Objet Launches Scholar Program

If, as additive manufacturing (AM) expert Terry Wohlers has said, 3D printing is to become the most important and widely used manufacturing process, the industry is going to need a lot more people who understand the best methods to utilize the technology. This means an increase, even a focus on, education.

Educating the public about what AM has to offer is only part of the equation. I’m talking about serious programs dedicated to teaching new engineers and designers best practice for using CAD and 3D printing. Those sorts of programs will require AM systems to give students hands-on experience. Objet has recognized this need, and seeks to fill it with the Scholar program. 

The Scholar program has been set up to offer a more affordable desktop 3D printer to institutes of higher learning, according to the company. The AM system offered as part of the program is a slightly redesigned Objet30, renamed the Scholar. The printer uses Objet’s PolyJet system (ASTM material jetting) to build objects. The package is offered as a two- or three-year deal, which includes the Scholar, on-demand material delivery, training, maintenance and support.

“The Objet30 Scholar Package was developed to make Objet’s 3D printing systems and solutions even more accessible to the strategically important education market,” says Gilad Gans, executive vice president for Objet. “It provides students and faculties across multiple disciplines – particularly STEM curriculum studies – with increased opportunities to create and prototype advanced design ideas.”

The Scholar comes with Objet’s Rigid Blue material and with water-soluble support material. It offers a build envelope of 294 x 192 x 148.6 mm (11.57 x 7.55 x 5.85 in.), with accuracy up to 0.1 mm (0.0039 inch). The printer’s build resolution is 600 dpi (X,Y) or 900 dpi (Z), with a horizontal layer thickness of 28 microns (0.0011 inch).

To help ensure the Scholar reaches to widest possible audience, Objet is also offering to assist educators and students with grant writing. You can find Objet’s company profile here, and read about the company’s upcoming merger with Stratasys, here.

Below you’ll find the Scholar program’s launch video.

Source: Objet