What does the machine do?
The Mcor Iris HD is a 3D printer that builds a model out of layers of pre-printed paper that are glued together then cut out. It is the only 3D technology that uses a print-on-paper colour process. The use of standard inkjet printers and office A4 paper keeps consumables costs down while allowing photorealistic colour controlled by ICC profiles. This is the closest thing to ‘real’ printing that you’ll find in 3D.
It is being used in commercial sites for applications such as 3D prints of faces or complete people from scans as well as product and packaging prototypes.
When was it launched and what market is it aimed at?
Mcor Technologies was founded in Ireland 10 years ago by brothers Conor and Fintan MacCormack. The original Iris was launched in 2012 and the latest model, the Iris HD, was unveiled in May at the 3D Print Show in London.
Sales and marketing director Deirdre MacCormack says: “Users include product designers, architects, engineering and service bureaux are the biggest markets. It is popular in education, due to lower running costs. There are also packaging, museum, medical and dental applications, wherever colour is valuable to the user. The amount of detail is quite incredible.”
How does it work?
There are three main stages in the process. Mcor’s SliceIT front-end software converts standard 3D object files with texture maps into thin slices representing sheets of paper, and then generates an outline for each layer, which is sent to the printer.
A standard Epson office printer is used to print a stack of images on A4 paper (there’s a compartment for the printer in the side of the Iris). Mcor has developed a water-based ink that bleeds right through the paper so the cut edges are fully coloured. The images form a broad band around the outline of the object, and each sheet has a unique outline. A barcode is printed to ensure the order remains correct.
After printing each sheet is loaded separately onto the cutting bed in the main area of the printer: a moving head applies water-based adhesive in microscopic dots, on and beside the outline, and in lighter weights elsewhere.
The head also holds a carbide cutting blade which runs around the outline and also cuts out to the edge of the sheet to make the eventual breaking-out easier. The bed moves down, then the next printed sheet is pressed on top so the glue attaches it to the one below, and the process is repeated. Bar codes ensure that the order is correct.
The model is thus built as a series of layers formed by the paper. At the end of the run the glued block is taken off the bed and the waste paper is broken away.
Larger models, or those with complex voids and the like, can be built as separate pieces and glued together later.
The laminated paper has a lot in common with plywood and can likewise be sanded for smoothness: the thickness of the printed edges means the colour isn’t worn away.
How does it differ from previous models?
Iris HD is an upgrade to the original Iris model with improved cutting blade sharpness and lifetime, plus software enhancements to give sharper edges to colours (hence the HD name). Existing Iris users can upgrade to the HD spec.
“The sharpness is notable on any models with writing or colour transitions, where bleed is reduced,” says MacCormack. “We’ve reduced the weight of ink used, while the blade now runs for 10km, up from 7km before. Overall, there is a 20% reduction in costs.”
She says that 10km is typically enough for three full builds. Blades can be changed easily. The blades and ink are supplied together in consumables packs.
How productive is it?
It’s hard to say. The speed depends on the travel distance of the blade, plus the total height. A crinkly shape needs more blade travel than a smooth one, so takes longer.
Users will normally fill the bed area with as many models as will fit, making the most economical use of time and paper. A full-area, full-height build may take a day or so, says MacCormack, but it may include many small items or just one large one.
What is the USP?
“This is the only paper based full-colour 3D printer on the market,” says MacCormack. “The USPs are low cost, full colour, eco friendliness, but the biggest is full colour, with better quality than powder machines.”
How easy is it to use?
“It’s a step-by-step process that’s easy to understand, and people can relate to it because it’s more like a 2D printer than a 3D printer,” MacCormack says.
What support is on offer?
Mcor has a worldwide network of dealers, which offer both servicing and training. UK dealers include iCreate and GoPrint3D, with Inspire3D serving Ireland.
How much does it cost?
An Iris HD costs £30,000. The current Matrix 300+ mono printer costs £20,000. Mcor has different prices for its ink, glue and blade consumables depending on volume, but says that average full-colour build costs work out as 4p per cm3.
How many are installed currently worldwide and in the UK?
Mcor won’t reveal how many of the machines it has sold. PrintWeek believes in total more than 250 Iris machines have been sold globally.
SPECIFICATIONS
Resolution 5,760x1,440x508dpi
Layer thickness 0.1mm
Cutter resolution 12x12x100microns
Net build volume 256x169x150mm
Build material A4 office paper, 80gsm
Colours CMYK
Dimensions 950x700x800mm
Price £30,000
Contact Mcor Technologies +353 41 6862800 www.mcor technologies.com
ALTERNATIVES
3D Systems ProJet 660Pro
The 3DS ProJets are the only other full-colour 3D printers on the market and the 660Pro is the middle model. It uses inkjet heads to spray CMYK bonding agents onto layers of white resin powder (resembling plaster), with new layers added and printed until the object is built. The white powder tends to make colours washed out. On the other hand the process can handle complex hollow voids in a single build, which would require several pieces with the Mcor. The 660Pro costs more then the Mcor but has a larger bed area.
Resolution 600x540dpi
Layer thickness 0.1mm
Min feature size 0.1mm
Net build volume 254x381x203mm
Colours CMYK
Dimensions 1,930x760x1,450mm
Price From £40,000
Contact Canon 01737 220000 www.canon.co.uk
USER REVIEW
“It’s serving us well in product design, transportation design and fine arts, and we’re only scratching the surface of its potential. Mcor models are easier to sand, drill, prime and paint.” 4/5
David Cawley Director of the Rapid Prototyping and Model Shops at California’s Art Center College of Design
