RAPID 2021: Stratasys Manufacturing Post Show Recap
Manufacturing with Stratasys
3D Printing Solutions for Industrial Manufacturing.
Stratasys recently participated in the RAPID conference, which took place between September 13-15th in Chicago. RAPID is considered North America’s largest and most comprehensive Additive Manufacturing event. With Stratasys’s latest focus on production, three manufacturing 3D printers were featured at the booth.
First, the H350™ 3D printer debuted at RAPID. Officially announced last April, the H350 had not yet been formally shown at any events. RAPID attendees could view the H350 up close and understand the size and capability of the printer. The H350 is a powder bed fusion printer leveraging SAF™ technology. The powder utilized is High Yield PA11 which provides high ductility and impact resistance.
Along with the H350 printer, there were also production-grade parts produced by the printer on display. The parts ranged from an automotive vent to a joystick, powder container feed flange and even a game controller. In total there were 11 production-grade parts shown, with nine made from PA11 and two from PA12. A sample part created by the H350, an electrical connector, was provided as a free giveaway. This part is representative of the SAF technology’s capabilities and demonstrates a possible end-use of the H350. The connector was specifically chosen to illustrate the H350 printer’s precise geometrical accuracy. Visitors left the booth with a better understanding of the H350 capabilities and the high-volume production potential that this printer holds.
The new large-format F770™ printer was one of the highlights of FDM® technology solutions displayed at RAPID. The F770 printer offers abundant capacity with over 13 cubic feet of build volume and prints with ABS and ASA thermoplastics. F770 sample parts comprised several by HVAC producer Daikin Applied, exhibiting various styles of infill. One particular part that was a hit with visitors was the large 23 x 23-inch appliance base prototype, built as a single part. Its impressive size, finish and fine details emphasized what’s possible with the F770.
Other FDM solutions on display featured tooling applications made from FDM® ABS-CF10 and FDM® Nylon 12CF. Both materials are thermoplastic resins combined with chopped carbon fiber, adding strength and rigidity to parts made with these materials. ABS-CF10 examples included robotic end effectors and Nylon 12CF samples focused on soft-jaw CNC machining fixtures. Both materials give manufacturers better options for making jigs, fixtures and other manufacturing aids lighter and more ergonomic, without sacrificing the strength needed to do the job.
Finally, the Origin® One, a modified DLP printer that uses P3™ Programmable PhotoPolymerization technology to increase accuracy and speed of printing, was showcased at RAPID alongside its largest sample part yet: the Bull Rider, a full sized adult kick scooter.
The scooter is made up of seven 3D printed parts, which make up over 90% of its mass, and printed in the newly launched Stratasys Dura™56 by LOCTITE®, a durable, impact-resistant photopolymer with exceptional surface finish and a low cost per kilo. This project showcased the Origin One printer’s ability to print large, solid parts without distortion, and the beautiful finish quality of our most cost-efficient material yet. A signet light, made with newly certified LOCTITE® 3D IND405 Clear, is featured on the handlebars as well, showcasing the steadily expanding material catalog for this printer.
Along with the whimsical display, the Origin One also announced its Open Materials License (OML), which will enable advanced users – from chemical engineers to educational organizations – to have complete control over the print process. The OML offers the maximum amount of configurability possible, with expansions planned as software develops, and is intended for organizations that are experimenting with uncertified materials, augmenting existing materials, and creating new ones.
For additional information about these three printers:
- H350™: https://www.stratasys.com/3d-printers/h350
- Origin® One: https://www.stratasys.com/3d-printers/origin-one