Q & A with President and CEO Vyomesh Joshi (VJ) on the New FabPro 1000
Source: 3D Systems
Following 3D Systems’ announcement of FabPro™ 1000, there has been a steady flow of interest around our take on industrial entry-level 3D printing: where FabPro fits into an additive manufacturing workflow, why we are investing in entry-level solutions, and how 3D Systems’ printer measures up to competing systems on the market. Eager to answer your questions, 3D Systems President and CEO VJ shares his view of the opportunities available through entry-level industrial printing with the new FabPro 1000.
The FabPro delivers parts that are on par with production level machines in terms of accuracy, quality and repeatability.
Q: HOW IS FABPRO™ 1000 DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ENTRY-LEVEL 3D PRINTERS ON THE MARKET?
VJ: The FabPro is distinct in several ways, but the most important distinction is the parts it prints. The parts are what matters at the end of the day, right? The combination of our printer and materials ensures part quality, repeatability and durability, so that’s the first key distinction. And of course, very closely related to part quality is part accuracy. The FabPro delivers better, more accurate parts than any other product at its price point and produces parts that are on par with production level machines in terms of accuracy, quality and repeatability.
The second differentiation is speed and productivity. FabPro is up to three times faster than competitively priced systems, which will help to make our customers more efficient and accelerate their time to market. Think about it: if it takes a competing system 9 hours to print apart but it takes our system just 3 hours to print a part with the exact same parameters, full days can be removed from product timelines. That’s a tremendous competitive advantage.
Finally, the FabPro is a complete, plug and play solution that includes rigorously tested, high-quality materials and an intuitive, optimized software experience with 3D Sprint.
BEYOND AFFORDABILITY, WHAT MAKES THIS AN ENTRY-LEVEL 3D PRINTER?
We want to help customers go from a CAD file to design verification or functional prototyping without jumping through hoops or needing extensive training, so we’ve made it very easy to use. Like our other professional quality printers, FabPro comes with 3D Sprint software for file preparation and print management. This gives users access to tools that help them optimize support structures and builds to reduce waste and also provides visibility into material usage. This combination of the fast print speeds I mentioned earlier and optimized printing delivers lower costs to our customers so they can continue to enjoy low operating costs after the initial purchase.
THE 3D SYSTEMS MISSION IS TO HELP MAKE 3D PRODUCTION REAL FOR CUSTOMERS. HOW DOES AN ENTRY-LEVEL INDUSTRIAL PRINTER FIT INTO THIS STRATEGY?
In order to make 3D production real for our customers, we need to make good quality and easy-to-use additive manufacturing solutions more accessible and affordable to help a wider audience adopt and benefit from the technology. In terms of how the FabPro does this, I will answer in two parts. The first half of my answer takes a look at the product itself. If you think about the product category – an industrial entry-level printer – it plays a very important role in making 3D production real. The FabPro 1000 is a solution with entry-level affordability that comes with industrial material capability and a significant speed advantage over other printers in its class. It also comes with 3D Sprint software to streamline the plastic additive manufacturing workflow, making it a complete solution. That means FabPro offers an opportunity for people to get hands-on with 3D technology for meaningful applications such as functional prototyping. Offering a low-barrier, quality experience that combines the right materials, the right hardware and the right software to compress product lifecycles reinforces how 3D Systems’ additive manufacturing solutions can help companies reduce design cycle time and develop complex custom parts not possible with traditional manufacturing processes.
The second half of my answer considers our customers globally, and the different price-performance capabilities and needs that exist worldwide. As a global company, 3D Systems works to serve all markets, including emerging geographies where an entry-level industrial printer like FabPro 1000 offers an optimal price-performance ratio with considerable benefits to the customer.
FabPro casting material enables users to achieve final metal parts with entry-level affordability.
WHO DO YOU ANTICIPATE WILL BE FIRST ADOPTERS OF THIS MACHINE AND WHY?
I think the global designer community will be among the first to really understand and get excited about the capability being offered, but designers are not the only ones in need of an affordable yet professional-quality 3D printing solution. I think you have to consider other professions where the total package of benefits provided by the FabPro 1000 will make a difference. The combination of the materials we offer plus the high throughput and accuracy of the printer speaks to a wide range of users. If you need high durability functional prototypes, FabPro can do it; if you need high contrast material for prototyping intricate details, FabPro can do it. We also offer a casting material that will enable users to achieve final metal parts with entry-level affordability. This alone has the potential to transform verticals such as jewellery. I believe FabPro will complement and advance workflows across industries, and I am excited to see what our customers do with it!
3D Printing brings a whole new dimension to the world of engineers, fabrication and designers. We’ve discussed at length in previous articles the many misconceptions about the world of 3D Printing. In the following article, I’ll focus on the true value of having a 3D Printer in your workflow as an engineer or designer. Just like anything else, a 3D Printer is only one tool among many. But using the right tool for the right job will open new possibilities. It can cut costs, and most significantly, save time.
There’s a lot of hype in the consumer market right now. We all hear of big dreams of a 3D Printer of every home. But currently the technology really shines in prototype development. In particular, this is true for engineers and designers involved in new product development or the redesign of existing products. The ability to get your hands on prototype components, assemblies and complete products and review design issues, improvements and changes is quite simply, invaluable.
The speed of 3D prints
Whether you’re building a tool or fixture, designing a new product, or developing a prototype, as an engineer or designer, you need to fail often and recover quickly. As we know, creating the best possible part design usually requires multiple iterations and redesigns. Previously you would have to wait weeks or even months to see a physical version of your design. But now, 3D Printing has made it possible to get that part created the same day or the next day. This allows creators to print the design quickly, review errors or find improvements, make the changes to the file and print again within a very short time frame.
Today, you can go through 10 iterations in the same time it used 
to take to complete one using traditional manufacturing methods. Even if that print takes hours or days to complete, you’re still cutting your production cycle down to a fraction of the time spent using traditional methods. Rest assured, there is immense value in turning a design into an object in a timely manner.
Complexity is free
This is a phrase you’ll hear thrown around quite a bit in the world of Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing). Traditional manufacturing processes have certain limitations. If you’re using milling or using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) to create a part, you’re removing material from the outside of your block of material and working your way inward. This means any kind of complex internal shape is usually impossible. A CNC machine cannot wrap around corners, but when you’re building from the bottom up, the 3D printer has no problem building organic, complex shapes and structures. If you’re using injection molding, you have to worry about hollow parts, drafting and maintaining wall thickness.
3D Printing doesn’t care about complexity. As long as you’re using some kind of support material system for your part – and using the right material and print method for the job – the complexity of your designs are virtually limitless. Please note that each individual printer will have it’s own limitations you’ll have to work within. However, having access to multiple printer technologies will give you a lot more freedom.
MarkForged Printers
Markforged offers a wide range of 3D Printers all specializing in creating parts strong enough for actual everyday use. Developed and manufactured in the United States, these are the only printers on the market that can print parts as strong as aluminum. Their printers generally use two printheads. One builds Nylon parts (or the amazing proprietary Onyx material). The other is a revolutionary new printhead that extrudes composite materials to reinforce the nylon to make solid, strong-as-aluminum 3D Prints. The composite materials used in the machine are Carbon Fibre, Fiberglass and Kevlar, and High-Strength High Temperature Fiberglass.
The reinforced prints are up to 30 times stronger and 30 times stiffer than ABS 3D-Printed parts. Furthermore, the carbon fibre prints have a higher strength-to-weight ratio than 6061 aluminum. This enables you to create fully functional parts on the printer – rather than pieces prototyped simply for fit before being machined from metal.
Markforged offers a range of options for those looking for more than the standard plastic-jet printers in the ‘prosumer’ price range. Starting at $3499 USD with the Onyx One 3D Printer. Even at its low price point, it has a place in the professional environment. It’s an excellent addition to the Engineer or Designer’s desktop (and totally safe for office use).
The printer ships with everything you need to get started. Including cloud-based Eiger software, giving you full control over customizing your 3D Printed composite fibre model. If you need more materials, you can opt for the Onyx Pro, which has the ability to reinforce with Fiberglass, or the Mark Two, which can print the full range of materials available. Additionally there’s the Mark X, which can print everything the Mark Two can print. However, it has a much larger build size and has a built in scanner to check the part for deficiencies during the print cycle.
Not sure if this printer fits your needs? Give us a call!
If you have any questions, want to see the printers in action, or are looking to order, please don’t hesitate to contact Objex Unlimited 3D Print Studio. You can also read more about the Markforged printers at www.objexunlimited.com
Markforged announced today the immediate release of Onyx–the most advanced material for Markforged yet–available to all Mark Two Enterprise users. The Onyx material is made up of chopped carbon, and is the first alternative to the base Nylon material. Before all users needed to print with Nylon and reinforce with one of the four fiber materials (Carbon Fiber, Kevlar, Fiberglass, and High-Strength High Temperature Fiberglass). Now users have the choice to print in either Nylon or Onyx and reinforce either with continuous fiber filament (CFF).
The new Nylon material delivers high-performance, finished parts:
- Embedded carbon enhances performance: Dispersed micro-fibers drive excellent rigidity, dimensional stability, and environmental resistance in parts for rugged use.
- Cut post-processing out of your process: Onyx parts can be used right off the build plate.
- Remarkable surface quality: Onyx delivers a stunning matte black finish.
“After hundreds of broken beams and countless reformulations, we’ve created a new material that raises the standard for strength and accuracy,” remarked Markforged’s Chief Scientist Tony Gozdz, “Onyx has more than three times the stiffness of ordinary nylons, and with a heat deflection temperature of 145C, Onyx is perfectly suited for vehicles, machinery, and automation equipment.”
Onyx’s dispersed micro-fiber is fully compatible with Markforged’s suite of continuous carbon, Kevlar, and glass fibers – both Onyx nylon and Markforged Standard nylon can achieve part strength comparable with metal.
Here’s what people have been saying:
Revolutionary Material
“Now, all of a sudden, you can get great engineering materials, with the properties that you would want in finished products, and that’s really going to be a game changer,” said Carl Bass, Autodesk Chief Executive (and well-known workshop addict). Mr. Bass was the first person to get his hands on Onyx, and immediately put it to use developing parts for his autonomous go-kart.
Industrial Strength
“The new material from Markforged is a critical component of our design process. This material allows us to turn a prototype into a functional part in hours. While the majority of conventional polymers cannot survive as a production part in our manufacturing environment, this new material is thriving. Markforged has developed a material that takes additive manufacturing one step further,” said Rodney Everett, Automation Technician at Dixon Valve Company, a worldwide leader in couplings and fittings.
Finished Products
“It’s a stiffer material, the edges are true…parts look better and they fit together better. I think we’re going to never look back with this new material… it’s helping us make parts that are direct sale to market,” declared Alan Rencher of Media Blackout, a specialist in customized professional video equipment.
Battle Tested
“This material is fantastic… my team and I are impressed,” said Jamison Go of fighting robot Team SawBlaze. “The dragon head functions as a protective cover and aesthetic. We expect this part to take a lot of abuse, which attests to the confidence we have in this material.”
Team SawBlaze and Team Overhaul, each sporting Onyx and other Markforged reinforced parts in their massive combat robots, will be appearing in televised competition.
Onyx is available on Markforged’s Mark Two Enterprise Kit. The Enterprise Kit includes:
- A wear-resistant print head that enables the 3D printing of advanced new materials such as Onyx and High-Strength, High-Temperature Fiberglass
- Software features such as single sign-on, two-factor authentication, and an organizational admin portal
- Early access to future materials
About Markforged
Markforged’s mission is to bring high strength 3D printing to everyday engineering. Offering the world’s only 3D printing systems capable of automatically reinforcing engineering plastics to aluminum levels of performance and beyond, Markforged enables every business to easily manufacture parts with structural strength right on the desktop. The Mark Two 3D Printer empowers professional users to affordably create workhorse 3D parts that solve real problems, as well as realize reinforced structures never before possible. Markforged technologies are delivered with thoughtful, powerful software designed for collaboration, sharing, and scaling. For more information, visit https://www.Markforged.com (https://www.markforged.com/).
About Objex Unlimited
Objex Unlimited 3D Printing Studio is a 3D solutions provider and 3D product reseller specializing in 3D Printing, 3D Scanning, 3D Design and 3D Services. We’re leading the 3D printing revolution to explore, develop, and commercialize new applications in 3D. Leveraging unparalleled expertise in 3D technologies, we work with you personally to find a product or solution that will save you time, effort, and money. We will bring your ideas and designs to life by creating working parts, beautiful full-colour models, and rapid prototypes. Authorized resellers of 3D Systems, Artec, Markforged and LMI Technologies.
Here’s another great example of using 3D Design and 3D Print to turn imagination into real life!
Not long ago, an artist by the name of Oliver Pauk visited a 3D Printing talk by Steve Cory, President of Objex Unlimited. He started asking questions and eventually visited the offices here to see the different printers on-site, and started to realize how the different technologies could help him develop his art. The piece eventually created was part of Oliver Pauk’s Objects collection, which can be seen here: www.oliverpauk.com/objects/.
Oliver Pauk – Objects Collection
Oliver Pauk was experienced creating 3D Designs in photoshop and wanted to make his file printable. It was determined that the best technology for the job was Stereolithography (SLA) 3D Printing, which uses a laser and a plastic based liquid resin, optimal for extremely fine detail at a comparably high strength. As SLA is not a colour printing technology, the colours were applied to the model using Hydrodipping. The process involves taking a non-porous plastic, placing a coloured film across a the surface of a vat of water, and then dipping the object into the vat as the colour transfer wraps around the object.
The results are absolutely amazing!
Check out more of Oliver Pauk’s artwork from the same collection in the link below!
http://www.oliverpauk.com/objects/6a53vnn6214ifzimrs1rxvz935ii1j
Printed on ProJet 6000 HD
The ProJet 6000 HD offers three choices of print resolution, a choice of 6 VisiJet SL materials including the VisiJet SL Flex and Jewel. The material used for this particular project was VisiJet SL Black, ideal for ABS-like look and feel, high strength and good dimensional stability. Normally used for automotive and consumer goods prototyping and Ideal for electronics housing.
The ProJet 6000 range delivers up to 10 x 10 x 10 inch (250 x 250 x 250 mm) net build volume.
With options for high-definition, ultra high-definition and extra high-definition printing resolutions, you are guaranteed to print nothing that’s less than exceptional.
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Objex Unlimited 3D Printing Studio is a full-service 3D solutions provider and 3D product reseller specializing in 3D Printing, 3D Scanning, 3D Design and 3D Services. We’re leading the 3D printing revolution to explore, develop, and commercialize new applications in 3D. Leveraging unparalleled expertise in 3D technologies, we work with you personally to find a product or solution that will save you time, effort, and money. We will bring your ideas and designs to life by creating working parts, beautiful full-colour models, and rapid prototypes. Authorized resellers of 3D Systems, Artec, Markforged and LMI Technologies.
3D Systems has announced the expansion of its ProJet® 1200 suite with the arrival of five new materials engineered specifically for the desktop printing capabilities of its micro-SLA 3D printer. These five new materials join the previously introduced VisiJet® FTX Green material, expanding the capabilities of jewelers, dental labs, manufacturers, engineers, and 3D artists in the creation of casting patterns, small end-use parts, figurines and presentation models.
ProJet 1200 – Jewelry
Advancing the production capabilities and throughput of jewelry designers, the ProJet 1200 now has an advanced FTX Cast material, a wax/resin hybrid material developed specifically for compatibility with a wide range of jewelry casting methods and materials, and FTX Gold and FTX Silver for stunning jewelry samples and presentation models.
Jewelers can easily integrate FTX Cast, which casts much like traditional wax, into existing workflows with the added benefits of 3D printed parts. Combined with the precision and fantastic surface quality of micro-SLA from the ProJet1200, FTX Cast can be used to create exquisite, detailed pieces from rings to pendants. With glimmering gold and silver particles embedded in the materials, FTX Gold and FTX Silver provide the wow factor that brings customer presentation models and counter samples to life.
ProJet 1200 – Dental
Dental labs use the ProJet 1200 with FTX Green for the production of highly accurate, casting-friendly wax-ups for a range of small dental prosthetics. The ProJet 1200 prints in 30-micron layers at 585 dpi resolution for the production of up to 12 high-quality wax-ups in an hour, right on the desktop. The ProJet 1200 and FTX Green combine for an accelerated workflow with the exceptional results of traditional methods.
ProJet 1200 – Engineering and Manufacturing
Along with the casting capabilities of FTX Cast, engineering and manufacturing customers can take advantage of the arrival of FTX Gray, a high-contrast gray material that’s perfect for prototypes and accentuating fine features, and FTX Clear, a transparent clear material that can be applied in end-use parts and components. As part of the reimagined engineer’s desktop, the ProJet 1200 and FTX Gray and Clear allow engineers a fast way to locally create precise design prototypes of small assembly or components. Micro-SLA parts in FTX Gray and Clear also combine the strength and precision necessary for end-use applications and final one-off custom components, such as electronic connectors, robotics components and more.
ProJet 1200 – 3D Artists and Designers
Many 3D artists, designers and professional model makers also require strong, precise micro parts for toys, figurines, model aircraft, cars, model trains and more. The expanded ProJet 1200 materials selection provides even more opportunity for creative expression. Precision FTX Gray parts are paintable and they accentuate the fine features for which the ProJet 1200 is known. On top of that, beautiful, transparent FTX Clear parts project a hint of iridescence for stunning clear parts, perfect for a range of sculptures and model components. For artisans creating small cast sculptures, FTX Cast provides a less work intensive way to make accurate casting patterns in the workshop.
“The addition of these five materials represents our commitment to revolutionizing desktop 3D printing and bringing new capabilities to dental techs, jewelers, artists and engineers,” said Buddy Byrum, Vice President of Product and Channel Management, 3DS. “Now a jeweler, for instance, can design a ring, prototype it in FTX Gray, print a customer sample ring in FTX Gold and FTX Silver, and create a final casting pattern in FTX Cast—all from the same machine.”
The expanded VisiJet FTX material range will be available in December 2014 and will be on display at EuroMold 2014 in Frankfurt, Germany from November 25-28, 2014, at the Messe Frankfurt in booths D69 and F90 in hall 11, along with 3DS’ latest 3D printers, advanced material options, cloud-sourced custom parts and digital thread of 3D capture, creation, print and inspection tools.
About Objex Unlimited
Objex Unlimited 3D Printing Studio is a 3D solutions provider and 3D product reseller specializing in 3D Printing, 3D Scanning, 3D Design and 3D Services. We strive to be at the forefront of the 3D printing revolution and to explore, develop, and commercialize new applications in 3D. Leveraging unparalleled expertise in 3D technologies, we work with you personally to find a product or solution that will save you time, effort, and money. We will bring your ideas and designs to life by creating working parts, beautiful full-colour models, and rapid prototypes. Objex Unlimited is an authorized reseller of 3D Systems, Artec and LMI Technologies.