3D Systems Unveils Its Most Advanced & Versatile Wax 3D Printer for Jewelry Manufacturing

According to a report by Additive Manufacturing Research, the 3D printed jewelry market is expected to reach $989 million by 2031. One of the major vendors profiled in the report was 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD), which just introduced the newest wax 3D printer in its jewelry manufacturing portfolio. The company says the advanced MJP 300W Plus is the most versatile of its wax printing systems, used to fabricate very complex and intricate wax patterns for casting precious metal jewelry.

The art of jewelry making dates back to prehistoric times, with rudimentary pieces made from natural materials like bones and shells. It can be as simple as stringing some beads onto a piece of fabric or wire, or much more complex, with traditional tooling and patternmaking. The advent of 3D printing has helped jewelers save on time and costs, and while it’s often still mold and pattern making and not direct 3D printing, the technology has opened up a wide world of design freedom and flexibility.

“Additive manufacturing gives artisans unprecedented creative freedom. The MJP 300W Plus empowers jewelry makers with a complete, integrated system—including materials, 3D printing technology, software, and built-in application expertise—that enhances productivity and ensures reliable, high-quality results,” stated Marty Johnson, Vice President, Product & Technical Fellow, 3D Systems. “With this new solution, 3D Systems is demonstrating our commitment to giving our customers the tools they need to innovate, scale, and achieve agility with ease.”

The most important part of the design for the MJP 300W Plus are improvements to the three print modes available in 3D Sprint software, which are optimized for 20% lower overall material usage, 30% productivity increases, and precise surface finish; the latter is thanks to 3D Systems’ proprietary Surface Enhance. This new feature will help jewelers save time and money by not having to do any laborious finishing or polishing of the precious metal castings.

Three print modes makes the MJP 300W Plus much more flexible in terms of build planning, as users can more easily match geometric complexity, speed, and surface quality to any design style. Standard Mode (XHD) is just what it sounds like, delivering what 3D Systems calls “the optimal blend of speed and quality” for fast, high-volume pattern printing. The High Resolution mode (QHD) is said to deliver the highest resolution and quality at faster speeds, and also 20% less material consumption than similar printers. For efficient production of high-fidelity wax patterns with upward facing contours, you’ll want the 8µm Premium Mode (ZHD), as 3D Systems says this achieves 30% more throughput than its previous printer model.

3D Systems says that users who print wax jewelry patterns on the MJP 300W Plus with its VisiJet 100% wax materials can enjoy improved design freedom, efficiency, and resolution. To lower product costs and speed up the timeline, breakaway supports with 60% less post-processing time were implemented. These dissolvable supports are also said to achieve 50% less material waste, which helps to lower environmental impact.

One of the most important new features of the MJP 300W Plus is enhanced data security. Instead of keeping pattern design files in the cloud, they are maintained locally to keep intellectual property (IP) safe. The printer also meets the requirements of several Cybersecurity Standards in Europe and the U.S. that will go into effect in 2027. This means that jewelry makers can have confidence that their business operations and IP will be safeguarded from prying eyes.

Select customers had the chance to preview the new MJP 300W Plus, and the printer has already received ringing endorsements.

“The precision and reliability of 3D Systems’ new MJP 300W Plus jewelry printer has significantly advanced our production process and transformed how we design and produce custom pieces. The MJP 300W Plus allows us to achieve complex geometries and fine details with faster printer speeds and reduced material waste—giving us higher efficiency and reduced costs,” stated Mustafa Cebeci, Cebeci Gold, solution partner of EMA Jewelry.

The MJP 300W Plus is available for ordering.

Images courtesy of 3D Systems