On November 14, 2018, German 3D printer and injection molding system manufacturer ARBURG launched the freeformer 300-3X for the first time, a multi-material and multi-color 3D printer.
ARBURG freeform 200-3X and 300-3X
Sales Director Lukas Pawelczyk said, "As a revolutionary next step, we will celebrate the world premiere of freeformer 300-3X at Formnext 2018, which will expand the ARBURG product family and open up new application areas. Complex and flexible features Parts can be made from a combination of soft and hard materials, using this machine for industrial additive manufacturing-unique in the industry. "
The freeformer 300-3X printer is currently on display at Formnext 2018, Hall 3.1, booth E70.
freeformer 300-3X printer
ARBURG Plastic Free Forming (APF) technology uses qualified standard pellets used in injection molding technology. Using a material spray method, these particles are melted and discharged to make a thermoplastic part.
Freeformer 300-3X is an upgrade of its predecessor. Freeformer 200-3X launched in 2013 uses APF technology.
With the help of three material discharge units, the freeformer 300-3X can manufacture multi-material and multi-color parts. It can produce parts that are different from the finished support material. In addition, ARBURG's material injection system can combine hard and soft materials to produce unique parts.
The 23 x 13 x 20 cm build room is protected by two sections. This allows the operator to open the top of the door and refill the hopper without having to open the heated bed chamber. This system makes the printing process more efficient because only the heated build chamber needs to be opened when inserting or removing parts.
The "300" in the name refers to the size of the construction chamber, in cubic centimeters, which is 50% larger than the free-form 200-3X.
Skull implant made from resorbable polylactide (PLLA). Picture from ARBURG
Material jet 3D printing
Some 3D printing companies also use material injection technology to make multi-component parts, especially for detachable support structures.
XJet is an Israeli-based 3D printer manufacturer that uses material jetting technology and is registered under the trademark NanoParticle Jetting (NPJ). Xjet's metal 3D printers use ceramics as a support material for metal 3D printed parts.
In addition, Japanese 3D printer maker Mimaki uses material spray technology. Mimaki's 3DUJ-553 is a full-color 3D printer that uses material spray technology to print independent support materials that are easy to disassemble.