Within the RapidTech facility lies the Saratech Suite. In a partnership with Saratech, an award-winning provider of engineering and manufacturing solutions including Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software, engineering and consulting services, and manufacturing hardwre headquartered in Mission Viejo, CA, IDMI has broadened it additive manufacturing portfolio to include HP, Markforged and BigRep. The partnership has brought a production capable HP Jet Fusion 5200 3D printer and depowdering station capable of high speed polymide prints, access to the continuous fiber reinforced polymer parts capable MarkForged Mark Two, as well as the BigRep Studio for large platform, open material extruded builds. In addition, IDMI has access to the atomic diffusion additive manufacturing Markforged MetalX that uses polymer bound metal powders along with wash and sintering stages to create high detail metal components.
Technical Director Ben Dolan can provide detailed information on the capabilities of the Saratech Suite. He can be reached at dolanb@uci.edu
HP 5200 Jet Fusion Printer
Category: Powderbed Fusion
Materials: PA 12, PA12 Glass Bead, PA 11
Build Envelope: 380 x 284 x 380 mm (15 x 11.2 x 15 in) Layer Thickness: 0.08mm (0.003 in)
Description: This machine locally fuses polyamide powders to create many highly detailed, durable parts quickly.
Class: Commercial/Industrial
Example Uses: Wear items, lightweight replacement components, com- plex housings, orthotics, assemblies, production runs
Markforged X7 (offsite use)
Category: Material Extrusion
Materials: Onyx, Carbon Fiber, Fiberglass, Kevlar, HSHT Fiberglass Build Envelope: 330x270x200mm/13×10.6×7.9in
Layer Thickness: 50um/.002in
Description: This industry grade machine extrudes a multitude of engi- neered thermoplastics with better material properties, greater detail and larger build envelope than its smaller siblings
Class: Industry
Markforged Mark Two
Category: Material Extrusion
Materials: Onyx, Carbon Fiber, Fiberglass, Kevlar, HSHT Fiberglass Build Envelope: 320x132x154mm/12.6×5.2x6in
Layer Thickness: 100um/.004in
Description: This commercial grade machine extrudes a multitude of engineered thermoplastics with better material properties, greater detail and larger build envelope than its smaller siblings
Class: Prosumer/commercial
Example Uses: Functional bracketry, gears, enclosures, forming tools, higher temp/chem resistant parts
BigRep Studio
Category: Material Extrusion
Materials: PLA, ProHT, PVA, TPU, PETG, Hi-Temp Build Envelope: 500x1000x500mm/19.7×39.4×19.7in
Layer Thickness:0.1mm-0.8mm depending on selected extruder/nozzle Description: With a build envelope spanning a meter long, the machine is made for 3D printing large-scale objects by extruding thermoplastic filaments.
Class: Prosumer/Commercial
Example Uses: Functional prototypes, composite tooling, mock-ups of large parts, body panels, seats, furniture