Stratasys today shared the first details about its upcoming line of powder bed fusion-based 3D printers. The new H Series™ Production Platform will be powered by Selective Absorption Fusion™ technology specifically designed to meet the needs of volume manufacturing. Commercial availability of 3D printers based on SAF™ technology is currently expected in the third quarter of 2021.
SAF is a new industrial-grade additive manufacturing technology that delivers production level throughput for end-use parts. Representing the culmination of more than 10 years of research and development, SAF-based 3D printers can deliver a competitive cost per part at production level throughput and with the part quality, consistency and reliability that ensures satisfaction and high production yield.
The SAF technology uses a counter-rotating roller to coat powder layers onto a print bed and prints absorber fluid to image the part layers. The imaged layers are fused by passing an IR lamp over the entire span of the print bed. SAF technology executes these key process steps in the same direction across the print bed to provide a uniform thermal experience – and therefore part consistency – for all printed parts regardless of their placement in the build.
SAF technology’s innovative Big Wave™ powder management system ensures the necessary powder is always distributed across the whole print bed, maintaining a large, thermally stable wave of powder. Any overflow powder is quickly recirculated, minimizing powder thermal exposure and reducing powder aging. The result is less fresh powder required and lower operational costs.
SAF technology is used to selectively jet high energy-absorption HAF™ fluid onto areas of a layer of powder-form material in just one full-width pass. Industrial piezoelectric print heads jet single or multiple drops of the fluid to produce either fine detail or large areas, without compromising throughput. The technology supports unique, high-speciality, functional fluids to process a broad range of powders. Infrared energy is radiated to fuse the selected areas and the underlying particles. Tight thermal control avoids warping, quality fall-out, and reduces peak temperatures required in the bed, making SAF technology ideal for production.
“3D printing is increasingly transforming production in industries around the world as companies seek to move with more agility and efficiency, which is why we have put production parts at the heart of our business strategy,” says Omer Krieger, Stratasys’ executive vice president of product strategy and corporate development. “SAF technology represents a significant innovation that opens up new opportunities to address applications in industries such as automotive, consumer goods and electronics, and industrial equipment. As a result, we will enable a shift of many applications from traditional manufacturing and also enable the creation of products that can only be produced additively.”
According to an internal Stratasys market analysis, manufacturing applications show the most potential for significant growth in the 3D printing industry, reaching approximately $25 billion by 2025. In fact, CONTEXT estimates that polymer powder bed technology-based printer revenues are set to see a compounded growth rate of 21% per year from 2020 to 2024. Together with FDM® and Origin P3™-based 3D printers, Stratasys is well-positioned to serve the majority of manufacturing applications, from tooling to end-use parts across multiple industries.
Stratasys is developing the SAF-powered H Series Production Platform to expand the applications it can serve across multiple industries. The technology is inherently able to process a wide variety of materials, such as polyamides and elastomers, and Stratasys’ relationships with leading chemical companies will help it bring new materials to market quickly.
More information about SAF technology is available online. Stratasys will host a live conversation on LinkedIn and Facebook on April 7, during which Stratasys leaders and Professor Neil Hopkinson, director of technology at Xaar 3D and original inventor of the technology behind SAF, will share more information and take questions about the technology, its development history, and its role in the Stratasys portfolio, and take questions.
Stratasys is leading the global shift to additive manufacturing with innovative 3D printing solutions for industries such as aerospace, automotive, consumer products and healthcare. Through smart and connected 3D printers, polymer materials, a software ecosystem, and parts on demand, Stratasys solutions deliver competitive advantages at every stage in the product value chain. The world’s leading organisations turn to Stratasys to transform product design, bring agility to manufacturing and supply chains, and improve patient care.
To learn more about Stratasys, visit www.stratasys.com, the Stratasys blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook.
Stratasys, H Series, H Series Production Platform, FDM and P3 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Stratasys Ltd. and/or its affiliates. SAF, Selective Absorption Fusion, Big Wave, Xaar, and HAF are trademarks of Xaar companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and Stratasys assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of these non-Stratasys products.
The statements in this announcement relating to Stratasys’ beliefs regarding the benefits consumers will experience from the Selective Absorption Fusion™ technology are forward-looking statements reflecting management's current expectations and beliefs. These forward-looking statements are based on current information that is, by its nature, subject to rapid and even abrupt change. Due to risks and uncertainties associated with Stratasys' business, actual results could differ materially from those projected or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the degree of our success at introducing new or improved products and solutions that gain market share; the degree of growth of the 3D printing market generally; the duration of the global COVID-19 pandemic, which, if extensive, may continue to impact, in a material adverse manner, our operations, financial position and cash flows, and those of our customers and suppliers; the impact of potential shifts in the prices or margins of the products that we sell or services that we provide, including due to a shift towards lower-margin products or services; the impact of competition and new technologies; potential further charges against earnings that we could be required to take due to impairment of additional goodwill or other intangible assets; to the extent of our success at successfully consummating acquisitions or investments in new businesses, technologies, products or services; potential changes in our management and board of directors; global market, political and economic conditions, and in the countries in which we operate in particular (including risks related to the impact of coronavirus on our operations, supply chain, liquidity, cash flow and customer orders; costs and potential liability relating to litigation and regulatory proceedings; risks related to infringement of our intellectual property rights by others or infringement of others' intellectual property rights by us; the extent of our success at maintaining our liquidity and financing our operations and capital needs; the impact of tax regulations on our results of operations and financial condition; and other risk factors set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in Stratasys’ most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 1st, 2021. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made throughout our 2020 Annual Report and our other reports filed with or furnished to the SEC, which are designed to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Any guidance provided, and other forward-looking statements made, in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and Stratasys undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
