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About Project

This sample perfectly illustrates the storytelling potential of Mimaki’s full-color technology. The piece captures a frozen moment in time: a mermaid, rendered in a striking psychedelic rainbow pattern, disappearing into a translucent blue “ocean” block. The 3D-printed splash around the entry point adds a sense of movement and energy to the static model.

From Raw Print to Masterpiece

While this raw version shows the high level of detail achievable, it is just the beginning of the process.

• Visual Depth: Currently, the “water” has a frosted, ethereal quality. Once polished and coated with clear acrylic oil, the block will transform into a deep, transparent sea, allowing you to see the submerged portion of the mermaid with crystal clarity.
• Vibrant Details: The intricate swirls on the mermaid’s tail will pop with even more saturation once the matte texture is smoothed out, mimicking the wet look of a creature emerging from the waves.

Elevate Your Designs with FacFox

At FacFox, we specialize in bringing these imaginative concepts to life through our premium full-color 3D printing services. Utilizing state-of-the-art Mimaki 3DUJ-553 systems, we can reproduce over 10 million colors with stunning accuracy. Whether you are creating fantastical figurines, detailed dioramas, or complex prototypes, FacFox provides the technical expertise and post-processing finesse-including professional sanding and clear-coating-to turn a digital file into a museum-quality physical piece.

Solution

• Step 1: Digital Modeling and Color Mapping. The 3D model was designed using CAD software, where the intricate mermaid tail was assigned a psychedelic swirl texture and the surrounding water was given a translucent blue gradient. The file was then sliced into layers as thin as 22 microns to ensure high-resolution detail.
• Step 2: Full-Color UV-Curable Inkjet Printing. The model was produced using a Mimaki 3DUJ-553 printer. Layers of liquid photopolymer resin were jetted onto the build plate and simultaneously cured by UV light. Over 10 million colors were achievable by mixing CMYK inks with white and clear resins during the deposition process.
• Step 3: Sacrificial Support Deposition. During the printing process, a water-soluble support material was deposited to hold the overhanging mermaid tail and the delicate edges of the splash. This allowed for the creation of the complex, hollow arch without any sagging or structural failure.
• Step 4: Support Removal. Once the printing was finalized, the model was immersed in a water bath. The sacrificial support material was dissolved away, leaving the mermaid and the blue water block completely intact and free of any physical marks from support structures.
• Step 5: Surface Refinement and Drying. The sample was carefully dried to remove residual moisture. At this stage, the model retained its “raw” state, characterized by a semi-matte finish and a frosted appearance on the translucent sections.