Mosaic Manufacturing
Mosaic Manufacturing's Array production unit.
Mosaic Manufacturing has commenced shipments of its Array production units with its Element and Element HT printers to follow next month.
It follows years of development work and a six-month customer pilot where a select number of users were able to deploy the fused filament fabrication 3D printer configurations.
Mosaic Manufacturing first previewed its multi-material 3D printing capability in April 2015, before launching the Palette 2 ecosystem in 2018 and its Array Product Ecosystem in March 2021. Array is the offering that brings together multiple Element and Element HT printers together with multiple Palette X material management units to create a platform that can facilitate continuous 3D printing. The Palette material management units have the capacity for eight materials pods each, while a robotic arm can help to automate print bed removal. The Element printers, meanwhile, have build volumes of 14" x 14" x 14", and the HT system has a hot-end with a temperature range up to 500°C, as well as a heated chamber.
In announcing its Array offering in 2021, Mosaic outlined its intention to enable flexible output, mass customisation and fast turnaround times with its scalable, multi-material technology. Array had initially been slated for shipments in December 2021, but it is only now that the company has managed to reach what it calls ‘a significant step towards unlocking distributed, digital, on-demand manufacturing of polymer parts at scale’ by commencing shipping of its flagship products.
Mosaic’s Array and Element production units are being shipped off the back of the aforementioned customer pilot programme, which was carried out to ensure product stability and reliability. Through this programme, four Array units and more than 40 Element/HT printers were shipped, with customers in manufacturing, healthcare and education participating. Among the companies to get involved with Mosaic’s pilot programme were Avid, a design engineering firm owned by Lubrizol; IDeATe, a cross-faculty network for students focusing on interactive design, engineering and advanced technology; and PolyUnity Tech Inc, a company harnessing 3D printing in the healthcare space.
Each Element inside of Array comes equipped with a large build volume, and individually temperature controlled chambers. This means users can print high temperature materials on one Element, and in parallel, low temperature materials on another.
“Array really automates 3D printing by making it a hands-off procedure,” commented Connor Reddington, Application Engineer at Avid. “I can send a print from my computer at home and not have to come into the office at 9pm - the parts are just sitting there ready for me the next day.”
“Students at all levels of education should have access to an Array,” added Cody Soksa, Technical Specialist at IDeATe. “It is essential if we’re encouraging STEM education, design engineering thinking, prototyping, iteration, students should have a reliable 3D printer to make parts in the volumes they need.”
Throughout Q4 of 2023 and the early part of 2024, Mosaic has said it will be in touch with Array and Element customers to confirm delivery windows. The company has reported that its first production run is over 80% sold, with deliveries from this run set to be completed by the end of the year. New equipment orders will be shipped from December and January, while Mosaic Materials and accessories will be made available for purchase via its online shop and account management team.
