Stratasys Launches the Mojo
So the countdown is over and we can finally reveal what Stratasys have been counting down to… It’s a new printer!
I was at the AMUG in California when I first got wind of the coming announcement, and despite the large attendance from Stratasys at the show it was all-quiet from the Minneapolis outfit. And so it stayed in what has been a tightly guarded secret.
The ‘Mojo’ is what Stratasys are pitching as the “lowest-priced professional-grade 3D printing system” — meaning a genuine, patented Fused Deposition Modelling system complete with supports and support removal system. In fact, the Mojo comes as part of a ‘3D Print Pack’, which contains all a user needs to start producing parts: the printer, the materials (build and support), and the WaveWash 55 support removal system.
So, what sets the Mojo apart from the other printers in the Stratasys range? Firstly is the price, launching as the 3D Print Pack for a touch under USD10,000; then we have the build size, at 5” x 5” x 5” (127 mm x 127 mm x 127 mm) which is the smallest in the range; the lack of a fixed extrusion head (more of which later); and the PrintWizard software driving the whole show.
So no extrusion head?! Well, yes and no. Instead of a fixed extrusion head as per the ‘usual’ Stratasys (and innumerable FDM clones) the material and ‘print head’ is combined in to a ‘QuickPack’ print engine. Each spool of material comes equipped with a fresh print head as part of a package, meaning replacing your material becomes as easy as replacing the inkjet cartridge on your home 2D printer. Stratasys claims that this will ‘ensure optimal reliability’, which I am sure is true, but it will also mean they can to some extent monopolise the materials supply side of the business — something their 2D cousins have been doing for a long time now.
Printer management is undertaken on attached PC (not included) rather than the printer itself, which again mirrors the way 2D printers have evolved — on/off button and not much else. The Print Wizard will reportedly make the 3D printing process as easy as the 2D printing process for professional designers and engineers. Another important point, this doesn’t mark a move into the home / maker / fabber market for Stratasys, they’re still looking at professional users with this system.
One last point: the WaveWash 55 is a plumbing-free support removal system that could be used anywhere. This could be ideal for small design offices where the requisite plumbing may not exist (unless everyone else was happy with you using the staff ‘facilities’ to house your cleaning station) and also developing countries where the plumbing may be at more of a premium.
Full release below:
There’s Mojo in the making at Stratasys (Nasdaq: SSYS) today, as the company announced its latest effort: the Mojo 3D Printer, which comes in a complete system called a 3D Print Pack. The Mojo 3D Print Pack is the market’s lowest-priced professional-grade complete 3D printing system.
In this keynote video, Stratasys Global Marketing VP Jon Cobb introduced Mojo at the company’s international reseller meeting to an enthused audience.
Priced at $9,900, the Mojo 3D Print Pack is more than just the printer. The package contains everything needed to produce models (including material and a support-removal system). Like all 3D printers from Stratasys, Mojo is a genuine, patented Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM®) system. New Modeling Technology Ensures Reliability To produce a model, Mojo employs an innovative variation on traditional FDM material extrusion. The ABS material spool and the print head are integrated to a single package, called the QuickPack print engine. To ensure optimal reliability, a fresh print head is part of each material change. Material loading is similar to snapping in an inkjet cartridge on a paper printer.
Industry’s Easiest Operation in a Compact 3D Printer
A desktop 3D printer, Mojo measures only 25 inches wide and 21 inches deep. It measures 18 inches in height (64 x 53 x 46 cm). As with a paper printer, no training is needed to get it set up and running, and settings are selected at the host computer, not the printer itself. Modeling operations are easy with Mojo’s preprocessing software, Print Wizard, which helps users efficiently manage workflow. Support material removal is also a simple process with the included WaveWash55. It is a self-contained, hands-free cleaning system, and it requires no plumbing.
Fine Feature Detail
Delivering fine feature detail, Mojo has a layer resolution previously available only in the Dimension Elite and the Fortus Production 3D Printer line.
Professional Third-Party Evaluation
After evaluating an early beta-test unit, Todd Grimm, president of T. A. Grimm & Associates, noted: “Stratasys, who arguably started the revolution in 3D printing, is poised to shake up the market again with a complete professional system that breaks the $10,000 mark. With its new [3D printer], Stratasys is in a league of its own. It’s counter-intuitive to get a low-price product with high quality like this.” “The name Mojo implies magic, which is how some describe 3D printing upon first witnessing it,” says Stratasys VP of Global Marketing Jon Cobb. “You can buy a less expensive 3D printer, but for the serious designer or engineer, Mojo is the lowest-priced product that offers professional-quality output, comes as a complete package system, and uses industrial-grade thermoplastic material. I expect this will be of interest not just to engineers and educators, but entrepreneurs and independent designers as well.”
