Stratasys Expands F123 Series with Two New 3D Printers Optimized for Composites Manufacturing
New printers and nylon-carbon fiber material bring new applications of additive manufacturing to the production line
Stratasys, a leader in polymer-based 3D printing solutions, today announced the addition of the F190™CR and F370®CRmodels to its F123 Series™ 3D printer family, along with the introduction of new carbon fiber-reinforced FDM®Nylon -CF10 material. The new printers also feature materials with superior stiffness and durability, and are engineered for reinforced composite manufacturing. The new composite 3D printers are designed for manufacturers and industrial operators to complement traditional manufacturing technologies with the 3D printing of heavy-duty composite materials. The printers enable faster and more cost-effective production of end-user parts, making them ideal for the production of tooling, assembly seats and other workpiece holding tools.
“I have been in engineering for over 35 years and I am passionate about innovation – not just in the development of new products, but also in the processes and tools used to develop those products. Stratasys has been enabling me to do that for over 20 years through 3D printing,” said Dave Thompson, vice president, global engineering, customer service and subcontract equipment, Graco Inc., a global leader in fluid handling equipment and a beta customer for the F370CR.
“Over the years, we have expanded our Stratasys printer fleet and their applications beyond prototyping to include tooling, assembly seats, and the gripping tools used by our robots. The new Stratasys F370CR printer allows us to take our advanced manufacturing applications to the next level, increase tool life, and even achieve better surface quality.”
The new 3D printers include integrated GrabCAD Print™ software, which provides a simple, intuitive workflow between CAD files and 3D printing, and advanced features to ensure print success. Stratasys also provides connectivity to enterprise applications through the MTConnect standard and its GrabCAD software development kit. Optimized for composite manufacturing, the F123 series of 3D printers feature reusable print trays, a built-in camera for remote monitoring, and a 7-inch touchscreen control panel. The F370CR printer also features automatic material change, meaning there is no need to interrupt the print to change materials – the system simply inserts a new cartridge and the print continues.
“Stratasys provides 3D printers and materials that help advance advanced manufacturing across the production line, such as these new CR 3D printers that enable us to print with stronger, stiffer materials and greater accuracy,” said Dick Anderson, vice president of manufacturing at Stratasys. “These new printers have proven with verified and published data that they can achieve up to 99% dimensional repeatability regardless of part size and geometric complexity. Combined with 99% uptime and dedicated service and support, manufacturers can confidently accelerate their transition to additive manufacturing.”
Compared to other printers, Stratasys’ F123 series of printers optimized for composite manufacturing offer a wider range of substrates with greater print capacity, soluble support materials and lower printing costs due to a larger build area. Additionally, compared to other printers, the F370CR’s larger, fully heated build chamber, which can be combined with stabilizer walls, allows users to print taller parts with superior mechanical and aesthetic quality.
Stratasys has also introduced a new composite material called FDM Nylon-CF10 for the F123 Series printers. This material is more than 60% stronger and nearly three times stiffer than its base nylon material. The chopped carbon fiber material is just one of several thermoplastic materials available for the F123 Series printers. When combined with Stratasys’ soluble support materials, manufacturers can print any geometry without limitations. The F190CR and F370CR printers also support a number of other modified thermoplastic materials.
The new composite-compatible F123 Series printers and FDM Nylon-CF10 material are available to order now, with shipping expected in June. Stratasys live event shared information about the new manufacturing solutions during Stratasys F123 Series product page optimized for composite manufacturing .
Stratasys is leading the global shift to additive manufacturing technologies with innovative 3D printing solutions for industries such as aerospace, automotive, consumer products and healthcare. Stratasys solutions provide competitive advantage across the product value chain with intelligent and connected 3D printers, polymer materials, software ecosystem and made-to-order parts. The world's leading organizations are transforming product design, increasing the flexibility of their manufacturing and supply chains, and improving the quality of patient care with Stratasys. To learn more about the above products, contact VARINEX Zrt., your distributor of Stratasys products in Hungary (3dp@varinex.hu,)