We’re closer to a future where we can 3D print anything

3D printing has not yet lived up to the hype heaped upon it, which we can mostly chalk up to the technical challenge of consistently printing multiple materials, and in multiple colors at once. But Stratasys, the largest 3D-printing company in the world, says its newest industrial printer does both, marking what it says is an “industry breakthrough.”

The J750 can print different materials in up to 360,000 different color shades, all in one print job. If the user is a footwear company that wants to print a prototype of a new shoe, the printer can run off the entire thing, from rubber sole to plastic eyelets, in one go. Without that ability, designers and engineers would need to continually reset their machines to print out different components, and then assemble them to get a finished product.

In the short term, being able to print out a prototype in one go means that companies may be able to bring products to market quicker than in the past. In the long term, Stratasys’ new machine hints at a future where final products—not just prototypes—can be produced straight from the printer. 3D printing is starting to prove that it could be more than a fad, and actually affect manufacturing, healthcare, and even the supper table.

Read more at Quartz

Image Credit: Stratasys

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