Key takeaways
- MJF is a powder process like SLS, but without a laser: inkjet heads print a fusing agent and a detailing agent onto the powder, then an infrared source sweeps the whole layer.
- The MJF 1200 has a 12-litre build — about 1.5× a Formlabs Fuse 1+ (165 × 165 × 300 mm, about 8.2 litres).
- There is one material at launch: HP 3D HR PA 12, made by Evonik. Others are to “follow after launch”.
- HP gives a maximum packing density of about 20 % by volume, with about 3 mm between parts. A full 12-litre build therefore holds at most about 2.4 litres of parts — the rest is powder.
- The printer price is one of four costs: hardware, powder, yearly service (~10 % of hardware), and power, floor space and dust control.
Ten years after the first Jet Fusion, HP has an MJF printer a design studio or a clinic can put in an ordinary room. That is how HP pitches the MJF 1200: the same core technology as its industrial systems, packaged in a smaller, cheaper machine with a guided workflow. If you are weighing in-house nylon against outsourcing, it is the newest number to put on the table.
How MJF works, and how it differs from SLS
MJF and SLS are both powder processes: the printer spreads a thin layer of nylon powder, fuses the part's cross-section, lowers the bed and spreads the next layer. Unfused powder supports the part, so no supports are needed — the shared strength of both, covered in the FDM vs resin vs SLS article.
The difference is how they fuse. SLS traces each line with a laser. MJF sweeps an inkjet array across the whole layer and prints two liquids: a fusing agent where the part should melt (it absorbs infrared), and a detailing agent along the part's edges to stop heat spreading and keep edges sharp. An infrared source then passes over the entire layer, and only the areas carrying fusing agent get hot enough to fuse.
What HP publishes
| HP Multi Jet Fusion 1200 | |
|---|---|
| Announced | 14 Apr 2026, RAPID + TCT |
| Build volume | 320 × 165 × 230 mm (12 L) |
| Build time | Under 12 h, Standard mode with HR PA 12 |
| Material at launch | HP 3D High Reusability PA 12 (Evonik); more to follow |
| Packing density | Up to ~20 % by volume, ~3 mm minimum spacing |
| Included | Natural Cooling Unit, Material Management System (automated unpacking and mixing), 2 material tanks, Magics Print for HP (Materialise) |
| Power | 200–240 V, 50/60 Hz, 2 × 16 A recommended |
| Printer price | Below $60,000 (US and EU) |
| Powder price | From about $100/kg |
| Yearly service | About 10 % of hardware price |
| Availability | Early 2027 |
Next to a desktop SLS
| HP MJF 1200 | Formlabs Fuse 1+ 30W | |
|---|---|---|
| Process | MJF (agents + infrared) | SLS (laser) |
| Build volume | 320 × 165 × 230 mm | 165 × 165 × 300 mm |
| Volume | ~12.1 L | ~8.2 L |
| Status | Shipping early 2027 | On sale |
The MJF 1200's build is wide and low: 320 mm in one direction fits a long handle or enclosure that a Fuse 1+ would have to angle or split. Parts taller than 230 mm, on the other hand, won't fit.
How many parts a 12-litre build really holds
This is the number most easily misread. 12 litres is the powder chamber, not the volume of parts. HP gives a maximum packing density of about 20 % by volume, with about 3 mm minimum spacing. So at best, a full build holds about 2.4 litres of parts; the rest is support powder, recovered and blended with fresh powder for the next build. Large, hollow or awkward parts pack far less densely.
A powder printer is cheapest when full. A half-empty build still costs nearly the full cooling time and a fixed amount of fresh powder.
That holds for every powder printer, not just HP. The outsource-or-invest article splits the real cost of a desktop SLS into three layers: the printer, powder at the mandatory refresh rate, and post-processing equipment. The MJF 1200 adds one HP spells out: service at about 10 % of the hardware price per year — under $6,000 a year if the printer is under $60,000.
When the MJF 1200 is worth considering
- Steady weekly nylon work, enough to run near-full builds. If it is a few parts a month, sending files to a shop with an MJF or SLS machine is far cheaper — the print farm directory filters by MJF.
- Functional parts, no supports, complex geometry: print-in-place joints, internal channels, small batches of dozens.
- Space and power: two 16 A circuits and a separate area for powder handling. Fine nylon powder needs controlling as described in the fumes and particles article.
- Living with one material at first. If your work needs TPU, PA 11 or filled grades, wait for HP's material list.
If your part can be printed on FDM, carbon-fibre nylon or PA6-GF and PC on an FDM printer with a heated chamber is still a much smaller investment. MJF earns its keep where FDM can't: no supports, uniform surfaces in every direction, and batches of parts stacked in one build. How to price a part to compare the two is in the print cost article.
Announced alongside
Also at RAPID + TCT 2026, HP announced a High Productivity mode raising Jet Fusion 5600 output by 20 %, HR PA 12 Glass Beads for that series, two-tone white and grey printing (MJF Dual Tone, planned for late 2026), and general availability of the Industrial Filament 600 HT printer in the US and Canada.
Frequently asked
How much does the HP MJF 1200 cost?
HP states a launch price below $60,000 in the US and EU, HR PA 12 powder from about $100/kg, and yearly service at about 10 % of the hardware price.
When is the HP MJF 1200 available?
HP plans availability from early 2027 and notes the date is subject to change.
How is MJF different from SLS?
Both fuse nylon powder layer by layer without supports. SLS traces each line with a laser; MJF inkjets a fusing agent and a detailing agent, then fuses the whole layer with an infrared source.
What materials does the HP MJF 1200 print?
At launch only HP 3D High Reusability PA 12, made by Evonik. HP says further materials will follow after launch.
What is the HP MJF 1200 build volume?
320 × 165 × 230 mm, about 12 litres. HP gives a maximum packing density of about 20 % by volume, so a full build holds about 2.4 litres of parts.