Stratasys, a developer of polymer-based additive manufacturing methods, has launched an up to date model of its Fortus 450mc printer, commemorating a decade for the reason that system’s authentic launch in 2014. Designed for industrial use, the Fortus 450mc has remained in widespread operation, with 92 p.c of put in items nonetheless lively throughout aerospace, automotive, and manufacturing sectors.
The brand new version introduces hardened {hardware} to help abrasive, high-performance polymers corresponding to carbon-fiber-reinforced Nylon 12CF and Antero. It additionally features a full supplies license that unlocks the printer’s full thermoplastic vary, eliminating the necessity for add-on packages. A bundled one-year license for GrabCAD Streamline Professional and GrabCAD Print Professional improves system integration, providing community safety, real-time print insights, and superior construct optimization. These instruments now embrace fixturemate, developed by trinckle, which automates the creation of jigs and fixtures instantly from CAD information.
Materials help is about to develop additional in 2025 with new fire-resistant and glass-filled polymers. Upcoming firmware updates may even speed up construct speeds for supplies like Nylon 12CF, lowering manufacturing time. Stratasys states that these enhancements are designed to enhance deployment effectivity for producers requiring sturdy, high-strength purposes.
“Ten years after set up, 92 p.c of Fortus 450mc printers are nonetheless producing components,” stated Wealthy Garrity, Chief Enterprise Unit Officer at Stratasys. “With this new factory-floor-ready tooling resolution, we’ve taken the whole lot our clients already belief and enhanced it to ship even better manufacturing worth.” This launch follows a sequence of technical upgrades the platform has obtained since its launch.
Starting in 2015, Stratasys added ULTEM 1010 for high-temperature purposes, adopted by aerospace-certified ULTEM 9085 in 2016. Carbon-fiber compatibility was launched in 2017, with the discharge of Nylon 12CF. In 2018, the Antero 800NA PEKK-based materials expanded the platform’s position in chemically resistant environments. Additional enhancements in 2022 included OpenAM, permitting third-party and user-defined supplies, alongside new print ideas and MTConnect for manufacturing unit integration. In 2023 and 2024, the fabric vary was prolonged once more with PC-ESD for electrostatic-sensitive parts and VICTREX AM 200 for oil and gasoline purposes.
The Fortus 450mc gives a 406 x 355 x 406 mm construct quantity and helps a big selection of thermoplastics usually reserved for dearer platforms. Its configuration is fitted to purposeful parts corresponding to fixtures, housings, and short-run end-use components. OpenAM software program permits course of parameter adjustment, enabling extra superior use instances in analysis and customized manufacturing.
Inside testing performed by Stratasys confirmed constant dimensional accuracy and mechanical repeatability throughout a number of builds. These outcomes bolstered the system’s supposed position in manufacturing reasonably than prototyping. Streamline Professional safeguards printer-network communications with enterprise-level protocols, whereas GrabCAD Print Professional provides real-time monitoring and CAD-to-print optimization. The built-in fixturemate device additional reduces time spent on fixture design, supporting sooner design-to-deployment cycles.
The up to date Fortus 450mc is now out there by Stratasys-certified companions. Further software program and materials releases are anticipated to observe later within the 12 months.
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Featured picture reveals the upgraded Stratasys Fortus 450mc 3D printer alongside the Fortus FDC system. Picture by way of Stratasys.
