Material Jetting (PolyJet / MJP) 3D Printing Services

Material Jetting (PolyJet / MJP) 3D Printing Services

Material Jetting is a high-precision 3D printing family designed for exceptional surface quality, fine details, and true multi-material capability. Instead of extruding or sintering, Material Jetting deposits microscopic droplets of material exactly where needed, then cures them to build parts layer by layer. The result is a premium solution for prototypes and functional models where appearance, fit, and realistic validation matter.

At Snijer, we use Material Jetting to help teams accelerate product development with presentation-ready prototypes, multi-material assemblies, and complex visual/functional mockups—all produced directly from your CAD data with consistent, repeatable quality.

What Is Material Jetting 3D Printing?

Material Jetting works similarly to a high-resolution inkjet process—but instead of ink, it jets build material in tiny droplets onto a platform. Each layer is cured (typically with UV light), forming a solid component with sharp edges, smooth surfaces, and highly accurate features.

Because the process can place different materials in specific regions of the same part, it’s ideal for designs that need:

• Realistic look-and-feel prototypes

• Soft + rigid combinations

• Transparent + colored sections

• Fine textures, small details, and tight feature definition

This makes Material Jetting especially valuable for customer approvals, internal design reviews, and functional evaluation before investing in tooling.

PolyJet vs MJP: What’s the Difference?

Material Jetting includes multiple technology variants. Two common ones are PolyJet and MJP.

PolyJet (Polymer Jetting)

PolyJet is well known for:

• Multi-material printing in a single build

• Flexible and rubber-like materials combined with rigid materials

• High-resolution surfaces that are often close to “production look”

• Full-color or color-like appearance options (depending on system/material set)

PolyJet is frequently chosen for prototypes requiring realistic textures, overmold-like behavior, and multi-material assemblies.

MJP (MultiJet Printing)

MJP is also a droplet-based jetting process and is often selected for:

• Very fine detail and accuracy

• Smooth surfaces and crisp edges

• Strong performance for precision prototypes

• Reliable repeatability for small, detailed parts

MJP is commonly used where small features, sharp geometry, and consistent output are priorities.

Snijer helps you select the best option based on your target: visual realism, mechanical behavior (rigid vs flexible), feature size, accuracy needs, and finishing requirements.

Why Manufacturers Choose Material Jetting

Presentation-ready surface quality

When prototypes must look close to final products, Material Jetting delivers smooth surfaces and crisp detail that reduce finishing time and improve stakeholder confidence.

True multi-material prototyping

You can combine rigid sections with soft grips, seals, or flexible hinges in one build—enabling realistic functional validation that’s difficult with single-material processes.

Fast design validation before tooling

Material Jetting supports rapid iterations for shape, fit, ergonomics, and assembly checks—helping avoid late-stage changes that can be costly in injection molding or machining.

Realistic assemblies and complex mockups

For product teams, Material Jetting makes it possible to validate multiple design elements together: snap features, tactile zones, transparent windows, and visual appearance in one prototype.

Materials and Capability Options

Material Jetting systems typically offer material “families” tailored to different goals. Common capability categories include:

• Rigid photopolymer-like materials for dimensionally stable prototypes

• Flexible / rubber-like materials for grips, seals, and compliant features

• Transparent materials for light guides, windows, and visibility prototypes

• High-temperature or higher-strength specialty options (application-dependent)

• Digital materials (blends) to simulate a range of durometers and behaviors (system-dependent)

If you share your expected use (handling stress, assembly method, temperature exposure, visual requirements), Snijer can recommend the right material strategy and process settings to match your objective.

Typical Industrial Applications

Material Jetting is an excellent fit when detail + realism are key:

• Consumer product prototypes (look, feel, ergonomics, design approval)

• Housings, covers, and enclosure prototypes with accurate fit

• Multi-material parts simulating overmolds, gaskets, seals, and soft-touch zones

• Transparent prototypes for optical/visual checks (windows, channels)

• Small precise components where sharp edges and surface smoothness matter

• Assembly validation models to test mating parts and user interaction

It’s often the fastest path to a prototype that is not only accurate—but also sales-ready for presentations and stakeholder sign-off.

Design Guidelines for Better Results (DfAM for Material Jetting)

Smart design choices improve output quality, cost efficiency, and time-to-part.

Wall thickness and fine features

Material Jetting can reproduce thin walls and fine details well, but performance depends on geometry and material selection. For fragile features, adding ribs or fillets improves stability without compromising appearance.

Multi-material boundaries

Where rigid meets soft, design transition zones intentionally. Clear material separation and adequate bonding areas help improve durability and realistic behavior.

Support strategy and surface planning

Material Jetting typically uses support material. Orienting the part to place supports on non-cosmetic surfaces reduces visible marks and post-processing time.

Functional interfaces and tolerances

The method is highly accurate, but critical fits may still require allowance planning depending on part geometry and post-processing. For demanding interfaces, Snijer can recommend a hybrid approach (print + targeted finishing).

Post-Processing and Finishing Options

Material Jetting often delivers excellent surfaces straight from the machine, but finishing can elevate the result further:

• Support removal and cleaning

• Surface refinement for cosmetic perfection where required

• Light sanding/polishing for specific face quality or transparency enhancement

• Assembly integration (inserts, hardware, multi-part fitting support)

Snijer can deliver parts fast for iteration or finished for presentation-quality demos, depending on your project stage.

When Material Jetting Is the Best Choice

Choose Material Jetting when you need:

• High-detail prototypes with smooth, premium surface finish

• Multi-material prototypes (rigid + flexible in one part)

• Visual realism for customer demos and approvals

• Accurate fit and refined appearance without heavy finishing

If your part must endure high mechanical loads, harsh chemicals, or prolonged outdoor exposure, another method may be better suited. But for precision prototypes and realistic validation, Material Jetting is one of the most effective options available.

Why Snijer for PolyJet / MJP Projects?

Snijer approaches Material Jetting with a manufacturing mindset: we help you define what matters most—appearance, tactile behavior, assembly fit, or feature accuracy—then align material selection, orientation strategy, and finishing steps to deliver a prototype that supports real decisions.

For lead time, pricing, and a manufacturing review of your CAD model, contact Snijer.