The company, founded in Japan in 1975, is an international industry presence in a variety of inkjet printing and cutting plotter applications. The largest market for their products is graphics and signage, but their efficient line of 2D and 3D printing technology is largely applicable to industrial sectors.
The 3DGD-1800 is the newest addition to the company’s 3D line, which currently includes the 3DUJ-553 full-color and 3DFF-222 tabletop models, the former of which made waves upon release as the industry’s first full-color 3D UV-curable inkjet printer.
The 3DGD-1800 further expands the portfolio’s capability, largely in part due to its Gel Dispensing Printing technology.
Gel Dispensing Printing
Traditional 3D printers utilize fused filament fabrication processing (FFF), the 3DGD-1800 employs Gel Dispensing Printing; this feature enables processing speeds that are triple that of its FFF counterparts.
In lieu of traditional hot melt lamination, the printer extrudes gel-type UV curable resin which is instantly cured by LED UV light at a lamination speed of up to 350mm in height per hour. This is especially noteworthy considering the large-scale applications of this model; according to a statement from Mimaki, the printer can produce a 70.8-inch high figure in seven hours.
The Mimake 3DGD-1800. Image used courtesy of Mimaki.
Another innovative attribute of the new model lies in its novel approach to large object production- historically, the process of producing large objects involved manually sculpting foam. This labor-intensive practice requires not only time but specialized administrative expertise.
By utilizing 3D data, the Mimake 3DGD-1800 is able to provide a full visualization of a finished product that can be scaled for production in various sizes, streamlining the entire production process and eliminating a labor-intensive aspect of large object output.
Dual-Head Configuration
The product is both time and space-efficient. Dual-head configuration enables concurrent output of two distinct formations, minimizing total production time.
In addition, the assembly-based design allows for the production of structures larger than the formation area, an ideal feature for broad designs in industrial applications.
Engineers might also benefit from how the printer offers ease of production for hollowed structures; in conventional printing of hollow objects, traditional 3D printers require support material for the interior structure.
By eliminating the need for support material not only is production time cut, but the interior of a product is left open to eventually accommodate infill materials and illuminations.
Bert Benckhuysen, Senior Product Manager at Mimaki Europe, specified how the printer is part of Mimaki’s overall goal to be a total solutions provider by harnessing their “unique vision, wealth of experience from across the print industry and unwavering commitment to innovation.”
Transforming Large-Scale Production
This streamlined approach is evident in the compatibility between the 3DGD-1800 and other Mimaki products; looking beyond the 3D printing phase of production, Mimaki 2D inkjet solutions are optimized to decorate 3D printed projects with vibrant full-color enhancement.
Benckhuysen emphasized how the “unprecedented modeling speeds and the possibility to create enormous objects even beyond the sizable formation area...represents a real transformation in large-sized production.”
While Mimaki cites the sign and display market as the primary application for the new technology, the 3DGD-1800 could be a massive asset to industrial manufacturing by streamlining the production of parts and molds.
The printer is now available through Mimaki USA.
