3D Systems Expands Vat Photopolymerization Offerings

Desktop Projet 1200 uses Digital Light Projection - DLP

Although the moniker didn’t exist at the time, 3D Systems created the very first vat photopolymerization technology, stereolithography. Recently, it extended its product line in this technology class with a big stereolithography machine and its first-ever DLP 3D printer.

The new ProJet 1200 is a small desktop unit that uses DLP, or digital light projection. Even though 3D Systems calls this a micro SLA, which would seem to imply that it uses the stereolithography process, this 3D printer projects light using a DLP chip that you can find in small projectors.

It has a build envelope of 1.7 X 1.1 X 7.1 inches that will make small parts and castable patterns. It uses 0.0012 inch layers and has 0.0018 inch resolution for fine details.

The ProJet 1200 uses a new material, VisiJet FTX Green that is delivered in a proprietary cartridge. The cartridge concept provides a new print window, that’s the film through which the DLP shines its light, with every cartridge change so you don’t have the hassle of replacing Teflon.

Although 3D Systems touts this as revolutionary, to my eye it appears that it has licensed this little 3D printer from Taiwan-based MiiCraft, which introduced its version in mid-2012 following its Indiegogo funding campaign.

For much bigger parts or hundreds of small parts, 3D Systems introduced the ProX 950, which replaces the iPro 9000 XL. This stereolithography system has a large 59 X 30 X 22-inch build envelope. To keep throughput high, 3D Systems has outfitted it with dual 1,450 milliwatt lasers that draw at up to 1,000 inches per second with a 0.030-inch spot size. It also focuses the beam down to 0.005 inch for finer detail and smoother surfaces.

Those lasers are part of the ProJet 950’s new PolyRay print head technology, which 3D Systems claims is up to ten times faster than other 3D printers.

Watch the latest In Short video for more details on these and other new announcements.