By li, chen Flashforge fires the first shot in desktop full-color 3D printing.
When people think of 3D printing, many still picture single-color or multi-color-assembled models—after seeing enough of them, it’s easy to feel some aesthetic fatigue. In fact, full-color 3D printing technology has existed for a long time; it’s just that equipment prices of hundreds of thousands or even millions of yuan in the past kept ordinary users away.
Now, Flashforge has brought full-color 3D printing to the desktop: the CJ270 is officially on the market, with a launch price of just 34,999 yuan.
In fact, Flashforge’s ability to be the first to launch the CJ270 is inseparable from its years of accumulation in MJP (MultiJet Printing) material jetting technology.
From the industrial-grade WaxJet 400 and WJ530 to the recently released desktop-grade WJ51C wax jetting machine, Flashforge has continued to deepen its work in the MJP material jetting field, with product sales ranking among the top globally. This time, Flashforge has applied its accumulated technical experience to desktop full-color 3D printing.
One desk, one CJ270—professional full-color 3D printing becomes within reach.
01
MJP seven printheads, achieving true full-color at the ten-million level
Currently, many FDM multi-color 3D printers still rely mainly on multi-filament color assembly, making it difficult to achieve true full-color effects. Meanwhile, the 2.5D process used by some UV printers can only form reliefs and textures on flat surfaces, and cannot directly print complete 3D models with overhanging structures and complex curved surfaces.
The CJ270 is different.
It adopts an industrial-grade MJP technology route, using seven printheads to respectively jet six build materials—cyan, magenta, yellow, black, white, and transparent—plus one water-soluble support material, then performing UV curing layer by layer to ultimately print complete full-color 3D models.
It is understood that the CJ270 supports over 10 million color combinations, capable of presenting natural color gradients, human skin tones, and rich surface textures. Whether it’s character figurines, miniature architecture, or bonsai models, colored effects can be printed directly.
For model creators, the work that previously required manual painting can now be completed directly during printing.
02
Seven-micron layer thickness, model details that hold up to scrutiny
Printing precision is another highlight of the CJ270.
Its nominal layer thickness is just 7μm, or 0.007mm. For models such as character figurines and miniature landscapes, finer layering helps present fine textures and complex structures.
To ensure the uniformity of each layer of material, the CJ270 also has a built-in industrial-grade leveling roller.
With each printed layer, the leveling roller scrapes away excess material, smoothing the surface before UV curing, making model edges and details clearer.
The CJ270’s build volume is 180×120×100mm. Although not large, it can already meet many production needs for small-sized models such as character figurines, miniature scenes, and product appearance prototypes.
03
Printheads can be replaced individually, no more maintenance headaches
For multi-printhead, multi-material 3D printing equipment, clogged nozzles, color cross-contamination, and material sedimentation are important issues affecting print quality and daily maintenance.
To address these problems, Flashforge has incorporated several practical designs into the CJ270.
First is automatic white ink stirring. When powered on, the CJ270 continuously stirs the white ink, reducing pigment sedimentation and lowering the risk of clogging.
Second is automatic printhead wiping and cleaning. The printhead is automatically wiped with each movement, and approximately every 2,000 movements, a brief nozzle cleaning is performed, reducing residual ink and color cross-contamination.
Additionally, the seven printheads support individual removal and replacement. If a printhead malfunctions, it can be repaired or replaced individually without replacing the entire set, reducing later maintenance costs.
It must be said that the CJ270 has been very thoughtful in terms of maintenance. Especially with the high-cost printheads supporting individual replacement, it’s more reassuring for long-term users.
04
From AI modeling to water-wash support removal—easier to get started
Beyond printing performance, the CJ270 has also made many optimizations in operating experience.
First is water-soluble support. After printing is complete, the model only needs to be soaked in water to gradually dissolve the support material, reducing the hassle of manual cleaning.
Second is a built-in activated carbon filter. This can reduce odors and airborne particles generated during printing, making office and studio environments more comfortable.
Additionally, the CJ270 supports AI-assisted modeling. Users can upload an image and use AI to generate a printable 3D model—even without professional modeling experience, they can try creating full-color works.
On the software side, the CJ270 works with ColorPrint, supporting model layout, color mapping, slicing, and task sending, and is compatible with Windows and macOS systems
05
Full-color 3D printing is moving toward the desktop
Full-color 3D printing is not a new technology—overseas manufacturers such as Mimaki have long offered professional equipment. But higher equipment prices, footprint, and maintenance costs have always limited its adoption in small and medium-sized studios.
What makes the CJ270 noteworthy is that Flashforge is attempting to make professional full-color 3D printing smaller, cheaper, and easier to maintain.
The launch price of 34,999 yuan lowers the purchasing barrier, and designs such as automatic stirring, automatic cleaning, and individually replaceable printheads also help reduce later maintenance costs.
In 3Dzyk’s view, the emergence of the CJ270 also shows a positive signal: professional full-color 3D printing is getting closer and closer to ordinary creators.
Final thoughts
If you’ve been waiting for a 3D printer that can sit on your desk, is easier to maintain, and prints full-color models right out of the machine, then the CJ270 is undoubtedly one of the few options on the market that you can buy directly.
Placed within the development history of desktop 3D printing, full color is undoubtedly a major trend, and user demand has actually always been there.
The key is who can be the first to lower the barrier and let more people truly use it.
And this time, Flashforge has stepped to the front first.
Full-color 3D printing—the desktop machine has arrived!
3dzyk