Solid 3D printer is a new high technology. What about desktop 3D printer? Microtechnology is technology with features near one micrometer. Inkjet printers are a good example of microtechnology. With the technology developed so fast, there appeared a series of new 3D printers, such as solid color printer, digital camera printers, digital photo printers and so on. Let those printers aside, let us first aware of the 3D printing technology.
The PolyJet 3D printing technology has the highest resolution in the Z-Axis (height measurement) and builds 3 Dimensional rapid prototypes layered together at layer thicknesses of .0006" (.015mm), or 15.24 microns. Comparing the PolyJet 3D printer rapid prototype system to other systems on the market, I consider the PolyJet a microtechnology because it breaks the barrier traditional rapid prototype systems are currently confined in. With a Z-Axis build capability of 15.24 microns, I can consider this close enough to define PolyJet as a rapid prototype "microtechnology". All PolyJet systems also have mechanical tolerance specifications they must be tuned within to meet the definition of the final product. Some of the calibrations require tuning to specification of less than 1 micron.
3D printing technology is a rapid prototype technology in and of itelf because it is a microtechnology, a true prototype printer, and a microtechnology that is a rapid prototype system using additive manufacturing as it's process.
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