Contrary to popular belief, there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to 3D printing. In general, 3D printing technologies can be split up into 2 groups: direct and indirect 3D printing. The main difference lies in the fact that the design is made from 3D printing (direct) or 3D printing was used in the process of creating your model (indirect). Multi Jet Fusion, HP’s newest 3D printing technology, is an example of a direct 3D printing technique.
How It Works
HP Multi Jet Fusion is a powder-based technology but does not use lasers. The powder bed is heated uniformly at the outset. A fusing agent is jetted where particles need to be selectively molten, and a detailing agent is jetted around the contours to improve part resolution. While lamps pass over the surface of the powder bed, the jetted material captures the heat and helps distribute it evenly.
Materials
Polyamide
- Suitable for complex models, concept models, small series of models (several copies of a model), lamps, and functional models.
- Strong, somewhat flexible material that can take small impacts and resist some pressure while being bent
- Fine, granular looking surface, but the material can be dyed
- Slightly porous but with higher density and lower porosity than parts produced with Laser Sintering
- Allows the greatest freedom of design of all 3D printing techniques
