With 3D printing becoming more popular, users are ready to move beyond entry-level printers to machines capable of low to medium volume production. To meet these needs, additive manufacturing company Stratasys has unveiled its Stratasys F120™ 3D Printer. The machine costs 40 percent less than industrial-grade 3D printers, according to Gina Scala, director of education for the company, enabling those in design studios, offices, and education environments to gain access to industry-grade additive manufacturing capability.
According to Stratasys, unlike many desktop 3D printers that struggle to produce reliable and accurate parts without technical know-how, the F120 printer is designed to create high-quality FDM models consistently. The company has incorporated streamlined plug-and-print functionality in the printer, thus removing complexity from typical workflow processes with a user-friendly touchscreen interface and GrabCAD Print™ workflow.
The F120 can support everything from rapid prototyping and tooling to at least medium-scale manufacturing, on the most common materials. According to the company, the machine can print up to three times faster than competitive solutions. Large filament boxes allow for up to 250 hours of uninterrupted printing. Also, the machine is still small enough to be moved to a point-of-use location.
The F120 is backed by 1200 hours of testing of the most important print performance attributes― including part robustness, accuracy, and how well the printed part matches the CAD file.
The Stratasys F120 joins the full F123 Series of 3D printers, including the F170™, F270™ and F370™ – combining FDM® technology with design-to-print GrabCAD Print software. The solution will be available for delivery starting in July, and is priced at $11,999 in the U.S.