Mimaki’s plans for Formnext 2022 include new transparent material and full-colour 3D printing

Mimaki Europe, the manufacturer of inkjet printing, cutting and 3D printing technologies, has unveiled plans to demonstrate its latest solutions at Formnext 2022 (15-18 November, Frankfurt, Germany), designed to break new ground for full-colour 3D model makers.

Mimaki (Hall 12.1, stand F59) – trail blazers for 3D printing in exceptionally accurate, high-quality colour – is presenting its newest innovation, Pure Clear ink MH-110PCL. The clear 3D printing material delivers improved transparency and negates any yellow tint, allowing artists, product designers, architects, and medical professionals to 3D print accurate models with transparent features.

The MH-110PCL clear material is intended for use with Mimaki’s flagship UV curable, full colour 3D printer, the 3DUJ-553. When mixing MH-110PCL with any one of the Mimaki 3DUJ-553’s over 10 million colours, 3D model makers can also create translucent-colour materials. This expanded creative possibility for designers or increased true-to-life accuracy for the medical and architectural industries, is what Mimaki aims for when developing its 3D solutions.

“We’re constantly looking to push the boundaries of what is possible when it comes to developing our technologies, and our solutions for 3D printing are no exception,” explains Mark Sollman, Sr. Product Manager at Mimaki Europe. “We have channelled our expertise in high-quality, true colour reproduction into these products so that our customers can break new ground when it comes to 3D model production. An example of someone who is doing just this is 3D specialist and renowned Japanese artist, Taketo Kobayashi. A collection of his vivid, intricate works can be seen for the first time at Formnext on our stand, and these perfectly demonstrate the beauty and creativity that can be achieved when innovative technology meets expressive art.”

Mimaki’s latest 3D printing system, the Mimaki 3DUJ-2207, will also be printing live on the stand and powered by Mimaki’s 3D Print prep Pro cloud-based software, designed to streamline and optimise 3D model production with increased automation. Intended to simplify the 3D printing process, the software platform helps user prepare and finalise their 3D files before printing. This cutting-edge subscription-based software autocorrects file errors and optimises 3D data used in 3D printer modelling, ensuring that the final 3D printed objects look exactly the same as the ones visualised on the screen.

The models printed on the Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 will then be finished with the Mimaki 3DCS-322 – an intelligent support materials removal unit developed in collaboration with AM Solutions.

This end-to-end solution not only enhances and automates the 3D printing process, but it makes it more affordable. Its attractive price-performance ratio is enabling more entrepreneurs, model makers and designers to enter the creative world of full-colour 3D printed model production.

Bringing Another Dimension to Digital Artwork

Taketo Kobayashi’s art juxtaposes the beauty, culture and the lessons of the past with a passion for driving change and desire for humanity to learn and grow in the future.

Having lived through the Tōhoku Tsunami in 2011 which caused the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Kobayashi knows all too well how fragile our lives and circumstances are, how we can take simple joys for granted and how important it is that we build a better future. He believes that while technology can often be seen as the enemy in the pursuit of this goal, it can in fact be a tool that is used to change our thinking and create new, positive outcomes that make the world a better place. It is this theory that he aims to illustrate in his artwork.

By taking inspiration from the ancient Jōmon civilisation, a time in history when the people were believed to live peacefully and spiritually, Kobayashi wants to use 3D printing to bring their thinking and his messages to the next generation. Working with Mimaki technology, Kobayashi’s latest pieces evoke feelings of the exquisite serenity of the past, whilst also conveying his activist message. The colours and transparent elements of his pieces are so crucial to his artwork and the possibilities enabled by Mimaki technology ensure he achieves the maximum intended impact of every model.

“Visitors to Formnext should not miss Kobayashi’s important and inspiring art and see how robust, cutting-edge technology can be used to make something very delicate and beautiful. The models deliver a powerful message for the future, but also show perfectly how our solutions have been designed to put colour at the forefront, unleashing creativity and opening doors for new thinkers in various industries to produce something different, and possibly even game-changing, with full-colour 3D printing,” says Sollman.

Find out more about Mimaki Europe at mimakieurope.com.