With the arrival of the Figure 4 Standalone 3-D printer from 3D Systems, Wellesbourne-based Engineering Technology Group (ETG) now has an affordable solution for functional prototyping and low-volume production in its inventory.

The new 3-D printer enables same-day functional prototyping iteration and low-volume production at speeds up to 100mm per hr with six sigma repeatability. The statistical result is stated as Cpk>2, where Cpk is the process capacity index.

Phil Schultz, 3D Systems senior vice president, on-demand manufacturing and plastics, said: “With Figure 4, 3D Systems is delivering the fastest, most-accurate 3-D printing technology available. The combination of speed and accuracy complemented by a light-based UV curing process, which takes minutes versus hours required by heat-based curing processes, enables ultra-fast throughput and time-to-part.”

The flexible Figure 4 Standalone 3-D printer can work with a range of materials to enable the creation of parts for rapid design iteration, functional prototypes and low-volume production with exceptional durability, elasticity, and functionality.

Among the materials available is Figure 4 TOUGH-GRY 10, a high-speed material for rapid design iterations providing up to 100mm/hr build speed. With 25% elongation at break, it has the durability required for a broad range of applications — this dark grey plastic material is extremely stable, including under high humidity conditions.

Also available is Figure 4 TOUGH-GRY 15 which is designed to offer high-strength and stability for production applications. Economical pricing allows short-run production parts to be produced at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.

With 35% elongation at break, this durable opaque grey material produces highly accurate components for consumer goods, aerospace and automotive industries, with digital moulding productivity and cost-efficiency.

Alongside these materials is Figure 4 ELAST-BLK 10 which is suitable for the prototyping and design of a wide variety of elastomeric parts. Producing parts in a fraction of the time required to produce moulded parts, this material accelerates the design and iteration of new concepts with rubber-like functional prototypes for industrial and consumer goods applications. Designed for the jewellery casting professional, 3D Systems has also developed its Figure 4 JCAST-GRN 10 material.

This produces accurate, reproducible and highly detailed master patterns for jewellery casting. This high contrast green material is easy to cast with minimal ash and residue, producing high-quality jewellery pieces rapidly.

The Figure 4 Standalone includes 3D Systems’ 3D Sprint, providing customers with advanced software support for preparation, editing, 3-D printing, and management, while also eliminating the need for ownership of costly third-party software. 3D Sprint helps customers mitigate errors and improve efficiency within their workflow.