3D Systems has released a new personal 3D printer, the ProJet 1500. This device is priced at under USD$15,000 and seems to compete directly with Stratasys’s popular uPrint device. The ProJet 1500 is billed as a color printer, since it is capable of using cartridges with some six different colors: White, Red, Grey, Blue, Black and “Zoom” (also known as “Yellow”). These colors have slightly different material characteristics beyond their appearance, such as their hardness and strength.
The ProJet 1500 has a rather generous build envelope of 171 x 228 x 203 mm (6.75 x 9 x 8 inches). It uses a layer-by-layer photo-curing process that is quite speedy. 3D Systems says it can build 1.25cm of vertical layers per hour or even 2.0cm per hour in high speed mode. Due to the build tech there is no delay if you’re printing multiple objects; each layer simply takes the same amount of time regardless of how much stuff is on that layer. The resolution of this device is a mere 0.102mm, although that can be higher if you’re printing in high speed mode.
It’s billed as a color 3D printer, and yes it can indeed print in the six different colors. However, as far as we can tell, the printer only uses a single cartridge at a time. To get a multicolor print, you’d have to print two objects and then join them together. Maybe we need a “multicolor” 3D printer?
The significance of the ProJet 1500? We think the mid-market just got a lot more competitive. Now you’ll have to choose between the ProJet 1500, the Dimension uPrint and 3D System’s V-Flash, too.
Via 3D Systems
