Stratasys has announced they’re releasing a new, lower-cost version of their high-end J8 series of 3D printers.
If you or your design firm has a quarter-mil lying around, sure, treat yourself to their big-boy J850. But Stratasys has realized that smaller firms will want the full-color (Pantone-validated), multimaterial polyjet printing experience at a more affordable price. Hence their forthcoming J826 model, targeted at product designers, packaging designers, biomedical designers and design engineers.
“Built as a mid-range full-color 3D printer for enterprise shops, the J826 supports the full design process with same day send-to-print and easy post-processing. It provides the same exceptional resolution and detail as other Stratasys
, with models matching the shape, material, color and finish of final products.”
“The J826 3D Printer leverages the same high-performance PolyJet materials as the J850, meeting the needs of both designers and design engineers. It includes the full range of textures, transparency with VeroUltraClear, and PANTONE™-Validated color1 – offering a universal language of color that ensures reliable, realistic decision-making across every stage of the design process. Fully supported by GrabCAD Print™ software, it enables a smooth import of common CAD formats (e.g. Solidworks).”
“The J826 3D Printer features a maximum build volume size of 10” x 9.9" x 7.9" (255mm x 252mm x 200mm). Like other J8-series printers, the large, seven-material capacity means operators can load their most frequently used resins and avoid downtime associated with material changeovers. Multiple print modes let users adjust the speed and quality of the print to meet specific needs, from High Quality Mode to High Speed Mode.“
It seems the biggest difference with the J826, versus its bigger brothers, is the build area:
Other than that, the J826 has the same cartridge capacity as the J835 and J850, and has the same capability of printing up to seven different materials together, as seen in the above shots.
Actual J826 build area
Dollar amounts haven’t been released yet, though the company says it will cost "about half the price” of the big dogs. We take that to mean it’ll still be six figures, just low six figures.
The J826 should be available to order by May (unless COVID-19 screws that up too).
