
Shanghai-based 3D printer manufacturer INTAMSYS, whose name stands for Intelligent Additive Manufacturing Systems, is known for its FUNMAT series of 3D printers. FUNMAT stands for Functional Materials, and the machines are designed to be able to print not only a large variety of materials, but several materials that can be used for functional, end-use applications. The FUNMAT HT, for example, which was introduced in May at RAPID + TCT, has the capability of printing with PEEK, a strong, durable and lightweight polymer that is notoriously difficult to print, as showcased at September’s TCT Show.
Another major 3D printing trade show is fast approaching: formnext, which will be taking place in Frankfurt, Germany from November 14th to the 17th. INTAMSYS will be unveiling its next 3D printer: the FUNMAT PRO HT, which combines the high-performance material printing capabilities of the FUNMAT HT with a large build area.
The FUNMAT PRO HT, in fact, is INTAMSYS’ largest 3D printer to date. Charles Han, CEO of INTAMSYS, will introduce the 3D printer at formnext, and attendees will be able to get a look at its spacious build chamber and all-metal nozzle. The FUNMAT PRO HT was developed over the last year in response to feedback from industrial customers and research partners, and it improves upon the FUNMAT HT while retaining the characteristics that made it so well-received.
So how big is it? The build area is a sizable 450 x 450 x 600 mm, allowing users a great deal of freedom in terms of the objects they can 3D print. There’s a lot of freedom in material choice, too – the metal nozzle reaches a temperature of 450ºC, meaning that it can print not only PEEK but a wide variety of other materials, including ULTEM, PPSU, PA/CF, PC, PC alloys, PA, ABS, carbon fiber-filled, fiberglass-filled, metal-filled, ASA, PETG, ESD-Safe, HIPS, TPU, PLA, PVA, and more.
Another issue the FUNMAT PRO HT addresses is that of warping and cracking, which can happen particularly with high-temperature materials. To avoid this problem, the 3D printer has a heated build chamber with a constant temperature, avoiding the kind of fluctuations that can warp a print, especially a larger print.
Specifications include:
- Printer size: 940 x 860 x 1270 mm
- Build size: 450 x 450 x 600 mm
- Build platform: Aluminum plate with borosilicate glass
- Layer thickness: 0.05 – 0.3 mm
- Nozzle diameter: 0.4 mm
- Print speed: 30-300 mm/s
- Travel speed: 150 mm/s
HT stands for High Temperature, and the FUNMAT PRO HT lives up to its name with its high-temperature nozzle and heated build chamber. High temperatures are what are needed more and more with new 3D printers coming out; users are increasingly demanding the ability to print high-performance materials as the industry moves away from prototyping and toward the production of actual end-use parts.
The FUNMAT PRO HT has an open filament system, leaving plenty of room for experimentation. With its long list of material options, it’s a versatile 3D printer, and can serve the needs of a variety of manufacturers, scientists, engineers, designers, researchers, medical professionals and others. INTAMSYS does sell a PEEK filament for $165 per spool – because while the FUNMAT HT and FUNMAT PRO HT can print with a wide range of filaments, it’s PEEK that is a major selling point for them both. There are still not many 3D printers that can print with the material, and the FUNMAT HT was the first 3D printer in China to be able to do so.
INTAMSYS has built a broad customer base, reaching industries including automotive, aerospace, oil and gas, electronics, medical and dental, and more. That customer base will likely continue to grow as the company introduces more ways to print what was, for a long time, unprintable.
INTAMSYS will be in Hall 3.1, Booth B31 at formnext. You can learn more about the FUNMAT PRO HT and get a quote here.
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[Images: INTAMSYS]
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