Stratasys helps innovators advance development with the power of 3D printing.

Today we introduced the PolyJet^™ Research Software Package, which enables innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs to extend the capabilities of their Stratasys J8^™ and J7^™ series 3D printers with an advanced set of tools. The research package provides users with increased flexibility over the print process, allowing them to explore and experiment with additive manufacturing and accelerate innovation in the lab.

With the PolyJet Research Software Package, users have access to more materials, extended software capabilities and additional control over the print process. Innovators can now use the materials to print with air voids and liquid or embed an object into a print. Truly pushing the boundaries of what is possible, researchers can also use this extended set of materials and capabilities to experiment with 4D printing – the process by which a 3D printed object undergoes a transformation due to the influence of another material or outside element. Specific features of the PolyJet Research Software Package include:

• Pause Print – Pause and resume printing at a specific slice or height. This allows electronics or other parts to be embedded or injected into the model.
• Air Print – Use air as a print material to create voids in which electronics or smart devices can be inserted, manage textures or model weight, and create finished surfaces.
• Liquid Print – Print liquid materials for soft parts, hydraulics or fluidic models.
• Z Start – Start printing from a different height.
• Parameter Editor – Gives GrabCAD^™ software users the ability to control print parameters such as scale, offset carpet height and pedestal height.
• GrabCAD Voxel Print™ capabilities for volumetric design

Combined with GrabCAD Voxel Print, software users can define the data volumetrically for each 3D voxel throughout the entire model. This allows for an advanced level of control at a microscopic scale, enabling higher resolutions, fine-tuned color placement and shore value transitions within one part.

“In our lab, we are working on a variety of projects that require us to print in ways that were not previously possible,” says Rob MacCurdy, assistant professor of robotics and systems design at the University of Colorado, Boulder. “One way we're using the ability to embed liquid inside of the prints is in the creation of soft robots – robots that look more like us. With these types of robots, the challenge has always been how to get liquid inside the intricate inner channels that are only hundreds of microns big. With the ability to 3D print across a variety of materials, including air and liquid, my lab to has been able to create soft robots with very advanced functionalities.”

Click here to read how Dr. MacCurdy, assistant professor of robotics and systems design at the University of Colorado, is using PolyJet printing capabilities in his lab.

“This software solution allows users to explore and push the limits of additive manufacturing,” says Shamir Shoham, vice president of design for Stratasys. “From robots to hydraulic models and wearable devices, researchers and innovators can now extend the capabilities of their printers and advance research and innovation, thereby decreasing product time to market at a pace that was previously not possible.”

In addition to a license to access the extended set of materials and functionality, innovators and researchers also receive access to the Stratasys R&D team for additional guidance and support. The PolyJet Research Package is available for booking now and is expected to be released in September 2021. To learn more about unlocking the power of innovation through Stratasys software solutions, visit https://www.stratasys.com/software.