HP, Autodesk Team on 3D Printing

According to the announcement, the combination of the two technologies will allow users to "access a rich palette of sophisticated tools such as constraint-based design to create and produce output with many types of materials and properties at once."

HP has touted Multi Jet as being able to print 10 times faster than other 3D technologies. Spark is an open software solution that could potentially provide a unified platform for all types of 3D printers, from consumer up to large industrial systems.

Autodesk says that Spark can help optimize design prior to production, and improve information exchange between design software and the printer.

According to the companies:

Autodesk and HP have worked together for a long time. We share a vision to drive technology innovation and provide the best products and experiences to our customers. Today, Autodesk and HP expand the alignment of our offerings to push 3D printing forward and drive toward a new industrial revolution that changes the way we design and manufacture things. We have a common goal to unlock 3D printing's full promise such as higher speeds, higher quality, and improved reliability.

HP's printers won't be available until 2016, but the entrance of such a large player into the market is expected to have a disruptive impact. Announced earlier this year, the HP printers (which leverage the company's Thermal Inkjet arrays) will use a multi-chemistry process that combines a layer of powder, a fusing agent, and a detailing agent to provide better definition and reducing fusion on the boundaries of the printed object. The jetting system can produce 350 million droplets per second, and print with 20-micron precision, using less energy than selective laser sintering. The system can print in a variety of colors, textures and elasticities, and can print electronic devices.

Spark partners include HP, who will leverage it in its multi-jet fusion #3Dprinting technology. #AU2014 pic.twitter.com/HnDFt8lUQy

— Desktop Engineering (@DEeditor) December 3, 2014

Below is a video from Autodesk about its Spark platform and Ember 3D printer, promoting its Explorer program for early adopters.

Source: Juniper Research