The Complete Guide to Material Jetting (PolyJet) in 3D Printing

3D printing continues at a frantic pace, but the processes behind this technology are still unclear to some. After our articles on Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technologies, we now present Material Jetting. This process is known for enabling the creation of objects that combine several materials and colours. So how does it work exactly?

Material Jetting patented by Objet Ltd. in 1999 under the name of PolyJet (which merged with Stratasys in 2012), combines Inkjet technology and the use of photopolymers. Inkjet technology is used by conventional 2D printers on paper while photopolymers are materials that harden when exposed to ultraviolet rays. This technology has many benefits, including excellent resolution (up to 0.016 mm), smooth surfaces (no staircase effect unlike objects printed using FDM technology) and a wide choice of materials and colours for a relatively low cost and printing time.

How does Material Jetting 3D printing work?

Like any 3D printing technique, the process begins with the creation of the desired object using CAD software; it is then cut into several digital images, each corresponding to a layer of the object, via slicing software, also called the slicer. The STL file is then sent to the 3D printer for printing.