The world’s largest competitor in 3D printing, Stratasys, announced the Object500 Connex3 during this year’s SolidWorks World 2014 event held in San Diego. Besides being huge in competition, the design of this particular 3D printer falls into the industrial realm. Definitely not for your desktop, the Connex3 Color Multi-Material 3D printer is bigger than an office copy machine. Besides printing very large units, what makes this printer so versatile is it’s ability to print objects in a variety of colors, with an unlimited amount/combination of materials. Say goodbye to current restraints in manufacturing even the most complex of 3D model ideas.

You can thank “triple jetting technology” for filling the gap between conceptualizing ideas into reality. Three base materials converge to produce realistic objects with unique and defined color. The company states, “Object500 Connex3 has unlimited combinations of rigid, flexible and transparent color materials, color digital materials as well as and high temperature materials to simulate standard and high temperature engineering plastics.”

If you don’t already know, Stratasys is the big name behind the Makerbot 3D printers. From the elaborative ‘Object500 Connex3’ name, to the monumental accomplishments of the Makerbot, you can only imagine the level of expertise this machine is capable of. Stratasys has the hope and aspirations to revolutionize the way we pursue the process of manufacturing, and engineering 3D design. Take a deeper look into the process by watching this video.

 

 

Connex3 operates just as any 2D inkjet printer would; yet the colors of magenta, cyan, and yellow grant unlimited possibilities. The bike helmets shown are a particular set of designs Stratays has been working on with engineers at Trek Bicycle, a Wisconsin-based company. Together, they have been using Connex3 to print and test bicycle accessories such as helmets, chain stay guards, and handlebar grips. Finally, the Object300 printer is expected to be released by the end of 2014, with a price of $330,000.