The only technology that prints several materials and several colours in one part — rigid and soft together, transparent and opaque, at high accuracy. Three Stratasys systems in house.
PolyJet works like an inkjet printer, except that instead of ink on paper it jets microscopic droplets of photopolymer resin and cures them immediately with UV light. The layers are extremely thin, so surfaces come out almost as smooth as a moulded part.
What sets it apart: several materials and several colours can be combined in a single part, simultaneously. A soft grip on a rigid body, a clear window inside an opaque housing, or an anatomical model where each tissue is a different colour — all in one print, with no assembly.
How PolyJet works
A wide print head travels over the build tray and jets micron-scale resin droplets through hundreds of nozzles. A UV lamp follows immediately behind, curing the resin in place. The head carries several resin tanks in parallel, so it can jet different materials at different points of the same layer — and that is what makes combined colour and material possible.
Overhanging geometry is supported by a gel support material that washes away in water at the end. Complex shapes can therefore be printed without mechanical supports that leave marks.
What matters to know
PolyJet parts are visually excellent, but they are not the strongest materials and are more sensitive to UV and prolonged exposure. They are intended for models, visual prototypes, patterns and medical models — not for load-bearing end-use parts. For a functional part we would point you to MJF.
The systems we run
| System | Why we use it |
|---|---|
| Stratasys J5 | Medical and dental models, biocompatible materials, multi-material printing |
| Stratasys J850 | Printing onto fabrics and flexible substrates, full colour, wide area |
| Objet260 Connex3 | An earlier PolyJet generation, still in service — triple-jetting, combining rigid, flexible and transparent materials in one build |
What PolyJet gives you
- Multiple materials in one part — rigid and soft, clear and opaque, in a single print
- Full colour, including Pantone and brand-colour matching
- Exceptionally smooth surfaces — almost no layer lines, suited to presentation models
- Biocompatible materials — MED610 and MED615 for medical and dental applications
- High accuracy on fine detail — tiny lettering, grooves and textures
When PolyJet is the right choice
- A model for a presentation or an investor meeting — when appearance is the point
- Combining rigid and soft — seals, grips, rubber keypads on a rigid body
- Transparency — windows, lenses, fluids inside a housing
- Medical and dental models
- Exact colour matching
And when something else is better
- A functional part under load — MJF or SLS in PA12
- A series of tens of units and up — PolyJet is relatively expensive per part
- Prolonged sun or heat exposure — the materials are sensitive
- A large part — the build volume is limited
Frequently asked questions
Can you print a part that is both soft and rigid?
Yes, and this is exactly PolyJet’s strength. Different regions of a part can be assigned different materials — a rigid body with a flexible seal around it, for example — and the machine prints both in one build. No assembly, no bonding.
How accurate is the colour?
The systems print in full colour and support matching to Pantone values. This is our best answer when colour is critical. In powder processes such as MJF the part comes out grey and is dyed afterwards — accurate and even, but a single tone.
Are the materials safe for body contact?
Some are. MED610 and MED615 are biocompatible materials intended for medical and dental applications. If your application needs medical suitability, say so in your first enquiry so we can match both the material and the documentation.
What is the maximum part size?
The build volume is limited compared with our powder and FDM systems. For a large part we would recommend another process, or splitting the model.
What does it cost?
PolyJet is relatively expensive per part compared with the powder processes, because of the resin and because parts are printed individually rather than packed into a chamber. It pays off where appearance, colour or a material combination is the requirement. Send a file and we will quote.
Have a file? We will tell you whether PolyJet is the right choice
Send a STEP or STL and we will come back with a recommendation on technology, material and price — including if the answer is that another process suits you better. If you need biocompatible material or an exact colour match, tell us up front.
Indus3D is an additive manufacturing bureau in Israel, an approved supplier to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, AS9100D and ISO 9001 certified. We run a range of printing technologies under one roof and support projects from file to finished part.