Today Stratasys Asia Pacific announced the introduction of Xtend 500 Fortus Plus, a high-volume filament package designed specifically for Fortus 3D Production Systems. Stratasys has also launched the Objet1000 Plus 3D Production System, built to facilitate extra-large print sizes and accelerated speeds for manufacturing applications in industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical devices, and consumer products as well as for service bureaus and universities.
Industrial 3d printing systems across the industry have to focus on one important goal: To create a high-volume system that is as autonomous as possible. This is why the Xtend 500 box comes with 500 cubic inches of FDM thermoplastic packed inside. When a Fortus 3D Production System is loaded with two canisters of Xtend 500, Stratasys is claiming that users will now have access to "400 hours of unattended run time and up to 1,000 cubic inches of material use."
This system is aimed squarely at manufacturers with prototyping needs and service bureaus producing large parts. By reducing material changeovers and lowering the cost of shipping and storage, Xtend 500 (available in ivory and black ABS-M30 as well as PC) will offer users of the Fortus mc 450 3D printing significant cost benefits. With a Fortus Plus system upgrade, owners of Fortus 360mc, 400mc and 900mc 3D Production Systems can also take advantage of Xtend 500. Streamlining logistics by having systems that share material stock may entice owners and users to make the switch.
This week Stratasys also launched the Objet1000 Plus, which is a new PolyJet 3D Production System that has the ability to mix materials and part sizes while maintaining precision along the x,y, and z axes. It has a large build envelope (1000 x 800 x 500 mm or 39 x 31 x 19 inch) and an "optimized print block movement" that "accelerates print speeds up to 40 percent faster than its predecessor," resulting in a lower cost-per-part.
"Today's designers and engineers at manufacturing companies and service bureaus need an additive manufacturing system that can take on all challenges – large and small. We believe that's the big advantage of the Objet1000 Plus Production System. It is the first of its kind to combine large print sizes, multiple materials, accelerated print speeds, super fine resolution and a simplified workflow. If you need to create industrial 1:1 scale prototypes, large ergonomic production tools or low volumes of small parts – all with the superior surface finish and fine details engineers expect from Stratasys 3D printing – the Objet1000 Plus is the best choice," according to Ron Ellenbogen, Stratasys Product Marketing Director.