Germany’s voxeljet AG (Friedberg) will debut its first 3D printing system for plastics based on its new High Speed Sintering (HSS) process, scheduled for November 2017 at the formnext trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany. The company’s material sets so far have focused on tooling and pattern making applications but with HSS, voxeljet will be entering the thermoplastics market with the ability to directly manufacture end-use products.

The basis for HSS is the same as voxeljet’s core technology, called binder jetting. HSS works by selectively jetting an infrared absorbing ink onto layers of plastic powder. Each layer is exposed to infrared light, which melts the powder to form functional plastic parts directly out of the machine.

In addition to voxeljet’s present tooling solutions portfolio, the new HSS process enables printing of parts with properties and qualities similar to selective laser sintering, multi jet fusion or injection molding according to the company. Versatile and fully functional prototypes such as brackets, housings and other functional parts for end use can be produced. In combination with excellent surface quality, sharp and clear edges, as well as true-to-detail resolution, HSS parts can be directly used for functional applications in automotive, industrial equipment, and even consumer goods according to voxeljet.

Dr. Ingo Ederer, Chief Executive Officer of voxeljet, commented: “Our new high speed sintering process will initially be launched on our VX200 platform. With that, we are excited to offer to our customers great flexibility regarding process and machine parameters, as both can be tailored by our customers to their specific needs. We offer the option of open sourcing for materials, as our customers can choose various testing and validation services from voxeljet. ProPrint, our new and modular printing software, is available in a full access development-kit, allowing for even greater customization options. The availability and application of a wide range of 3D printable thermoplastic materials, including elastomers, makes this product line ideally suited for material suppliers, universities, and other institutions.”

Christian Traeger, Director Sales & Marketing, adds that “voxeljet’s industrial printers enable high-quality print resolutions with layer times that are consistent no matter what is being printed. Due to large printing widths of our print heads, we see a high potential for increased printing rates on larger platforms in the future, making this process even more productive compared to other additive manufacturing processes.”