Stratasys Launches New Industrial 3D Printer, Toyota and Rivian Testing
Israeli 3D printing company Stratasys has unveiled its new F870 system, designed for large-scale industrial manufacturing. The system targets automotive, aerospace, and defense industries, enabling in-house production of tools, jigs, assembly aids, and end-use parts. Major automakers Toyota and Rivian are already testing the F870 at their respective facilities in Georgetown, Kentucky, and Plymouth, Michigan, ahead of its commercial availability.
Both companies are exploring applications such as creating production floor tools and aids, as well as prototyping. The F870 can also produce large fixtures, assembly tools, and inspection gauges, which typically have long lead times when manufactured using traditional machining. The printer utilizes Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology, featuring a heated build chamber and a substantial build volume of 1,000 x 610 x 610 mm, allowing for single large parts or multiple smaller items.
The F870 supports various industrial-grade materials, including carbon fiber-reinforced nylon, ASA, and ABS, along with a new gray ABS Draft material. The carbon fiber-reinforced nylon is intended for high-load applications requiring stiffness and durability, such as frequently used production line tools and fixtures. Stratasys aims for the F870 to empower manufacturers to print parts and tools on-demand, reducing reliance on external suppliers and lengthy delivery times, particularly for low-volume parts, custom tooling, and rapid design iterations.
"Manufacturers are looking for proven solutions to accelerate production, reduce costs, and provide real-time responses to changing supply chain and manufacturing demands," said Rich Garrity, Stratasys’s Chief Industrial Business Unit Officer. He highlighted the system's capability to produce larger tools, jigs, and manufacturing aids directly on the factory floor, emphasizing its suitability for real-world production environments and its industrial-scale capacity. Dallas Martin, an additive manufacturing engineer at Toyota North America, noted the value of Stratasys's printing technology and expressed interest in expanding its use to additional applications, citing the F870's print size, materials, and industrial features as a good fit for their manufacturing needs.
Stratasys plans to showcase the F870 at the IMTS exhibition in Chicago from September 14-19. The company has not yet disclosed the system's price or the exact date for its commercial sales launch.
