Kick scooter printed with Stratasys Dura56 by LOCTITE.
Stratasys has announced new polymer materials for the Origin One and H350, an expanded software partner ecosystem and two users of its polymer 3D printing technology.
The announcements were made at this week’s RAPID + TCT event in Chicago, where the company suggested that the range of products it was exhibiting were ‘introducing innovation well beyond our offering at the last RAPID conference in 2019.’
One reason for that is the acquisitions of Origin and RPS, as well as the launch of Selective Absorption Fusion (SAF) technology. For SAF, Stratasys has announced the introduction of PA12 in 2022 to add to the High Yield PA11 100% bio-based material initially released with the H350 platform. The PA12 material exhibits dimensional stability, chemical resistance and impact strength, with Stratasys confident it will be suitable for tooling, jigs and fixture components, as well as functional end-use parts.
To further bolster the capabilities of the Origin One platform, Stratasys has announced the release of two new Henkel materials. The Stratasys Dura56 by LOCTITE is a durable, impact-resistant photopolymer which is said to enable ‘exceptional surface finish’ and a low cost per kilo. Developed to address applications with high material consumption and where aesthetics and robustness are required, Dura56 is said to be ideal end-use parts with mating features or class A surfaces.
“Together with Stratasys, we are delighted to introduce the new Dura56 material which is formulated to meet the specific needs of Stratasys’ customers and to provide print technicians with greater efficiency,” commented Cindy Deekitwong, Global Head of Marketing at Henkel’s Loctite. “Together we will continue to drive innovation and deliver high-performance photopolymers that will allow engineers to realise the full potential of using additive manufacturing for end use parts across a wide range of industries.”
The companies have also partnered to release the LOCTITE 3D IND405 Clear semi-rigid photopolymer resin, which is able to provide a smooth surface finish, good impact resistance and elongation. Parts printed with the material can be polished to an optically clear finish, while it can also be machined, tapped and polished. It is said to be suitable for the printing of microfluidic devices and guide overlays.
Meanwhile, Stratasys has announced the launch of the Stratasys Origin One Open Material Licence (OML), which is a software toolkit designed to allow users to develop, beta test and experiment with custom workflows and new materials. Set to ship this year, the OML toolkit will enable users to override light, temperature, force, velocity and pressure on a layer-by-layer basis and allow them greater control of the print process. The company believes this product will allow materials companies and super-users to accelerate the development of new materials formulations and get products to market in weeks.
Daikin Applied HVAC cabinet spacers printed on the Stratasys F770.
On the software side, Stratasys has announced AMFG as the latest addition to its GrabCAD Software Partner Program.
Combining AMFG’s workflow automation software with Stratasys’ 3D printing equipment, the partnership aims to enable greater connectivity across the production workflow, streamlining processes and generating greater levels of traceability and visibility. Stratasys hopes that AMFG’s automated order management, routing and production scheduling features will support its user base as it looks to scale their application of 3D printing technology.
“The combination of Stratasys hardware, GrabCAD software and AMFG’s market leading AMES platform is a game changer for AM operations looking to scale through automation, while increasing overall traceability, utilisation and quality,” AMFG’s VP of Growth and Innovation Danny Winn said. “The ability to pull data from AM systems into a centralised software solutions is not just a nice to have, it’s critical for the future of scalable end-part manufacturing, especially in heavily regulated industries such as aerospace and medical.”
In addition to the new products and solutions Stratasys has introduced at RAPID + TCT, the company has also revealed that Daikin Applied and Midwest Prototyping are using its F770 platform and Neo 3D printing system, respectively.
Daikin Applied, a company that design and manufactures industrial HVAC system, uses the F770 to print batches of end-use parts for HVAC cabinets with 93% time savings compared to purchasing custom injection moulded spacers. The company has also used the F770 platform to print nozzle clams used in Daikin test chambers, which have also returned time and cost saving benefits.
Midwest Prototyping, meanwhile, has adopted a Stratasys Neo stereolithography system to ‘provide our customers with fast, accurate parts and prototypes, in a variety of materials, and with superior surface quality, all with little post-processing on our part.’
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