Two of the latest 3D printing systems from 3D Systems have just been unveiled by the company and they are available immediately. These two professional grade 3D printers — the ProJet 3500 HDMax and CPXMax — represent the next generation of 3D Systems’ Multi-Jet Modeling (MJM) print technology, including its production-grade printheads, advanced material management, full platform high definition printing, tablet-like touchscreen controls and remote tablet and smartphone connectivity.
While the 3D printing technology is indeed impressive, precise and aesthetically pleasing, these things are nothing less than you would expect from a global leader in the 3D printing sector, it is the peripheral features on these machines that really offer users something extra. The user interface on these machines looks really smart and it brings flexibility to the workflow by allowing remote working, scheduling and printing using a mobile device. At launch, it is understood that this feature is only compatible with Apple products via a free app on the Apple store, however there are plans to extend this to more mobile devices.
In terms of the printers themselves, the ProJet 3500 HDMax and CPXMax offer the same MJM platform but fully dedicated to different manterials, and both offer greater productivity and larger high definition prints in functional plastic (3500 HDMax) and investment casting wax (CPXMax) for product design and manufacturing applications.
According to 3D Systems, the ProJet 3500 is the only printer on the market that comes with a five-year printhead warranty that saves thousands of dollars in annual customer operating costs compared with other alternatives.
Another release from 3D Systems comes in the form of the new VisiJet X material, which delivers ABS plastic performance — with a jetting 3D printer platform. Once again, with immediate availability 3D Systems is bringing to market what it terms as the first jetted plastic available with the look, feel and performance of injection moulded ABS plastic. This is a material that is ideal for prototyping, product mock-ups as well as end use applications that require extreme toughness and high temperature resistance.
The new VisiJet X plastic works in 3D Systems’ ProJet 3500 3D Printers including the SD, HD, HDPlus and the new HDMax models and, according to the company, provides new levels of durability and functionality previously unattainable with a jetted plastic.
