Stratasys Ltd. has unveiled the J55 3D printer. At about a third the price of enterprise-class PolyJet printers, the J55 combines realism and productivity, including high fidelity and five simultaneously printed materials that enable nearly 500,000 colors, Pantone Validation, realistic textures and transparency in one printed part. Set-up is easy, and remote monitoring means print jobs can be managed from home.

In operation, the Stratasys J55 is unique, featuring a patented rotating build platform with a fixed print head. This is designed to maximize reliability and simplify maintenance. The technology also means greater output from a small footprint while also eliminating most sound – it’s about as quiet as a home refrigerator. Combined with Stratasys ProAero filtration technology for odor-free operation, the J55 is perfect for placing anywhere.

Helping make the J55 easy for designers, Stratasys is also prioritizing simplifying workflow. Fully supported by GrabCAD Print software, the J55 enables a smooth import of common CAD files (e.g. SOLIDWORKS, CATIA, PTC Creo, Siemens NX, Inventor file types) and the latest 3MF file format, a significant improvement over traditional STL, OBJ, and VRML files. And for the first time, Stratasys is also adding support for 3MF color workflow with KeyShot 3D rendering software from Luxion Inc., a capability now in beta and planned for late 2020.

Built as a smaller but equally capable complement to the Stratasys J8 series for enterprise shops, the J55 supports the full design process with same day send-to-print and minimal post-processing. It provides the same exceptional resolution and detail as J8-series 3D printers, with models matching the shape, material, color and finish of final products.

The J55 3D printer gives designers full CMF (color, material, finish) capabilities. It leverages high-performance PolyJet materials, including a full range of textures, transparency with VeroClear (VeroUltraClear availability later in 2020), X-Rite-based color profiles and Pantone Validated color - offering a universal language of color that ensures reliable, realistic decision-making across every stage of the design process.

The J55 3D Printer features a maximum build volume size of 1,340 cubic inches (22 liters) and takes up a mere 4.6ft2 (0.43m2) of floor space. The five-material capacity (plus support material) means operators can load their most frequently used resins and avoid downtime associated with material changeovers.

The J55 is expected to ship in July 2020 and orders are being taken now. For more information on the power of 3D printed realism for designers and engineers is available here.