The catch, of course, was that as an HP foundational partner, Jabil received the pre-production printer - perfect for tinkering, not so much for actual commerce.

“From a legal standpoint, we couldn’t technically make real parts on the pre-production unit,” said Dulchinos, VP of global automation and 3-D printing. “They wouldn’t stand behind the printer’s delivering at a level that would be considered parts that we could conduct commerce with.”

Now, though, Dulchinos and Jabil are ready to shift into a higher gear — and actual production — thanks to a pair of Jet Fusion 3D 4200 Printer production units. The new units can print about 10 times faster than any other 3-D printer currently available, potentially producing stronger parts, shortening cycles, even overhauling supply chains.

“These are the first printers that HP has delivered that can be used to produce real production-grade parts,” Dulchinos said. “They have the capability to produce parts that have a level of mechanical integrity, a level of finish and quality and speed that allows us to start to find use cases that move into thousands of units break-even points, and even tens of thousands of units break-even points.”

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