Stratasys Introduces Mid-Range 3D Printer 

At 3DEXPERIENCE World in Nashville earlier this week, Stratasys announced its new J826 3D printer. At roughly half the price of the other devices in the J8-series PolyJet line, the new model is targeted at users with more limited budgets and space. 

The printer provides full PANTONE-validated color and multi-material 3D printing, and is targeted at designers that need to produce rapid prototypes. According to Stratasys, the J826 is particularly suited for enterprises with mid-volume modeling requirements in industries such as consumer goods and electronics, automotive, and educational institutions. These end users can create realistic prototypes in full color using the device.

For example, Cambridge, UK-based BiologIC Technologies is using the J826 printer to develop advanced medical instrumentation. 

“Our flagship product architecture will be 100% 3D printed using the J826, so it’s no exaggeration to say that it – and indeed our company – is completely and only enabled by this 3D printer,” company co-Founder Nick Rollings said. “For us, the design freedoms delivered by full-color, multi-material 3D printing enables us to accelerate our design process with zero restrictions. This empowers us to create ultra-realistic parts for our prototype using materials that, thanks to their advanced properties, will enable us to fully 3D print our medical instrument and effectively personalize medicine once our product is finalized."

“On top of that, the fundamental cost and time savings achievable with the J826 make it possible to actually get our ideas off the ground and rapidly progress – there isn’t another technology available today that can tick all these boxes,” Rollings added.

“We believe that exceptional resolution, full color, multiple materials, and high productivity should not be the province of the few,” said Shamir Shoham, Vice President, PolyJet Business Unit at Stratasys. “That’s why we extended the power of our world-class J8-series 3D printers to the new J826 – addressing the needs of mid-volume enterprise shops and educational institutions at a lower price.”

The J826 3D Printer leverages the same high-performance PolyJet materials as the J850, and includes the full range of textures, transparency with VeroUltraClear, and PANTONE-validated color. 

The printer also provides direct import of common CAD formats via support for GrabCAD Print software. During a press conference at the event in Nashville, Victor Gerdes, director of software products at Stratasys and GrabCAD, explained the value of this more direct Cad-to-print capability.

“We’ve eliminated the need for third-party applications and made it easier for SOLIDWORKS users to print on PolyJet because the design intent details are immediately available in GrabCAD.”

At 3DEXPERIENCE World, Stratasys also announced that body appearance, surface data, and texture information could be specified in SOLIDWORKS and then sent directly into GrabCAD for printing.

The J826 3D Printer features a maximum build volume size of 10-in. x 9.9-in. x 7.9-in. (255mm x 252mm x 200mm). Multiple print modes let users adjust the speed and quality of the print to meet specific needs, from High Quality Mode to High Speed Mode. The J826 also leverages the redesigned Stratasys material cartridge, which prevents air penetration into the resin and reduces resin waste by 50%.

Ryan Schultz, vice president of vertical marketing at Stratasys, described the new J826 as providing the “smallest footprint and the most attractive price point” in the product line..

“You can prototype models at all design stages,” Schultz says. “You can do a quick conceptual model, and then optimize that model and move very rapidly to the best product solution. You can go from concept to final design very quickly on one 3D printer.”

The J826 is expected to be available to order in May 2020. For more information visit the J8-series web page.