3D printing service bureau 3DPRINTUK has invested in an HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 5210 machine as part of a £1 million expansion plan to enhance its 3D printing capabilities in London.
Founded in 2011, the service bureau now provides low volume manufacturing through MJF 3D printing as well as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). The firm has said it intends to use the 5210 for batch production applications while also providing customers with bespoke printed polymer parts.
“We’ve been watching MJF mature since 2015 and have been waiting for the right moment to add it to our offerings.”
What makes the MJF 5210 so capable?
Launched in 2019, the 5210 is one of HP’s most capable machines. It features a build volume of 380 x 284 x 380mm, double that of the 4210 Series, and is compatible with Nylon (PA11, PA12) and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). A full build that might take 16 hours on a 4210 can be completed in around 11 hours on the 5210 machine.
“It is important to distinguish the investment in the 5210 system over previous systems in the original 4200 series of machines because it marks a considerable step forward with the MJF process,” said Nick Allen, CEO at 3DPRINTUK. “This is based on our extensive in-house testing of parts from both series and there are big improvements with the 5210 in key areas such as part quality, repeatability, Z-axis scaling, heating control and accuracy.”
3DPRINTUK and prior investments
3DPRINTUK was set up by a group of designers nine years ago with the aim of helping fellow designers develop their 3D models into high-quality SLS 3D prints. Users are required to upload a 3D file to the 3DPRINTUK website to test its manufacturability before committing to a 3D print. This also serves to provide an accurate quote on the part before the print job is run.
In addition to the HP investment, the bureau recently installed two EOS Formiga P396 machines as part of its expansion plan. Even before this, 3DPRINTUK purchased the SLS Flexible material and EOS’ P100 and P110 machines. As a cherry on top, the new investments are expected to help reduce 3DPRINTUK’s energy consumption by 38%.
A full build that might take 16 hours on a 4210 can be completed in around 11 hours on the 5210 machine. Photo via HP.
HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology
HP launched its first MJF system six years ago and since then the technology has been the centerpiece of several 3D printing projects. In April 2020, DyeMansion released 17 new colors specifically for post-processing 3D printed gray HP MJF parts made out of Polyamide 12 (PA12). Before the color palette was made commercially available in July 2020, owners of the HP Jet Fusion 4200 or 5200 system could participate in a beta program to test the new color range.
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Featured image shows the full HP MJF 5210 system.
