Shapeways
Shapeways Blog-Accura-Gears
3D printed gears produced with Shapeways' new SLA capabilities.
Shapeways has announced it now houses stereolithography (SLA) technology as it works to boost its service offering to customers around the world.
The company has produced more than 10 million products for its customer base and has now added 3D Systems’ SLA technology to its portfolio to enhance its flexibility. At launch, Shapeways will be able to produce parts, from prototypes to short-run production, in three materials, opening the company up to a series of applications.
Accura 60 is a clear, durable plastic which enables the printing of parts with rigidity, strength, and the aesthetics of moulded polycarbonate. It is generally used for prototypes, display models, and fluid flow visualisation models. Accura Xtreme is an ‘ultra-tough’ polymer which boasts impact resistance, durability, and great dimensional accuracy. With good resistance to breakage, the material is an ideal choice for snap-fit assemblies, enclosures for consumer and electronic production, master patters for vacuum casting, and general-purpose prototyping. Meanwhile, Accura Xtreme 200 features even greater durability and better dimensional accuracy than the standard Xtreme grade. With high-elongation at break, high impact strength, and good quality stiffness, Xtreme 200 is good for functional assemblies in harsh environments, drill/ tap applications. It can also be used for many of the same applications as the standard Xtreme product.
Shapeways has brought on the larger-format SLA machines to supplement the capabilities of its other resin-based platforms, which include Formlabs and Carbon systems, allowing the service provider to cater for larger objects, short-run production, and mass customisation.
“At Shapeways, we want to ensure our customers are empowered with the tools to take their innovations and creativity to the next level, and with that comes the ability to scale,” commented Greg Kress, CEO of Shapeways. “We’re excited to introduce SLA to further diversify our range of materials, so as to meet each product’s specific need.”
