HP Gets into 3D Printing, via Stratasys

HP, which sometimes pitches its products under the slogan "HP: Invent," saw no reason to reinvent the wheel -- in this case, 3D printing. So the company instead struck a deal with Stratasys, one of the leading 3D printer makers, to build a HP-branded 3D printer. The result is the HP Designjet 3D printer series, set to become available in Europe in May (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK).

Available for both monochrome and color printings, the HP Designjet 3D printers are part of HP's large format printer division. The machines use fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology to form 3D models based on CAD files. It uses ABS plastic materials, has a build area measuring 8 x 6 x 6 inch. Monochrome versions print in ivory (£11,050); color versions print in black, red, olive green, florescent yellow, blue, and gray (£14,260). The models come with a support material removal system, which includes a fully enclosed detergent container so you can handle the models without gloves.

3D printing is an industry dominated by a handful of commercial brands, including Stratasys and Z Corp. Relative newcomers like Objet and Solido also grab market shares. The newest of the bunch, Desktop Factory, is still developing its first machine. The most unusual among them may be RepRap, a 3D printer invented by mechanical engineering lecturer Adrian Bowyer from the University of Bath. RepRap is thus called because it can replicate itself (you can print another RepRap if you own a RepRap). The specs and assembly instructions for building a RepRap are free.