The Figure 4 3D printing platform from 3D Systems is starting to demonstrate its potential. The scalable, modular system was a centrepiece of the Rock Hill based company’s 2016 IMTS booth. The first shipment of the system was announced in March 2017, with simultaneous news of a tailored dental solution based upon Figure 4 coming at the same time. Earlier this year, in August 2018, a Figure 4 Standalone SLA 3D printer was released.
According to 3D Systems, the Figure 4 (named after a drawing in the original patent application) is able to make “plastic parts more than 50 times faster than current systems.” The latest enterprise to benefit from the Figure 4 is Rapid Application Group, a disabled veteran-owned additive manufacturing firm based in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
Rapid Application Group serves customers in the oil and gas, aerospace and defense, motor sports, and healthcare sectors.
Since adding a Figure 4 Standalone 3D printer to existing capabilities, the design and production bureau has, “doubled its capacity while reducing its time-to-print process by nearly 90% – from seven hours to 45 minutes or less,” according to a 3D Systems spokesperson.
Terry Hill, owner and CEO, Rapid Application Group, said “The Figure 4 Standalone – including 3D Sprint® – truly delivers as promised with outstanding ease-of-use, six sigma repeatability of production parts, and incredible speed,”
“The robust materials and injection-molding-quality surface finish, combined with very quick print times, have helped us double our capacity and throughput. We have already achieved full ROI with this one, remarkable 3D printer.”
The Figure 4 Standalone joins existing capabilities at the Rapid Application Group including 3D Systems’ On Demand to provide stereolithography (SLA), Direct Metal Printing (DMP), MultiJet printing (MJP) services and two 3D Systems sPro 60 HD-HS SLS printers.
Phil Schultz, senior vice president, general manager, on demand and plastics, 3D Systems, said, “3D Systems partners with our customers, delivering 3D printing solutions to not only transform their manufacturing environment, but helping them grow their business and maintain competitive advantage,”
“No matter the size and scope of a business, additive manufacturing can have an everlasting, positive impact on its end-users in more ways than one. It’s a true honor to see our solutions play a multipurpose role at Rapid Application Group.”
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Featured image shows Terry Hill of Rapid Application Group holding the Figure 4 build plate.