Plastic Jet Printing (PJP)

Plastic Jet Printing (PJP) is a solid-based rapid prototyping method that extrudes material layer by layer to build a model. The system consists of a build platform, extrusion nozzle, and control system.

PJP is a fast and cost effective process great for proving designs, fit and function testing, small production runs, jigs, and fixtures.

Customers in aerospace, automotive, medical device and other industries rely on PJP capabilities for rapid delivery of dimensionally accurate, functional prototypes and small-quantity production parts that are able to resist high temperatures, mechanical stresses and chemical degradation.

Using engineering-grade thermoplastics such as ABS and polycarbonate materials, PJP technology builds parts layer by layer in an additive process that rapidly renders complex geometries that are often difficult to duplicate with traditional manufacturing methods such as CNC machining — and certainly not as quickly or as economically. PJP technology is perfect for quickly producing durable parts for jigs or fixtures and fit check models that feature snap fits or clips.

Anatomy of the Plastic Jet Printing Process

The PJP process allows parts to be made direct from 3D CAD to thermoplastic materials without tooling.

The build material, a production quality thermoplastic, is melted and then extruded through a specially designed head onto a platform to create a two-dimensional cross section of the model. The cross section quickly solidifies, and the platform descends where the next layer is extruded upon the previous layer. This continues until the model is complete, where it is then removed from the build chamber and cleaned.