flexible and transparent color materials as well as color digital materials - all in a single print run," said a company spokesperson. "This ability to achieve the characteristics of an assembled part without assembly or painting is a significant time-saver. It helps product manufacturers validate designs and make good decisions earlier before committing to manufacturing, and bring products to market faster."

"Stratasys' goal is to help our customers revolutionize their design and manufacturing processes," said Stratasys CEO David Reis. "I believe our new Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer will transform the way our customers design, engineer and manufacture new products."

Engineers at beta user Trek Bicycle in Waterloo, WI, are using the Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer for assessment and testing of accessories like bike chain stay guards and handlebar grips prior to actual production. "The Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer changed the way we manufacture at Trek, augmenting our traditional, time-consuming CNC processes with fast, iterative and realistic prototyping and functional testing," said Mike Zeigle, Manager of Trek's Prototype Development Group.

"Now we produce bicycle parts that look and feel like production parts. We are particularly excited about 3D printing our models directly in color. This gives our designers the ability to graphically display color contact pressure map data on rider contact parts like seats and grips. We are also working on doing the same with FEA and CFD stress data on structural bike components," said Zeigle.

Similar to a 2D inkjet printer, three color materials - VeroCyan, VeroMagenta and VeroYellow - are combined to produce hundreds of vivid colors. These color materials join Stratasys' range of PolyJet photopolymer materials, including digital materials, rigid, rubber-like, transparent and high temperature materials to simulate standard and high temperature engineering plastics.

The Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer also features six palettes for new rubber-like Tango colors, ranging from opaque to transparent colors in various shore values to address markets such as automotive, consumer and sporting goods and fashion.

Featuring a large build envelope, the Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer is ideal for high capacity production. Print jobs can run with about 30 kg of resin per cycle. The Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer prints as fine as 16 micron layers for models with enhanced surface finish and fine detail.

For more information contact:

Stratasys, Inc.

7665 Commerce Way

Eden Prairie, MN 55344

800-937-3010 / 952-937-3000

info@stratasys.com

www.stratasys.com

< back