How does ThermoJet solid object printing technology differ from stereolithography technology?
The ThermoJet printer utilizes Multi-Jet Modeling (MJM) technology compared to the SLA system’s stereolithography (SL) technology. The ThermoJet printer uses a print head to spray tiny droplets of a thermoplastic material onto a surface platform, much like an ink-jet printer. The model builds, layer-by-layer, until the model is finished. Stereolithography is an entirely different technology that begins by slicing an .STL file into extremely thin layers. The SLA system exposes the liquid photo-sensitive material, layer-by-layer. The system then recoats the surface layer, and the depth of the platform adjusts slightly downward, and the process repeats itself until the prototype is complete. SL uses a combination of lasers, optics, photopolymer resin and computer hardware and software to perform these steps.
