In 2016 a new way of producing parts will be readily available. HP has developed the Multi Jet Fusion 3D printer that will enable mass production of parts with accuracy, finer details and smoother surfaces.
It will also be able to manipulate part and material properties, including form, texture, friction, strength, elasticity, electrical and thermal properties, beyond other current 3D print processes.
HP’s new industrial 3D printer is about the size of a washing machine, is 10 times faster and 50% less expensive than current systems on the market. The printer can also use a myriad colours and materials.
HP's Multi Jet Fusion printer will be offered to beta customers early next year and is expected to be generally available in 2016. The new machine uses a print bar with 30,000 nozzles spraying 350 million drops a second of thermoplastic or other materials onto a print platform. It also uses HP’s Thermal Inkjet Arrays print process that simultaneously apply a number of liquid agents to produce greater accuracy, resiliency and uniform part strength in all three axis directions.
The printer works by combining the attributes of binder jet and selective laser/electron beam sintering, where layer upon layer of powder material is fused together with heat. The printer works by first laying down a layer of powder material across a build area. Then a fusing agent is selectively applied with the page-wide print bar. Then the same print bar applies a detailing agent at the parts edge to give high definition. The material is then exposed to an energy source that fuses it. This results in high resolution details and robust mechanical qualities. It can produce intricate designs as well as strong industrial parts.
"We've overcome the barriers of speed, cost and quality and we've set the foundation for material innovation to truly realize the potential of 3D printing," stated Dion Weisler, executive vice president of HP Printing & Personal Systems. "It really is a catalyst for the next industrial revolution."
HP announced that the machine's OS will be an open platform where developers can expand applications for its use. "Together, these advancements have the potential to revolutionise production and offer small businesses a new way to produce goods and parts for customers," Weisler added. HP's Sprout is already available.
