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Multinational printing firm HP has unveiled a new polymer Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) system alongside a fresh batch of metal 3D printing applications at the Formnext trade show.
With the Jet Fusion 5420, HP has introduced a machine capable of 3D printing high-quality white parts for customers in the automotive, consumer, healthcare, and industrial markets. At the show, the firm has also provided an update on the Metal Jet S100 system it launched earlier this year, as John Deere has begun using it to 3D print the metal valves of the agricultural machinery it sells.
“Our focus on innovation and sustainability is at the core of everything we do for our customers,” said Dr. Jochen Müller, Manager of Global Digital Engineering at John Deere. “We are proud to be among the first in the agricultural industry to leverage the benefits of 3D printing for both prototyping and final parts production.”
“Leveraging industrial 3D printing platforms for polymers and metals, we are discovering opportunities to deliver more efficient, reliable, and sustainable equipment.”
Advancing Multi Jet Fusion AM
At Formnext, HP debuted the first of its new 5400 Series MJF machines: the Jet Fusion 5420W. Featuring a 380 x 284 x 380 mm build volume and a 3380.84 cm3 per hour print speed, the system is designed to allow users to manufacture with industrial-grade reliability, a low cost per print and enhanced part performance predictability.
According to HP, the technology has already allowed beta users such as DI Labs, Prototal Industries and Weerg to address “innovative white applications.” In fact, Jan Löfving, CEO of Prototal, says it has seen “immediate interest in the new white applications made possible by the latest addition to HP’s Multi Jet Fusion family,” and this makes it proud to be a HP Digital Manufacturing Partner.
Elsewhere, when it comes to HP’s wider MJF portfolio, it was announced at Formnext that it’s now being deployed more extensively than ever before. Since announcing its cumulative 100 million MJF part milestone at Formnext last year, the company says more than 70 million more have been printed over the last 12 months alone.
These figures were no doubt boosted by the 60,000 spoiler closeout seals that GKN Forecast 3D has made via the MJF 3D printing of BASF ULTRASINT TPU01. The parts, which are said to have improved vehicle finish and fuel efficiency, were showcased at HP’s Formnext booth along with Smith I/O MAG Imprint 3D Goggles, designed to fit based on the individualized features of a person’s face.
Cross-industry collaboration at HP
HP also announced news around a series of partnerships at Formnext. In materials, the firm revealed that it continues to work with Arkema, BASF, Evonik, and Lubrizol on R&D, and this facilitated the launch of the latter’s new ESTANE 3D M88A, a flexible, durable TPU, designed to enable the 3D printing of complex, lattice parts.
Within post-processing, HP unveiled a strategic alliance with AMT as well, through which it aims to help customers efficiently integrate unpacking, cleaning, surface finishing, coloring, sorting and quality control into their HP 3D printing workflows. One company that’s said to have benefited from this partnership is OECHSLER, which has managed to streamline production across a range of applications.
“At Oechsler, we choose to work with companies who have a shared vision of working together to deliver optimal outcomes,” said Matthias Weisskopf, General Manager of OECHSLER Motion. “HP and AMT building a comprehensive approach from printing to an integrated post processing solution is a critical step in the adoption of additive manufacturing at scale.”
Putting the Metal Jet S100 to the test
On the metal 3D printing front, HP has revealed how the Metal Jet S100 3D printer it launched at IMTS 2022 is progressing. At launch, the company explained how the system has been adopted and honed by industrial customers like Domin Digital Motion, Lumenium, and Schneider Electric, to improve their part productivity, quality and related costs.
During the show, parts developed by agricultural and construction equipment manufacturer John Deere were put on display. Designed to improve the performance of the fuel systems used in some of its machinery, these Metal Jet-printed valves are said to offer ‘significant productivity gains and environmental benefits’ over their predecessors.
HP also says that by switching to Metal Jet S100 production, John Deere has been able to to test and fine tune parts such as windshield holders, while reducing their pre-assembly times from 30 days to ten, their delivery times by up to ten weeks, and their overall manufacturing costs by as much as 20-25%.
Check out our full Formnext news round-up for the latest from 3D printing’s leading trade show.
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Featured image shows the HP Jet Fusion 5420W 3D printer. Image via HP.
