3Z MAX 3D Printer Builds Casts and Molds

Solidscape Inc. (Merrimack, NH), a Stratasys company, recently announced the introduction of the 3Z MAX, the newest member of its 3Z Series 3D printers for lost-wax casting/investment casting and mold-making applications. The 3Z MAX, says the company, is its fastest 3D wax printer. The new printer supports a higher throughput and delivers production gains when working with bulkier precision designs in jewelry manufacturing, industrial, and medical applications, according to the company.

The 3Z MAX 3D printer. Image courtesy of Solidscape, Inc.

3Z MAX is reported to offer capabilities that make the process workflow efficient, delivering high casting yields, consistent turnarounds, and low cost-per-model. Among these are self-installation, automatic job set-up, and one-touch operation through a universal LCD icon-based panel. Layer thickness is user-selectable through a variable slider in the unit’s 3Z Works software.

Supplied with the 3Z MAX, 3Z Works software also provides the means to generate STL and SLC files required for 3D printing. With it, users can see and manage files, job start-ups, and job status remotely from a PC as well as the positioning and orientation of the model or models on the unit’s build plate. Additionally, 3Z Works, a Windows-based application, automatically generates a model’s support structures.

Sample print output from a 3Z MAX 3D printer organized by market. Image courtesy of Solidscape, Inc.

The 3Z MAX, like all of Solidscape’s 3D wax printers, uses the company’s proprietary printing technology known as Smooth Curvature Printing (SCP), which is described as enabling the 3Z MAX systems to deliver high precision and surface finish. The 3Z MAX printer works with the company’s 3Z Model and 3Z Support materials, which are said to produce “extremely smooth wax parts with superior casting properties.” Parts accurately reproduce intricate geometries without the need for manual refining, says the company.

Specifications for the 3Z Model material describe it as is an organic, non-toxic compound with a 221 ° - 239 ° (95 ° - 115 °C) melting point. 3Z Support is a non-toxic, wax blend material. Its melting point is 121 ° - 162 ° (50 ° - 72 °C). Other features of the materials include no ash or residue and no thermal expansion.

The 3Z MAX is desktop-sized – 21.4 x 18 x 16 in. (WxDxH; 558mm x 495 mm x 419 mm) – and it offers a 6 x 6 x 4 in. (152.4 x 152.4 x 101.6 mm) build envelope. Resolution is 5,000 x 5,000 dpi (197 x 197 dots/mm) in the X and Y axes and 8,000 dpi (158 dots/mm) in the Z axis. Accuracy is ± 0.0010 inch/inch ( ±25.4 µ/25.4mm) along each X, Y, and Z axis. Available interfaces include PC to printer connectivity, wireless Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, Ethernet, and high-speed USB 2.0. The system is CE certified, FCC Class A approved, and TUV approved (EN 60950 Compliant).

“The 3Z MAX is the direct product of our ‘Voice of the Customer’ program, which focuses on customer satisfaction and product innovation,” said Fabio Esposito, president of Solidscape, in a press statement. “Our customers said they wanted the precision for which Solidscape is known with increased performance. The 3Z MAX delivers both at a very affordable price.”

The 3Z MAX is priced at $49,650. Complete details on the 3Z MAX 3D printer are available from Solidscape.

Click here to learn about 3Z Model print materials.

Click here to learn more about 3Z Support materials.

Watch the 3Z MAX intro video.

Download the 3Z MAX data sheet.

See why DE’s editors selected the 3Z MAX 3D printer as their Pick of the Week.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.