New J850 promises ultra-realistic models with new material capabilities.
Stratasys has today launched the next generation in its multi-colour, multi-material 3D printing line-up in the form of the J850, which aims to “push the boundaries of 3D printed realism”.
A step up from the J750 system released back in 2016, which the J850 will ultimately replace, the machine is based on Stratasys’ two decades of PolyJet expertise and is designed to streamline the end-to-end design process for concept modelling while claiming to shorten overall modelling time by up to 50 percent at significantly lower costs.
“The J850 3D printer is designed for designers, giving our customers an end to end solution for the entire design process,” Tomer Gallimidi, Senior Product Manager at Stratasys told TCT. “We’re setting a new standard of design in ultra-realistic simulation.”
There are several new key features allowing that to happen. The first is a new Super High Speed Mode which allows users to print models at twice the speed of previous J-series systems.
“This new printing mode basically allows the customer to double the speed," Gallimidi explained. "Customers can have more rapid, fast iterations in the beginning of the design process to evaluate their design and by that, make much better decisions on how the product should look.”
Compared to its predecessor, the J850 now has a larger material capacity, capable of processing seven materials compared to six, allowing a wider range of full colour, transparency and flexibility combinations in a single part. To take advantage of that, the company has also introduced two new materials; VeroUltraClear for finely detailed models with a glass-like appearance, and DraftGrey for low-cost early-stage concept modelling.
“[DraftGrey] is very good for the initial step of the design process, to have fast affordable iterations," Gallimidi said. "We're working in constant touch with the market and designers, one of the things that they're doing in the beginning of their process is deciding what the shape of the model will look like. In order to make that decision, they need a neutral colour. Grey is considered as a neutral colour and because of that, is very good for examination of the shape and making decisions in the concept modelling stage.”
Having these enhanced material capabilities, Gallimidi says, are allowing designers to achieve “the exact design intent by having the most realistic look and feel product in their hands.” Another way the J850 is enabling that is with PANTONE Validated colour matching supported by Stratasys’ GrabCAD Print software which ensures the design you have on screen will be the same as the one that comes off the machine.
Speaking about the importance of colour in the concept modelling stage, Gallimidi said:
“We are the first and only [3D printing] in this industry Pantone validated offering a universal standard language of colour that ensures very much reliable, realistic decision making in letting our customers and designers communicate in a much better way than they had in the past. They don't need to imagine or to have a very difficult discussion about the colour, they can just can choose the exact Pantone colour they want on screen and get this in their hands.”
Stratasys is targeting the consumer goods, electronics and automotive industries with the new system - basically industries that are creating consumer-facing products, where time to market and delivering the right design are crucial. The goal, as it was back in 2016, is not to produce end-use parts but rather, the most realistic prototypes on the market.
One early adopter, Jeremy Garrard, Director of Design and Advanced Technologies, Quadpack Industries, said: "At Quadpack, we put design and innovation at the forefront of all our activities and the J850 supports our quest to always push the limits insofar as achieving prototypes with life-like realism. The application areas in which our J850 is currently deployed include prototype models to test new ideas for our Q-Line range of beauty packaging solutions and supporting our clients' bespoke work. The J850's unique full colour, multi-material capabilities give us unparalleled ability to quickly and easily trial new concepts and ideas, while also expediting the initial design and development phase."
