3D Binder Jet company B-jetting has introduced two fresh entry-level printers, ‘The Educator’ and ‘The Researcher’. Both printers offer a simple, turnkey Binder Bet system to customers, says B-jetting.
The Educator platform was created by Dan Brunermer and James Gill, the founders of B-jetting, to satisfy a need in the market for a modest, cost-effective Binder Jet system supported by decades of industry expertise and client support. The long-awaited debut will take place at the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) Conference in Chicago.
What’s unique about The Educator and The Researcher?
The Educator can be employed as an introductory tool to Binder Jetting as well as an advanced development tool to evaluate new materials or enhance process development. The Educator system costs $100,000 and comes with a completely operational Binder Jet system with a curing oven, a 60mm box, and a powder recycling system.
The Researcher performs the same functions as The Educator, but with more modularity. Optional features include an inert chamber, drop watcher, glove box, and the ability to select printheads. These modular printers are entirely designed, created, and serviced in the United States.
Existing Binder Jet systems in the AM sector
In addition to HP and Desktop Metal, the later via aquistion of ExOne, Binder Jetting is going from strength to strength. GE‘s industrial 3D printing division GE Additive announced the commercial launch of its Series 3 Binder Jet platform. The Series 3 is capable of quickly depositing a proprietary binder into components up to 25 kilos in size, with wall thicknesses significantly lower than 500m, owing to the technology behind its alpha and beta predecessors. According to Josh Mook, an Innovation Leader at GE Additive, it is feasible to produce metal components like castings on an industrial scale by employing machines, that can be chained into automated production lines.
Furthermore, Markforged, a metal, and carbon fiber 3D printer manufacturer, disclosed its move into Binder Jet additive manufacturing. Markforged planned to incorporate Höganäs AB subsidiary Digital Metal‘s technology into its Digital Forge platform after purchasing Höganäs AB subsidiary Digital Metal. Through this approach, the company sought to provide improved high-throughput 3D printing functionalities to industrial users, allowing them to “solve manufacturing difficulties at the point of need.”
“With the Digital Metal acquisition, Markforged is advancing our vision for distributed manufacturing by enabling the reliable, high-volume production of precise metal parts at the point of need,” said Shai Terem, President and CEO of Markforged. “Infusing Digital Metal’s solution into the Digital Forge platform allows us to address new applications in the medical, automotive, luxury goods, and other industries.”
Triditive, a 3D printer manufacturer based in Spain, collaborated with Foxconn, a Taiwanese electronics firm, to create a novel metal 3D printer based on Binder Jet technology. Details about the nameless system are limited, but both companies were working on an initial prototype along with novel materials for use with the 3D printer. The AMCELL 1400 and AMCELL 8300 3D printers are the foundation of Triditive’s business. The modular systems depend on AMD (Automated Multimaterial Deposition) technology developed by the company, which consolidates a Binder Jetting module with many delta FDM modules to print polymers, metals, and even fiber-reinforced composites.
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Feature image shows B-jetting Founders James Gill and Dan Brunermer. Image via B-jetting.
