Objet unveils compact Objet260 Connex rapid prototyping multi-material 3D printer
Objet260 Connex is a compact addition to Objet's family of multi-material 3D printers. It is based on the company's patented inkjet 3D printing technology – claimed to be the world's only rapid prototyping system able to jet two materials at the same time. This technology allows users to select from a large range of composite materials when building 3D models, such as Objet's recently released ABS-like material. The system can also print a model replica made of up to 14 individual materials in a single print run.
The Objet260 Connex allows users to create prototypes containing distinct material elements, such as rigid walls with flexible, rubber-like joints or models combining transparent and opaque parts. According to Eli Hamou, R&D product manager for Medtronic, a leading medical technology provider: "The Objet260 Connex multi-material 3D printer allows us to produce realistic anatomical models and prototypes of our medical devices by printing both rigid and flexible material elements in a single print job. This has enabled us to develop better products in far less time. It has also opened up a whole new direction for future research that until now we were unable to consider practically."
