Keywords
Citation
(2002), "Build better prototypes with high-resolution material from stratasys", Assembly Automation, Vol. 22 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2002.03322dad.006
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2002, MCB UP Limited
Build better prototypes with high-resolution material from stratasys
Build better prototypes with high-resolution material from stratasys
Keywords: Rapid prototyping materials
Rapid prototyping system maker, Stratasys, today announced the availability of a high- resolution modeling material. This material allows all users of FDM® (fused deposition modeling) to dramatically improve the quality of prototypes (see Plate 6).
The material improvement will affect 27 per cent of all rapid prototyping systems installed globally because this is the percentage of FDM-based installations worldwide. The material offers improvement to FDM systems of any age.
Plate 6
The high-resolution material is most helpful for building thin-walled models, those with fine features, or small models, for which details are more important. The material replaces older formulas, which are no longer available.
“The FDM process is dependent on the fine control of the modeling material - a plastic filament which is fed into a liquefier and then deposited to form a prototype,” says materials-development director Bill Priedeman. “And the prototype’s quality is affected by the filament’s tolerance. The high- resolution material was made possible by new controls we have placed in the material- manufacturing process. These controls allow a tighter tolerance m material diameter.” The new modeling material began shipping m early 2002.
Stratasys Insight™ software version 3.3 is also now shipping as an automatic upgrade to all users with service agreements. With the upgrade, users can better optimize the modeling envelope by fitting in more parts. They also have more build-control via added editing tools, and they can improve model surface finish with new seam-control enhancements. (The software upgrade is a requirement for FDM Maxum™ and FDM Quantum® users who plan to model using the 5-mil slice upgrade.)
Machines affected by the enhancements to material and software include all models with the letters FDM (i.e: FDM 1650, 2000, 3000, 8000, Quantum, Maxum, and Titan.).