10-20-2008: Z Corporation unveiled the ZPrinter 650 – a full-color 3D printer based on gypsum powder

It was probably the best CJP machine in history of this additive technology

On October 20, 2008, Z Corporation introduced the ZPrinter 650 – quite possibly their best 3D printer ever, which gained great popularity due to its efficiency, large build area, and ability to print in full color. The 3D printer utilized powder-based 3D printing technology (CJP – color jet printing, Z Corporation's proprietary version of binder jetting), allowing for the rapid creation of models by layering thin coats of powder and bonding them with liquid binder.

The ZPrinter 650 had a relatively large build area of 254 x 381 x 203 mm (10x15x8 inches), which allowed for the creation of larger models in a single print cycle. In press releases, Z Corporation even claimed that it had the largest build area of all 3D printers on the market at that time. The machine also offered a resolution of 600 x 540 dpi and, compared to other technologies, was considered quite fast.

However, its key feature was the ability to print in full color. At that time, Z Corporation was the industry's only maker of 3D printers capable of doing so. With the release of the ZPrinter 650, for the first time ever, a dedicated black print head was added to the standard cyan, magenta, yellow, and clear colors, delivering richer and more consistent colors from part to part, build to build.

Of course, the downside was that the parts were made of gypsum, making them fragile and prone to damage. They could only serve as prototypes, mock-ups, figurines, decorative elements, architectural models, or anatomical models. They had no practical utility.

The 3D printer was launched at a price of $59,900.

In November 2011, 3D Systems announced the acquisition of Z Corporation, which was formally completed in early 2012. In April 2013, all ZPrinter 3D printers were rebranded, and the ZPrinter 650 became the ProJet 660Pro. The key change? The color of the casing – from light grey to deep graphite.

In 2017-2018, I had the opportunity to spend some time with the ProJet 660Pro (two models from 2016), and I must admit that my experience with the UI felt similar to what I would have had in 2008-2010… In other words, during the era of the Ultimaker 3 and Form 2, I had the sense that I was operating decade-old technology. I don't know, maybe this is just my subjective impression, but perhaps after Z Corporation was acquired by 3D Systems, these machines didn’t change “that significantly”?

Today, full-color gypsum 3D printing is a technology fading into the pages of history...

Source: www.3dsystems.com