Protolabs, leading supplier of technology-enabled, rapid manufacturing services, announces the addition of Multi Jet Fusion to its suite of 3D printing technologies. This production-grade 3D printing technology, developed by HP, builds fully functional plastic prototypes and parts with accelerated speed, detailed precision, and consistent mechanical properties.
HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology uses an inkjet array to apply fusing and detailing agents across a bed of nylon powder, which are then fused by heating elements into a solid layer. The technology’s unique approach to binding powder results in more isotropic material properties, faster build speeds, and, ultimately, lower costs compared to other powder-based 3D printing processes.
Commenting on the technology, Daniel Cohn, General Manager of Protolabs’ German business, said “To support our growth trajectory we are expanding our 3D printing service provision to include Multi Jet Fusion. With the addition of Multi Jet Fusion, we now have 4 advanced 3D printing technologies available for our customers to take advantage of—with different advantages to each.
“We piloted Multi Jet Fusion with our US business in 2017. From this we can verify the benefits of the technology for producing parts with consistent material properties and improved surface finishes, attributes considered difficult to achieve with powder-based 3D‑printing. With this confidence behind Multi Jet Fusion, we look forward to supporting our European customer’s project requirements using this new technology.”
Protolabs now offers customers four industrial 3D printing processes which can produce plastic, metal, and elastomeric components in as fast as one day. Multi Jet Fusion technology is popularly selected for producing functional prototypes, jigs and fixtures, production-ready parts, and components that require high strength or temperature resistance.
Visit protolabs.co.uk for more information.
