Multi Jet Fusion 3D is a line of 3D printers from HP with a price range between 100 000 and 1 million dollars. At these prices, they should print gold bullion… As the scale of these prices indicates, HP intends these for industrial use, a market estimated at more than 12 billion dollars. HP aims primarily for rapid prototyping, but also aims to offer production printing in the long term, which will require a system which is both robust and totally reliable. No wonder we’ve had to wait for this…

The printer announced by HP will have the size of a (large) washing machine, but 10 times faster and 50% cheaper than existing solutions. HP is collaborating with potential beta customers, such as Shapeways, a 3D printing service that allows users to upload CAD designs and have them printed out and shipped back.

The printing method of the Multi Jet Fusion is similar to that of an inkjet printer: a mobile bar with 30 000 nozzles capable of applying 350 million droplets of fusing agent pe...