Among a host of new announcements, HP have stated that they are due to release 2 full-color printers this year. Out of 4 printers they have announced, two of them have CMYK capabilities and come in varied sizes. The 2 printers (the 380 and the 580) use HP’s own multi-jet fusion technology. The other 2 B&W printers (340 and 540) are similar but without 8-agent configurability, thus the name.
The machines utilize Multi Jet Fusion technology, which probably means they use the same materials as HP’s larger machines. As for speed, HP has stated that a full build of 52 uniformly-sized parts requires 15 hours for printing and cool down combined.
What makes both these machines special is that it’s rare to find a color printer that matches a price range of about $50,000. Especially, when the machine can control the color in terms of each voxel in the print. This is a remarkable level of control and the video below showcases how precisely colors are implemented. This is particularly true of how well the printer shades and creates smooth color fades.
Multi-Jet Fusion With Color Printing
https://youtu.be/Ftu0ZKCSnBs
Multi-jet fusion printing is a unique method due to how it allows control over minute details. It enables control over each voxel allowing for it to be potentially a different material or color. The 380 and 580 both allow for 8 different agents to mix during the print allowing for varying properties per voxel.
One of the downsides of multi-jet fusion has always been how precise temperature control needs to be. Apparently, HP are handling this by keeping the build volume relatively low build volumes. This allows for a much lower cool down time.