Inside the H2000

Lindsay Bjerregaard August 02, 2017

H2000 System

Credit: Stratasys

The H2000 3D printer boasts a speed 10 times faster than Stratasys’ current 3D printers and the ability to print an unconstrained length because of its horizontal orientation.

Robotic Arm

The robotic arm can change out material containers and perform other automated tasks so the machine can run unattended.

Extruder

Beads of thermoplastic are extruded to form each layer of a 3D-printed part.

Extruder and Screw

Screws can be changed on the fly in about 30 seconds and have 11,000 hours of proven life without needing replacement.

Bulk Materials Containers

Up to four bulk material containers are mounted to the machine, with a hopper refill that is fully automated.

Printer Exit

Parts exit the back of the printer here, moving through a series of hanging fingers to cut the temperature loss. Tables can be placed behind the printer to accommodate the varying length of parts.

ULTEM 9085 Micro-Pellets

These micro-pellets are made of ULTEM 9085, a high-temperature thermoplastic that was tailored for ideal thermal and chemical resistance.

Aircraft Interior Closet Door Prototype

Built in the time span of five hours in fine-bead mode, this interior closet door is a project created for Boeing. The version on the bottom is the flight-ready part that has been chiseled, sanded, primed and painted.

Aero Fairing Tool

This aero fairing tool, which would have taken about 60 days and $50,000 to build through traditional manufacturing, was built in 23 hours at a cost of $8,000 on the Infinite-Build system.

Stratasys recently showcased its new H2000 3D printing system to a group of potential buyers at the company’s headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. With a build time that’s 10 times as fast as its predecessors and the ability to print infinitely long parts, the H2000 could change the game. Here’s a look at the system, how it works and some of the parts it has printed so far.

Lindsay Bjerregaard

Lindsay Bjerregaard is managing editor for Aviation Week’s MRO portfolio. Her coverage focuses on MRO technology, workforce, and product and service news for MRO Digest, Inside MRO and Aviation Week Marketplace.