Read on to find out more about:
- The manufacturing partnership between Shapeways and Mimaki, resulting in production of high-quality color 3D prints.
- How High Definition Full Color is 3D printed via Material Jetting at Shapeways.
- Why 3D printing in color can benefit your company.
- Using full color to 3D print photorealistic medical models, complex architectural displays, and highly detailed tabletop gaming miniatures.
Make 3D prints pop with color! Additive manufacturing can be challenging, but with the proper amount of research regarding which materials and technology are suitable for your project requirements, the results can also be extremely exciting—especially with ten million colors available at Shapeways.
Check out five reasons to 3D print with High Definition Full Color:
1. Add to your brand by 3D printing in color – with High Definition Full Color you will be in awe of all you can do, layer by layer—and in vibrant color. The range of colors runs the full spectrum, achieved with color profiles composed of specific data for characterization. High Definition Full Color allows for good pre-visualization of models, exact color matches as necessary, along with incredible shading and contrast that previously were not possible without meticulous hand-painting afterward.
Playing an important role in most types of design, color adds style, allows you to make a statement, and can also be used for functional parts to designate different types of devices, like sensors. No matter what type of innovation you are 3D printing though, color can be critical to your business brand, drawing attention and evoking familiarity and trust in a product.
2. Improve accuracy and resolution with Mimaki technology – For over 25 years, Mimaki has specialized in full color inkjet printing. They hold numerous patents, maintain a large presence in signage and graphics, industrial printing, and textile printing too. In 2017, the Japanese company entered the 3D printing industry—and they weren’t exactly low-key about it. After all, no one else has come even close to offering such exciting, and vast, options in color.
Shapeways color prints are manufactured on the high-production Mimaki 3DUJ-553, featuring a build size of 508 x 508 x 305mm. While there are other color printers offering a variety of benefits too, the industrial-grade 3DUJ-553 is founded on Material Jetting (MJ) technology, employing eight unique piezoelectric print heads. Converting mechanical energy into electricity, the printheads deposit liquid photopolymer droplets to be cured with UV light. The eight printheads are capable of four different print modes, with seven different droplet sizes. Greater control drop size and drop placement means greater accuracy and resolution.
3. Create realistic medical models – 3D medical models printed in High Definition Full Color create realistic representations of organs such as the human heart or the brain with true-to-life color. Surgeons can improve on patient-specific treatment too with the help of more complex models in color, whether diagnosing and treating illnesses, visualizing rare or new procedures, training, or researching.
4. Use multiple colors in architectural displays – Architecture is another popular application for use with High Definition Full Color, allowing clients to see every tiny detail of a new home or office, or even large endeavors like luxury hotels on the verge of construction. Customized, tangible models in robust colors also encourage better communication and feedback—all leading to an acceleration in final project production.
5. 3D print tabletop gaming figurines – Because fine detail can be so accurately presented, many customers choose High Definition Full Color for 3D printed gaming figurines. This material is famous for incredibly realistic skin tones and intricate details like facial hair on characters or feathers on animal figurines. Tabletop gamers can design both collectible figurines and statuettes for remarkable customization, color contrast and gradations, and texture.
Full-color models produced with High Definition Full Color are available in both standard and matte finish. Some staircasing may be noticeable in hard light conditions. Final parts can be coated, and hardware like screws can easily be attached for hanging and other requirements.
Enjoy the benefits of this advanced technology and a wide range of materials from Shapeways for 3D printing your creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to 3D print over 20 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways solutions, and get instant quotes here.