That’s right, solid ink!!! The device is called the ColorQube 9200 and it uses solid ink. Although, not truly solid when it prints, the ink is placed into the printer in a solid form.

Once in the printer, the ink is heated and melted to create a liquid. The liquid is then used in a manner similar to the standard inkjet printers that we are all familiar with. Similar to color inkjets, the ColorQube 9200 uses a block of 3 primary colors and one block of black.

Xerox says that each block needs to be replaced after 55,000 which is way more than you can get from standard liquid inkjet cartridges.

The ColorQube 9200 is a brand new concept, and like all new tech wonders, it is currently expensive at a cost of $22,000. However, as the concept goes mainstream the price will fall to the point that at sometime in the not too distant future, it will be affordable to most.

The device can print between 38 to 85 pages per minute which is amazing for a color printer and Xerox estimates that it will use much less ink than traditional devices.

This is definitely a technology that can change the game dramatically. It just needs to reach a price point that is within the reach of the masses.

Microtechnology is a term first applied to semi-conductor technology where an array of circuits could be put on a single chip.  Microtechnology is technology with features near one micrometer (one millionth of a metre, or 10^-6 metre, or 1μm).  Inkjet printers are a good example of microtechnology.

The PolyJet 3D printing technology has the highest resolution in the Z-Axis (height measurement) and builds 3 Dimensional rapid prototypes layered together at layer thicknesses of .0006″ (.015mm), or 15.24 microns.  Comparing the PolyJet 3D printer rapid prototype system to other systems on the market, I consider the PolyJet a microtechnology because it breaks the barrier traditional rapid prototype systems are currently confined in.  With a Z-Axis build capability of 15.24 microns, I can consider this close enough to define PolyJet as a rapid prototype “microtechnology”.  All PolyJet systems also have mechanical tolerance specifications they must be tuned within to meet the definition of the final product.  Some of the calibrations require tuning to specification of less than 1 micron.

I just delivered a product to a customer who had literally been struggling to get a quality 3D prototype for a little over a year.  This customer was so worn down by the bad quality 3D models he had received, along with all his questions being explained away, he didn’t even trust what i was saying.  I finally told the customer I would build a sample for free.  Once they received the sample, all apprehension about using another rapid prototype service was gone and I was chosen to produce their exciting models.  In summary, there was no other technology that was capable of building the project except the PolyJet prototype printer.

3D printing technology is a rapid prototype technology in and of itelf because it is a microtechnology, a true prototype printer, and a microtechnology that is a rapid prototype system using additive manufacturing as it’s process.