Objet Geometries Debuts Alaris30

Company introduces the desktop 3D printer via reseller network.

Objet Geometries, headquartered in Rehovot, Israel, recently launched the Alaris30, a desktop 3D printer. Measuring 34.25" x 33.85" x 40.94", the machine is designed to fit easily on a desktop. The build area measures 11.57" x 7.72" x 5.9" and can accommodate printing multiple objects at the same time. During the press briefing, company officials pointed out that users can pause printing, retrieve the objects that have been completed, then resume printing the rest, because the Alaris30 uses VeroWhite FullCure830, a material that produces fully cured models.

Describing its technology, Objet writes, "Similar to a line printer, the jetting head slides back and forth along the x-axis, depositing a single layer of photopolymer onto the build tray. Each layer is immediately cured and hardened by UV light, producing fully cured models that can be handled immediately without additional post-curing."

The Alaris30 reportedly prints at a resolution of 600 x 600 dpi.

The Alaris30 comes with Objet Studio software, which can read STL files exported from CAD programs. According to the company, the machine combines "thin 28 µ layers with a very small drop size and a high resolution of 600 x 600 dpi" to produce fine details, complex geometry, smooth surfaces, textual elements, and moving parts. The Alaris30's four-cartridge loading is expected to provide up to 36 hours of unattended printing.

In 2003, Objet entered an agreement with Stratasys, another 3D printing technology provider, giving Stratasys the exclusive distribution rights to Objet's Eden333 system in North America. When the two companies parted ways in late 2006, Objet continued to sell its units through a direct sales team. With the launch of the Alaris30, the company is anticipating an increase in transactions. To manage this, it has assembled an indirect reseller network.

The Alaris30's nontoxic, odorless, powderless printing process make it an "office-friendly machine," Objet officials pointed out. Priced at less than $40,000, the Alaris30 may compete with Stratasys' Dimension line , priced below $25,000.