What is Material Jetting 3D Printing?

What is Material Jetting 3D Printing?

Material jetting is a 3D Printing process that involves jetting photosensitive resin from an inkjet head, then curing it upon deposition with UV light. An outstanding process for high-accuracy prints, especially those requiring parts with multiple materials or variable material characteristics across a part.

What are the Different Types of Material Jetting?

1. Material Jetting (Resin, Cartridge)
2. Vat Photopolymerization (Resin, UV Laser)
3. Material Jetting (Ink)
4. Material Jetting (Wax, Cartridge)
5. Material Jetting (Metal, Cartridge)

What are the Advantages of Material Jetting?

• Multi-Material Parts. Multiple materials can be used in a single part allowing for different properties within the part.
• Material Selection. Choose from more than 30 distinct, different materials to meet the needs of your part. In some cases, you blend materials to mix properties and color.
• Short Lead Times. Get your parts quickly and shorten the gap from concept to finished part.
• Highly Accurate. MJP and Polyjet can print in layer thicknesses as low as 16 microns and typically resolve detailed features as small as 0.001″ (0.025 mm).
• Smooth Stock Finish. High-detail accuracy allows for surface finish down to 80 µin Ra with little to no post-processing.

What are the Limitations of Material Jetting?

• Low Durability. To successfully be jetted from an ink head, fairly low viscosity—and thus, typically less durable—materials are also required. Further, as a general rule, photopolymers weaken over time, especially when exposed to light.
• Downward-facing surfaces. Support structures required, the removal of which can impact surface finish and post-processing speed connex, polyjet, multi-material printing, multi-material 3D Printing.

Key Metrics

Standard Tolerance
+/-.005″ (.127mm)

Stock Surface Finish
~80 µin Ra

Lead Time
1-5 Business Days

Maximum Size
24″×24″×24″

Minimum Layer Thickness
0.0006″ (0.016mm)

Minimum Feature Size
0.001″ (0.025mm)

Minimum Wall Thickness
0.03″ (.750mm)

Conclusion

Material jetting is an emerging technology in the 3D Printing space gaining popularity due to its incredibly high-fidelity prints with both polymers, and metals. Consider submitting an RFQ through manufacturing services such as ProdEX to get started today.