The new printers are part of the company’s new strategy to advance agile 3D printing in manufacturing.
Polymer 3D printing solutions developer Stratasys unveiled its latest portfolio of new 3D printers for end-use parts as part of the company’s new additive manufacturing strategy. The Origin One, the H350, and the F770 FDM all incorporate Stratasys’ fused deposition modeling (FDM), P3, as well as selective absorption fusion (SAF) 3D printing technologies. According to the company, this new move is towards the acceleration of additive manufacturing for low- to mid-volume production applications. As stated in a press release last April, Stratasys is anticipating the shift from prototyping to agile 3D printing in the manufacturing process.
“The disruptions we are seeing today on both the supply and demand side of global supply chains are a clear sign that the status quo isn’t working. Additive manufacturing gives companies the total flexibility to decide when, where, and how to produce parts,” shared Stratasys CEO Dr. Yoav Zeif.
The first in the lineup is the Origin One 3D printer, which was developed along with Origin’s technology. Stratasys acquired 3D printing startup Origin back in December 2020. This new printer is designed for end-use manufacturing applications and utilizes proprietary high-speed P3 technology based on programmable photopolymerization. This allows it to produce accurate, detailed, and repeatable parts at volume using a variety of open and certified third-party materials. It also includes new features such as cloud connectivity and around 100 hardware upgrades for improved reliability and performance.
This is a significant upgrade from the first Origin One 3D printer, which was introduced back in 2019 before the acquisition, featuring better ergonomics for a refined production workflow. The build volume has also been increased in the Z-direction for easier printing of large, solid production molds. It can reportedly support part dimensions up to 192 x 108 x 370 mm and print details of less than 50 microns. The printer is ideal for production-oriented industries such as automotive, consumer goods, medical, dental, and tooling applications.
Meanwhile, the H350 3D printer is part of Stratasys’ new H Series Production Platform, which has been undergoing beta testing since early this year. The printer is powered by the company’s new powder-based 3D printing technology, SAF, and is designed to deliver production-level throughput for end-use parts. According to Stratasys, SAF is based on a high-speed sintering process that was originally developed by inkjet printhead supplier Xaar 3D.
SAF involves selectively jetting an infrared-sensitive High Absorbing Fluid (HAF) binder onto a bed of polymer powder. This is done by passing industrial piezoelectric print heads across the build area, and then using an infrared lamp to melt the HAF-infused areas. The powder particles fuse together to form solid layers. Stratasys shared that the H350 printer itself is equipped with a number of 3D printer parts that used SAF technology. This technology will allow it to provide production consistency, competitive cost per part, as well as complete control over the production of thousands of parts. Some applications include end-use parts such as covers, connectors, hinges, cable holders, electronics housings, and ducting.
The final printer that was introduced is the F770, which is powered by Stratasys’ industrial-grade FDM technology. This 3D printer is most ideal for large parts thanks to what the company has described as the “longest fully heated build chamber on the market”, which is integrated into the F770. It measures approximately 46 inches on the diagonal and has a build volume of over 13 cubic feet. It also uses soluble support material, which allows parts with complex internal structures to be printed with minimal post-processing.
The printer was designed particularly for thermoplastic prototyping, jigs and fixtures, as well as tooling applications. It’s equipped with GrabCAD Print software, which helps streamline workflows. Meanwhile, the MTConnect standard and GrabCAD SDK integration enable enterprise connectivity.
The Origin One 3D printer and F770 are currently available for orders, with the latter estimated to ship in late June 2021. The H350 will be made available sometime in Q3 this year.
For more information, visit https://www.stratasys.com/.
