08-29-2017: Mimaki presented its first 3D printer - the 3DUJ-553

The machine was capable of printing in 10 million colors .

On August 29, 2017, Mimaki – a Japanese manufacturer of large-format inkjet printers and cutting systems, announced its entry into the AM industry and the launch of the Mimaki 3DUJ-553 UV LED 3D printer. It was the world’s first 3D printer with over 10 million colors, enabling the production of color-realistic applications that eliminated the need for hand painting.

Leveraging its experience in printing technologies, Mimaki also introduced features such as an extended color gamut (84% of the FOGRA 39L color gamut and 90% of the SWOP gamut), color profiles, translucency with clear ink, and water-soluble support material.

Mimaki was another major company that entered the 3D printing sector in the mid-2010s, following HP, GE, Michelin, Canon, DMG Mori, and Mazak, as well as chemical companies like BASF and Mitsubishi Chemicals. Using its experience and expertise in inkjet printing, it based its technology on acrylic resins and a unique color range.

The 3DUJ-553 was a high-budget machine that printed full-color 3D models using UV light-cured acrylic resins emitted by LED lamps. It utilized a palette of up to 10 million colors, placing it at the forefront of saturation and color reproduction in 3D-printed applications. The machine used the full CMYK palette extended with white and transparent colors. Additionally, besides the colored building resin, the print heads sprayed water-soluble support material. It featured an impressive build area of 508×508×305 mm.

Additionally, the 3DUJ-553 was the world’s first 3D printer to take advantage of color profiles. This not only ensured accurate color from the printer but also allowed the development of simulation profiles for accurate viewing of colors on a PC monitor, guaranteeing precise color specification even before printing began. The 3D printer also had a monitoring camera installed, enabling users to observe work progress.

The Mimaki 3DUJ-553 is still available in the company’s portfolio, followed by the 3DUJ-2207 model.

Source: www.mimakieurope.com