Equipment by Technology

Stereolithography (SL, SLA)
Equipment Video

A UV laser cures a liquid photopolymer in a vat; the part is built by lowering the build platform into the vat where the laser sketches the layer of the object. The build platform is then slightly raised and the laser again sketches the layer. This process is repeated until the full object is built.

Advantages:

  • A wide range of material
  • Very good accuracy, surface finishes and details
  • Machines with large build volume enable large parts

Disadvantages:

  • Only works with photopolymers
  • Mechanical properties of parts are therefore not stable over time
  • Materials are expensive
  • The build process is slow
Formlabs Form1+, EnvisionTEC Perfactory 4, Formlabs Form 2
Photopolymer Jetting (Polyjet)
Equipment Video

Inkjet print heads are used to jet liquid photopolymers onto a build platform. The material is immediately cured by UV lamps and solidified which allows to build layers on top of each other.

Advantages:

  • Multiple materials can be jetted together allowing multi-material and multi-color parts
  • Functionally graded materials are possible.
  • Multi-material and/or multi-color parts
  • Can achieve good accuracy and surface finishes

Disadvantages:

  • Does not work with standard materials but with UV-active photopolymers which are not durable over time (thermoset)
  • Works with UV-active photopolymers. Therefore, parts are not durable over time and have limited mechanical properties
Stratasys Objet30 Pro, Stratasys Objet500 Connex3
Micro dispensing tool
Equipment Video
nScrypt 3Dn-300HP
Laser Sintering (LM, SLM, SLS, DMLS)
Equipment Video

A thin layer of metal powder is selectively melted by a laser. The parts are built up layer by layer in the powder bed.

Advantages:

  • Can manufacture parts in standard metals with high density
  • A wide set of standard metals is available
  • Parts can be further processed

Disadvantages:

  • The technology is costly 
  • Tolerances and surface finishes are limited
3D Systems ProX 200
Laser Engraving
Equipment Video
Epilog Laser Fusion M2
Fused-Deposition-Modeling (FDM)
Equipment Video

A plastic filament is melted and extruded through a nozzle. Parts are built by laying down layer-by-layer.

Advantages:

  • Parts have good mechanical properties and are durable over time.
  • Can build fully functional parts in standard plastics.
  • Parts can be post-processed

Disadvantages:

  • Anisotropy in the z-direction (vertical direction)
  • Step structure on surfaces
  • Fine details cannot be realized
Makerbot Replicator 2, Lulzbot TAZ4, Makerbot 5th Generation Replicator, Makerbot Replicator 2, Makerbot Replicator 2X, Stratasys Fortus 400mc, Ultimaker 2, Makerbot Replicator Z18, Makerbot Replicator Mini, Printrbot Simple Metal, Makerbot Replicator +, Markforged Mark Two
Extrusion-based Deposition Modeling
Equipment Video
EnvisionTEC 3D Bioplotter
Computer Numerical Control
Equipment Video
GENOS L200E-M, GENOS M460-VE
3D Scanning Systems
Equipment Video
Geomagic Capture