HP DesignJet 3D printer

[Dr Mordrid]

Just $ 17,500 and you too can print 3D objects in plastic.

Link....

[Fat Tone]

Makes me wish I had a good reason to build a Makerbot myself.

I'm not knocking it, but the couple of examples on the Makerbot site have a, shall we say, highly-textured, surface. I'm wondering if this technology can be used for one-offs where the surface finish matters?

[Dr Mordrid]

They're already using such high resolution 3D printers in medicine. They do a CT, MRI or PET scan of some part like a facial bone that needs reconstruction then print out a smooth plastic prosthesis.

This usually starts with a program like 3D Doctor which takes the scans raster data and turns them into a 3D mesh, which can then be modified to make the required subset of the bone structure - say a replacement jaw part like the TM joint. The result is then sent to the 3D printer, but in a much higher resolution than any home made printer could do - meaning a very smooth part. Some can be used with minor finishing while others, like highly stressed bone parts, would then be machined in metal - the plastic being the rapid prototype sample.

Loads of other applications too.

[Fat Tone]

I've seen those, using a vat of gel that is cured using (I think) focussed UV lasers.

[Dr Mordrid]

Yup - using liquid resin and UV lasers (short wavelength) you also get higher detail.

[Kooldino]

Finally.

Now it's just a matter of time before I have one in my office.