3D Printers Reduce Printing Time for Complex Geometries

The Fortus 450mc and Fortus 380mc 3D printers from Stratasys are said to provide improved reliability, speed and accessibility. Using the company’s FDM technology, both 3D production systems are designed to produce high-quality, engineering-grade parts that can be used to reduce the time to bring a product to market, create jigs and fixtures for manufacturing, or produce low-volume runs of end-use parts. According to Stratasys, the machines offer improved system navigation and maintenance, and reduced printing times for complex geometries.

The Fortus 450mc features a build envelope measuring 16" × 14" × 16" (406 × 355 × 406 mm) and can produce layer resolutions ranging from 0.005" to 0.013" (0.127 to 0.330 mm). A digital touchscreen enables users to adjust the print job without disrupting the printer. The full-color display provides model and support head temperatures as well as calibration settings, and lists print jobs in the queue. The 3D printer has capacity for two model-material and two support-material canisters, and the usage level can be monitored using the touchscreen. Applications include complex functional prototypes, production aides and end-use parts in specialized materials for the aerospace, government, military and medical industries, among others.

The Fortus 380mc has many of the same features as the Fortus 450mc 3D printer, including even temperature distribution in the build chamber and a digital touchscreen. According to Stratasys, the 3D printer can build parts as much as 20 percent faster. It offers a build envelope measuring 14" × 12" ×12" (355 × 305 × 305 mm) with the same layer resolutions as the Fortus 450mc. The printer’s material capacity includes two canisters, one for model and one for support material. The printer is suitable large and midsize manufacturers producing complex, smaller parts such as fixtures and tools.