Stratasys uPrint SE Plus

The uPrint SE Plus was released in 2010. It is Stratasys’ most advanced and largest desktop FDM printer.

The uPrint SE Plus has the ability to print multiple colors (though only one color can be printed in a single job) and a soluble support material. The uPrint SE Plus serves the needs of engineers who need to print:

• Pre-assembled 3D mechanisms
• Parts with delicate features
• Models that can be used for form and fit tests

The SE Plus has a compact form factor (it’s roughly 2 ft. wide by 2 ft. deep by 3 ft. high) and a hushed operating mode. These attributes combine to make the SE Plus suitable for operating in close proximity to designteams so it is more convenient for them to iterate through designs quickly.

How the uPrint SE Plus Works :

The uPrint SE Plus uses FDM technology to build models by extruding ABSplus or support material. Like other Stratasys FDM machines, a SE Plus print begins with several layers of support material being laid down as a base. The support base is built to ensure models don’t break when they are removed from the printer.

Once the support is in place, the SE Plus begins printing using ABSplus material. If further support material is needed to support overhangs, tall objects or other structures the SE Plus will switch frommodel to support material.

Armed with two print resolutions, the uPrint SE Plus also gives users the ability to choose between a “high-definition” (0.254 mm) print or one that prints 30 percent faster (0.330 mm). With product development timelines shrinking, having both options brings greater value to the SE Plus.

After a print is complete, the printed part can be removed from the printer and pried from its print. The user can then remove any remaining support material by hand. If that step isn’t required or appropriate (the model is too cumbersome or delicate) the model can be placed inside a chemical bath where the support material will dissolve over the course of several hours.

The uPrint SE Plus in Action:

Thirty years ago, London-based theater set designer Tom McPhillips began working in the rock and roll industry designing concert tour sets for artist such as the The Who, Judas Priest and Michael Jackson. He became known for creating innovative sets that travelled lightly, set up quickly and looked dramatic on stage. In the early ’90s, McPhillips founded ATOMIC in Lititz, Pennsylvania, now referred to as Rock Lititz for its cluster of companies servicing the music industry.

Many ATOMIC sets are built using modular panels that pack into a small box and are assembled into walls with complex three-dimensional aluminum or polycarbonate connectors. Panels are typically 2 ft. x 2 ft. in size and can be connected together to form sets of any size. Developing the connectors is a challenging task that usually requires building multiple prototypes and assembling a section of wall with them to test their performance.

Many operations are required to fabricate prototype connectors including sawing, bending, drilling and deburring of metal or plastic stock. In the past, it took a day to fabricate the simpler corner pieces and a week to fabricate more complex connectors, and cost as much as $2,000.

“We looked at various 3D printing systems in an effort to streamline the prototyping process and get products to market faster,” said Charlie Cook, designer for ATOMIC. “We discovered that the parts produced by most were not strong enough to hold up to the rigors of assembling and testing sets.”

Cook said that the ABSplus parts made with on ATOMIC’s FDM-driven uPrint 3D Printer work well. “In fact,” he said, “FDM parts are so rugged that we can use them as part of the final product when we need just a few of a particular connector.” Cook also enjoys that the uPrint 3D Printer is small and quiet enough to fit into the design environment, and so easy to use that it takes only a few steps.

uPrint helps ATOMIC get products to market faster and reduces prototyping costs. The simple corner connectors take about four hours to print, about half the time required in the past.