Editor's Pick of the Week
Objet "Digital Materials" Combines Various Mechanical Properties
by Jonathan Gourlay | Published November 28, 2007
Dear Desktop Engineering Reader:  A
few days ago, the people at Objet Geometries gave me a webinar on their
new Connex500 3D printer. This form-and-function 3D printing system
gives you 600 x 600 dpi resolution in the x and y
axes, 0.6mm thin walls, and smooth surface finishes quickly — up to
20mm per hour in 30-micron layers. Good as all that is, it’s not the
cool part.
The cool part is that you can create a part or an
assembly with different materials properties in a single build — so no
more gluing together separate parts to make a full model. Way cooler:
you can create ad hoc composites by combining two different materials. The
key to the Connex500 is what Objet calls its new PolyJet Matrix
technology. PolyJet Matrix technology works by jetting two modeling
materials in preset combinations and giving you software control over
the print-head nozzles in each print head. Through the software, you
take charge of the mechanical properties of the materials you’re going
to jet. Your control extends to what Objet calls “Digital Materials.”
Digital
Material means that you can create new composites by simultaneously
jetting two different materials. Objet offers seven standard materials
for the Connex500. You can pick, choose, and then combine two of these
materials, giving you a total of 21 Digital Material possibilities.
And, yes, the Connex500 can print just one material if that suits your
needs. The Connex500 multimaterial 3D printer could really
change the over-molding and double injection-molding design processes,
particularly for companies designing and manufacturing automobiles,
electronics, knobs and widgets, medical products, sporting goods, or
even consumer products like toothbrushes. Also especially handy is its
Mixed Tray capability. This lets you or multiple users create up to
five models, each printed with different two-composite materials, at
the same time. Using its available oversized materials cartridges, the
Connex500 gives you about 72 hours of non-stop build capacity, so you
can keep the shop running all weekend unattended. The Connex500
with PolyJet Matrix technology makes its premiere at EuroMold 2007 in
Frankfurt, December 5 through 8. I’m not sure when it makes its North
American debut, but I can see from the exhibitor list that Objet
Geometries will be at the SME’s Rapid 2008 exhibition in May. So, if you’re not in Germany next week, you can learn more about the Connex500 and PolyJet Matrix technology from today’s Pick of the Week write-up. You can hit the links to download the brochure or get the full specifications while you’re there. Jonathan Gourlay
Features Editor, Desktop Engineering
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