HP sales chief: MJF bureaus now bid on 10,000-part runs against moulding

HP's head of additive sales, François Minec, explained why ADDMAN plans to add 81 Jet Fusion 5620 Pro systems, taking its Multi Jet Fusion fleet past 125 machines. He says service bureaus now win production runs that once suited only small batches, with output shifting towards roughly 80% production work. HP's approach is to develop applications with end customers first and let machine orders follow.

Context Multi Jet Fusion is HP's polymer powder bed process in which printing agents are applied to nylon powder and fused with heat, layer by layer.

What is ADDMAN buying, and what limits the rollout?

ADDMAN plans to add 81 HP Jet Fusion 5620 Pro systems, which would lift its Multi Jet Fusion fleet to more than 125. Its subsidiary Forecast 3D, an early HP production partner, had been subcontracting work to other bureaus while its own investment slowed, and several bureaus were still doing work for ADDMAN when the interview took place. Minec called a large part of the investment firm but gave no figure for outsourced volume. Hiring operators and securing electrical capacity will shape the installation pace, and how much work returns in-house is up to ADDMAN.

Why do bureaus bid on 10,000-part runs?

Minec says that for a fist-sized part, MJF once fitted runs of about 100, while today a bureau can quote 10,000 against injection moulding, depending on the part. More such runs are available to bid on, and winning a few changes how much machine time a bureau sells. He estimates the work mix has moved from about half production to nearer 80% by volume. He credits better printer-to-printer repeatability in the 5600 series, shaped by Ocado, which runs machines in Mexico, the UK and Sweden. He admits the earlier generation fell short on consistency. Customers also pack builds about four percentage points denser than three years ago, so more powder is used. No finished-part cost was given.

How do bureaus differentiate and where does automation stop?

A 5600 operator can now adjust 35 process parameters, including agent settings and layer thickness, and HP trains customers to use them. Some customers moved from 90 to 110 micron layers for speed, and HP was preparing a faster mode in response. Minec sees each bureau's own print mode as a competitive signature. Automation ends at finishing: a printer can run about 24 hours across two jobs unattended, but depowdering, part identification and routing to dyeing or vapour smoothing still need people.

Which applications does HP point to?

Minec names drones and cranial helmets as applications approaching million-dollar scale, without revenue figures. One unnamed drone maker cut assembly from eight hours to about half an hour after redesigning with HP. HP expects makers to develop such parts on the smaller 1200 and place volume orders with bureaus. His advice: do not try to sell printers, develop the application and the order follows.

What it means

For small and mid-sized EU manufacturers, the message is that MJF economics against moulding depend on the whole chain: packing density, powder refresh, finishing labour and repeatability across machines. Minec gave no finished-part cost, so the 10,000-part crossover must be checked per part against a quote. For buyers, a bureau's print mode and finishing capacity may matter as much as the printer model. Qualification and consistency between machines are the practical test of any such claim.

Frequently asked questions

How big would ADDMAN's MJF fleet become?

Adding 81 Jet Fusion 5620 Pro systems would take it to more than 125 Multi Jet Fusion machines. Installation speed depends on hiring operators and securing electrical capacity.

Why does HP expect bureaus to win larger runs?

Minec says more runs of around 10,000 parts now compete with injection moulding, helped by better repeatability between 5600-series printers and denser powder packing. He gave no finished-part cost.

Can MJF printing run without operators?

Only partly. A printer can run two successive jobs, about 24 hours, unattended, but depowdering, identifying and routing parts to dyeing or smoothing still need people.