Additively making parts using ordinary paper as the build material is a bit deceptive. On the one hand, you think such a 3D printed object can’t possibly handle the potential wear and tear you might expose it to. On the other hand, with the right binders and sealing materials, you are almost returning ordinary paper to its original form—wood, with all the toughness, resiliency, and ruggedness of wood-based products.

At the recent RAPID Conference in Long Beach, Calif., Mcor Technologies Ltd, a leader in full-color 3D printing, showed its IRIS HD 3D printer. This system delivers 360° high-definition color and sharp details. In addition, this newer printer reduces the typical low operating costs of an Mcor printer by an additional 20%.

Built on new algorithms and a newly designed carbide cutting tip, the IRIS HD makes full-color detail and text on 3D printed models crisper than ever to deliver a photorealistic appearance around the full geometry of the model and better communication of granular information.

Because the printer uses less ink and the tip lasts longer, it delivers a 20% reduction in the cost to 3D print a model. Mcor’s materials already cost 10-20% of other 3D printing technologies. The IRIS HD is available now for new and existing owners of Mcor 3D printers.

“Crisply defined color and rock-bottom operating costs are critical for manufacturers, schools, service bureaus, architectural firms and others who need to 3D print a high number of realistic models,” said Dr. Conor MacCormack, co-founder and CEO of Mcor Technologies. “Our SDL (Selective Deposition Lamination) paper-based 3D printing technology has always offered high-resolution color at low operating costs.  Now, with IRIS HD, we’re providing even greater access to truly photorealistic color 3D printing.”

Mcor’s flagship 3D printer, the Mcor IRIS, prints any color any time (ACAT) for full photorealistic color capability and employs a global-standard ICC (International Color Consortium) color map to provide accurate WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) color 3D printing. The new carbide blade in Mcor IRIS HD is also available for Mcor’s monochrome printer, the Mcor Matrix 300+.

Mcor also introduced SliceIT print driver software for the company’s IRIS and Matrix 300+ line of SDL (selective deposition lamination) 3D printers.

SliceIT powers the  IRIS HD by providing new algorithms and supporting the newly-designed, 10,000 meter carbide cutting tip. This software reads the digital data and slices the computer model into printable layers equivalent in thickness to the paper. The software also enables the user to position the model, or several models, within the 3D printer’s build chamber.

With this release of SliceIT, users of Mcor’s SDL 3D printers also have greater flexibility and control over their build than ever, including the ability to adjust the adhesive pressure for different types of operating environments and initiating a build from any layer of the model by simply selecting the range of layers required to quickly 3D print and examine a portion of the model. The software will also have new setup routines which reduce the time to having a model in your hand.

Leslie Langnau
llangnau@wtwhmedia.com