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24<br />
Rapid Technologies & Prototyping<br />
Latest Multimaterial 3D Printer for Rapid<br />
Prototyping Is Small, Versatile and Quiet<br />
The compact, office-friendly Objet260<br />
Connex multimaterial 3D printer is<br />
the latest addition to the family of<br />
rapid prototyping (RP) printers avail-<br />
The Fortus 250mc production 3D<br />
printer recently introduced by Stratasys<br />
is a rapid prototyping and production<br />
machine designed to offer the<br />
convenience of the manufacturer’s<br />
Dimension 3D printer along with the<br />
flexibility of a Fortus-type production<br />
printer. This crossover system, the<br />
company’s first, combines the ease<br />
of use and affordability of Dimension<br />
3D printers with the control of build<br />
speed, part accuracy and feature<br />
detail that is afforded by Insight Software,<br />
which is used to drive the 3D<br />
printers in the Fortus line.<br />
Like all Stratasys additive manufacturing<br />
systems, the Fortus 250mc is<br />
based on the fused deposition modelling<br />
(FDM ® ) process.<br />
able from Objet Geometries. Quiet<br />
and reliable, this machine is based on<br />
the manufacturer’s patented ink-jet<br />
3D-printing technology, the only RP<br />
system engineered to jet two materials<br />
at the same time so as to create an<br />
advanced composite material.<br />
The Objet 3D-printing technology<br />
allows users to select from a large<br />
assortment of composite materials<br />
when building 3D models, including<br />
both the ABS-like material Objet<br />
recently released and clear, transparent<br />
materials. It offers the capability<br />
of printing a model replica from<br />
14 different individual materials in a<br />
single print run. In excess of 60 materials<br />
with a diverse range of thermal<br />
and physical properties can be<br />
handled by the Objet260 Connex 3D<br />
printer.<br />
The Objet260 Connex is intended<br />
for making accurate, high-resolution<br />
multimaterial 3D printing very accessible<br />
for designers and engineers who<br />
need to generate top-quality prototypes<br />
and models that truly represent<br />
the finished product in all essential<br />
details. The printer lets users produce<br />
prototypes that contain distinct<br />
material elements, such as rigid walls<br />
with flexible rubber-like joints, and<br />
also build models that combine transparent<br />
and opaque parts.<br />
Featuring a 260 x 260 x 200-mm<br />
tray size and employing sealed material<br />
cartridges that are easy to insert<br />
and remove, the Objet260 Connex<br />
prints in 16-μm layers. Models are<br />
cured during the build process and<br />
can be handled immediately after<br />
printing.<br />
» Objet Geometries GmbH<br />
Rheinmünster, Germany<br />
www.objet.com<br />
Production 3D Printer Builds Workholding<br />
Tools, End-Use Parts Along with Prototypes<br />
The Fortus 250mc has a<br />
10 x 10 x 12-in. (254 x 254<br />
x 305-mm) build envelope<br />
and offers build-layer thickness<br />
options of 0.007, 0.010<br />
and 0.013 in. (0.178, 0.254<br />
and 0.330 mm). To create<br />
parts, the machine uses<br />
ABSplus thermoplastic,<br />
a material with excellent<br />
impact, tensile, flexural<br />
and bonding strength for<br />
tough functional applications.<br />
ABSplus comes in ivory,<br />
white, blue, fluorescentyellow,<br />
black, red, nectarine,<br />
olive green and gray. Also, the Fortus<br />
250mc employs fast-dissolving Stratasys<br />
SR-30 soluble support material.<br />
The engineers at whom<br />
the Fortus 250mc production<br />
3D printer is targeted are<br />
3D-printer users who want<br />
more-sophisticated build<br />
parameter control. These will<br />
frequently be users of additive<br />
manufacturing technology<br />
who are moving beyond<br />
prototyping into production<br />
and whose need in the latter<br />
field, most commonly, is<br />
to build functional manufacturing<br />
tools such as jigs and<br />
fixtures.<br />
» Stratasys GmbH<br />
Frankfurt/Main, Germany<br />
www.stratasys.com<br />
European Tool & Mould Making | Buyer‘s Guide 2011-12 | www.etmm-online.com
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