3D Systems Introduces Two New Printers

With Euromold 2013 kicking off, 3D Systems has announced two new 3D printing systems: a multi-material machine and a full-color model.

The first system, named the ProJet 5500X, is the latest advancement in the company’s MultiJet Printing technology and builds objects using UV curable plastics. According to 3D Systems, the 5500X boasts a 533 x 381 x 300 mm (21 x 15 x 11.8 in.) build volume and an ultra high-definition mode that will build layers as thin as 29μ (0.0011 in).

Beyond its size and function, the 5500X will also be able to print hundreds of material variations throughout an object, allowing it to produce mechanically and structurally complex models in a single print run.

3D Systems’ second machine, the ProJet 4500, raises the bar once again as the first and only continuous tone, full-color plastic 3D printer on the market. In its current form, the 4500 uses flexible VisiJet C4 Spectrum plastic to create durable, full-color models that are also recyclable.

To embed Pantone-quality colors in its prints, the 4500 uses a two-stage material made up of a core and binder. To build an object, the ProJet begins by laying down a thin layer of core material. Once each layer is complete, inkjet heads spray color binder onto the core material, pigmenting and curing the material simultaneously.

Although it is significantly smaller than its 5500X cousin, the 4500’s 203 x 254 x 203 mm (8 x 10 x 8 in.) build volume is large enough to create models that can both communicate ideas effectively and wow customers with accurate print detail.

ProJet 5500X:

ProJet 4500:

Images and Video Courtesy of 3D Systems