PolyJet 3D Printing

PolyJet technology is capable of creating smooth surfaces, thin walls, and complex geometries with extremely high tolerances held to 0.1 mm. PolyJet is the only technology that supports a wide selection of materials with properties that range from flexible to rigid and transparent to opaque. Polyjet also allows manufacturers to 3D print with multiple materials in a single build. This can be done to achieve desired combinations of colors and characteristics including making parts out of both rigid and flexible materials.

How Does PolyJet 3D Printing Work?

PolyJet is photopolymer-based jetting process that distributes material droplets, layer-by-layer, onto a build platform. A flash of UV light immediately cures the material droplets. By the end of the build process, the object will be fully cured and can be handled immediately without post-processing curing. This technology includes use of a gel-like support material, designed to enable complex geometries. The gel support material is removed after the build process by soaking the part in water to dissolve the gel or water jetting to forcefully remove the gel.

What Are The Advantages & Disadvantages of PolyJet 3D Printing Technology?

PolyJet 3D printing is a cutting-edge manufacturing technology that will allow designers to create parts out of a variety of materials. Other benefits include: //

• Complex Geometries With Intricate Details
• Smooth & Detailed Prototypes
• Faster Build Times
• Wide Variety of Material & Color Options
• Good Tensile Strength

PolyJet vs. Stereolithography

PolyJet and Stereolithography (SLA) are similar manufautring technologies that are often confused for one another since both processes utilize UV curable materials and lasers. The primary difference between the PolyJet and SLA can be found in the build process. SLA technology uses a vat of material, a laser, and a UV oven for curing after the part has been built. PolyJet distributes the material through a print head. The material is instantly cured with UV light as it is placed on the build platform. Both methods can use support material but these materials must be removed in process-specific ways. Support material used in SLA must be removed by hand, which means extra labor costs. Support matieral used in PolyJet is made from a gel-like substance. This gel dissolves in water and can be removed by soaking the part or water blasting.

Applications of PolyJet

PolyJet has grown to be a popular manufacturing method across a variety of industries. Dental, consumer goods, medical, robotics, aerospace, and the defense industries all use PolyJet. Applications of PolyJet include //

• Medical //Organ Replicas, Prosthetic Limbs & Joint Replacements
• Dental //Crowns, Bridges & Other Orthodontics
• Consumer Goods //Rapid Prototyping, Injection Modeling & Functional Prototyping
• Flexible Parts That Simulate Traditional Elastomers
• Cosmetic Prototypes That Can Simulate The Look Of Injection Molded Parts
• Parts To Test for Fit, Form, and Function
• Presentation Models
• Complex Parts
• Master Patterns
• Visual Aids and Models For Presentations

PolyJet Questions Answered (FAQ)

Q: Who Invented PolyJet Technology?

A: Objet Geometries, an Israeli 3D printer manufacturer, invented PolyJet in 1998.

Q: How Much Detail Can Be Achieved Using PolyJet?

A: PolyJet is a high-resoltuion technology capable of achieving very fine detailing.

Q: Is PolyJet Only For Prototyping?

A: No, Protoyping is just one use for the PolyJet technology. PolyJet is a viable and efficient way to create end-use parts. It is important to note that parts made using PolyJet become vulnerable when exposed to UV light for long periods of time.

Q: Can You Eliminate The Support Material From The PolyJet Process?

A: No. Support material is an essential part of the PolyJet manufacturing process. Any part with overhangs or void must to be filled for support or the part may twist or collapse during the build process.

PolyJet offers manufacturing agility and cutting-edge aesthetics at every stage of the product development cycle. PolyJet material options allow designers and engineer the ability to create realistic prototypes with the widest range of material properties available. Production-level quality allows engineers the ability to more accurately evaluate parts for form, fit, and function, to help streamline production and open up new possibilities for future products. This technology is also capable of producing molds for urethane casting and injection molding as well as other manufacturing aides such as fixtures like a soft jaw for CNC machining.