Case Study: Waters Corporation achieves next-day prototyping and rapid design iterations with Stratasys PolyJet 3D printing

Next-Day Polyjet 3D Printing Significantly Reduces Prototyping Time

Waters Corporation, a specialist in analytical technologies and mass spectrometry based in Wilmslow, UK, faced long lead times and high costs for outsourced prototypes—sometimes waiting up to eight weeks and paying roughly £300 per part. To speed development of small, high‑precision assemblies and achieve better surface finish, Waters invested in Stratasys PolyJet 3D printing, specifically the Objet500 Connex3 using Rigur material.

Using Stratasys PolyJet on the Objet500 Connex3, Waters began printing functional prototypes overnight (each part took about 4–5 hours), enabling four rapid design iterations in days rather than weeks. The solution cut lead times from up to eight weeks to next‑day availability, delivered substantial cost savings versus outsourcing, and leveraged Stratasys’ multi‑material/color and larger build‑bed capabilities to improve ergonomics, aesthetics and overall development speed.

Waters Corporation

Haydn Murray

Mechanical Design Engineer