Color Multi-Material 3-D Printer

March 10, 2014

Jennifer Shuttleworth

The Objet500 Connex3 color multi-material 3-D printer from Stratasys is the first and only 3-D printer to combine colors with multi-material 3-D printing, according to the company. Suitable for product design, engineering, and manufacturing processes, the versatile Objet500 Connex3 features a triple-jetting technology that combines droplets of three base materials to produce parts with virtually unlimited combinations of rigid, flexible, and transparent color materials as well as color digital materials—all in a single print run. This ability to achieve the characteristics of an assembled part without assembly or painting is a significant time-saver, claims Stratasys. It helps product manufacturers validate designs and make good decisions earlier before committing to manufacturing, and bring products to market faster. Similar to a 2-D inkjet printer, three color materials—VeroCyan, VeroMagenta, and VeroYellow—are combined to produce hundreds of vivid colors.