At the RAPID & TCT Show that took place in Pittsburgh in May, Stratasys took a significant step into higher volume, continuous production additive technology when it unveiled it’s expandable, rack-like ‘Continuous Build 3D Demonstrator’. As the name implies, the unit is not ready to be sold as yet, but it is being trialled by select customers and Stratasys believes it represents a key shift towards realising 3D printing for the mass market.
The platform is composed of a modular unit with multiple print cells working simultaneously and set out like racks in a data centre. It is driven by central, cloud-based architecture that is designed to produce parts in a continuous stream with only minor operator intervention, automatically ejecting completed parts and commencing the build of new ones.
