Stratasys considers the Fortus 360mc and 400mc end of life because more than seven years have passed since the machines’ end of sale on February 18, 2016. Stratasys no longer offers service contracts for these machines, but they can still be serviced. Pivot AM Service supports the Fortus 360mc and 400mc with parts, repairs, maintenance contracts, and upgrades, so owners don’t need to trade in a machine that still runs well.
Many owners are being told by Stratasys and its resellers that the 360mc and 400mc are end of life and that it’s time to upgrade to a Fortus 380mc, 450mc, or F770. Before you make that decision, here’s what end of life actually means and what your options are.
Stratasys’s End of Life Policy for the Fortus 360mc and 400mc
Stratasys’s policy is to provide technical support for a minimum of seven years after a machine’s end of sale date. For the Fortus 360mc and 400mc, end of sale was February 18, 2016, so that minimum period ended in February 2023.
According to Stratasys’s current product lifecycle classification:
| Machine | End of sale | Stratasys support policy | Service contracts | Materials |
| Fortus 360mc / 400mc | February 18, 2016 | Minimum 7 years after end of sale | Not available | Available |
Stratasys’s policy also states:
- After the technical support period, machines on time and material coverage are serviced on a best effort basis, depending on spare part availability
- When Stratasys doesn’t offer a service contract after the support period, it doesn’t guarantee the availability of spare parts or the know-how to service the machine
- Before an on-site time and material visit, a Stratasys representative will tell you if needed parts and skills might not be available, and it’s up to you how to proceed
Policies can change, so if OEM service is important to your decision, confirm the current details directly with Stratasys.
How Long Stratasys Supports the Fortus 360mc and 400mc
Stratasys’s guaranteed minimum support period for the 360mc and 400mc ended in February 2023. Stratasys no longer offers service contracts for these machines, and any OEM service now is on a best effort, time and material basis, depending on whether parts are available. Stratasys still lists materials as available.
Maintenance Contracts for the Fortus 360mc and 400mc
Stratasys no longer offers maintenance contracts for the Fortus 360mc and 400mc. You can still get a maintenance contract from an independent provider. Pivot AM offers preventative maintenance contracts for Fortus machines that turn maintenance into a fixed, predictable cost.
What Happens When Stratasys Stops Supporting Your Fortus 360mc
When Stratasys stops supporting a Fortus 360mc, the machine keeps working. What changes is where you get parts and service.
What changes after OEM support ends:
- No OEM service contracts are available
- OEM repairs become best effort and depend on parts availability
- Some OEM parts may be listed as out of stock
- Repair quotes may favor replacing full assemblies
What doesn’t change:
- The machine still prints production quality parts
- Materials are still available
- Independent parts, repairs, and maintenance contracts are available
Is the Fortus 360mc Truly End of Life?
No. The Fortus 360mc is end of life only in terms of OEM support. As a machine, it can still be serviced, repaired, and upgraded. Pivot AM Service is committed to supporting the Fortus 360mc and 400mc for at least the next five years.
After all, the best 3D printer is often one that’s already paid for. If your 360mc or 400mc runs well, you don’t need to trade it in just because the OEM has moved on.
In a notable twist, Stratasys has also begun selling refurbished Fortus 360mc and 400mc units as part of its Fortus refurbishment program, after previously indicating these platforms would be discontinued. See our full take on that reversal.
Fortus 400mc vs 450mc: Should You Upgrade or Keep Running?
For most shops, keeping a well-running Fortus 400mc makes more sense than upgrading to a 450mc. The 400mc is paid off, robust, and supported by independent service, and in our experience, the 450mc isn’t faster.
Reasons to keep your 400mc:
- It’s likely fully depreciated and paid off
- In our field experience, the 380mc and 450mc were more heavily cost-engineered and aren’t as robust as the 400mc
- The 450mc isn’t faster than the 400mc
- The 450mc limits advanced build controls many experienced users rely on, such as fine-tuning supports and sparse fill
- Running both machines means managing two types of materials inventory
When upgrading can make sense:
- You need a feature only the newer machine offers
- You no longer want to manage an older machine
For the full comparison, see our guide on whether to retain or replace a Classic or T Class Fortus 360mc or 400mc.
Is the Fortus 450mc Faster or Better Than the 400mc?
In our experience, the Fortus 450mc is not faster than the 400mc. The 450mc offers a simpler user experience, but it limits some advanced controls that experienced 400mc users rely on, and we’ve found the 380mc and 450mc to be less robust than the earlier T Class machines.
Whether the 450mc is “better” depends on your needs. For teams with proven 400mc workflows, the upgrade often doesn’t bring a real gain in speed or capability.
Material Canister Differences Between the Fortus 400mc and 450mc
The Fortus 400mc and 450mc use the same style of material canister, but with different encryption. Each canister has an EEPROM chip, and the 450mc chip is not compatible with the 400mc.
If you keep your 400mc and add a 450mc, you’ll need to manage inventory for:
- Two types of canister EEPROM chips
- Two types of foundation (build) sheets
That adds cost and complexity for teams running both machines side by side.
Upgrading a Fortus 360mc to a 400mc
Yes. Pivot AM can upgrade a Fortus 360mc to a Fortus 400mc. The upgrade gives the 360mc the full 400mc material options, including ULTEM 9085 and ULTEM 1010, and can also expand the smaller 360mc build envelope to its full size equivalent.
Other upgrades available for 360mc and 400mc machines:
- Material unlocks for access to the full range of compatible thermoplastics
- Build volume expansion
- Increasing material capacity from 2 bays to 4 bays
For materials, Pivot AM also offers Argyle FDM material for Stratasys machines.
Spare Parts for the Fortus 360mc and 400mc After End of Life
Yes. You can still get spare parts for a Fortus 360mc or 400mc after end of life. Pivot AM keeps a warehouse stocked with Fortus spare parts, including build envelope bulbs, brushes, flickers, tips, blowers, head feed motors, and drive block feed motors.
We also sell drive block motors individually, rather than requiring you to replace the whole drive block. See repairing faulty Fortus motors versus replacing entire drive blocks.
Who Supports the Fortus 360mc and 400mc After Stratasys Stops Service
Pivot AM Service supports the Fortus 360mc and 400mc after Stratasys ends service. We provide spare parts, spot repairs, on-site service, depot repair, preventative maintenance contracts, and upgrades for these T Class machines.
If you prefer to get maintenance and materials from Stratasys or its resellers, you still can, within the limits of Stratasys’s current policy. Materials are still listed as available, while OEM service is now best effort and depends on parts.
What Resellers Are Telling Fortus 360mc and 400mc Owners
Customers tell us that Stratasys and its resellers, including PADT, CATI, GoEngineer, and TriMech, have been telling them the Fortus 360mc and 400mc are end-of-life and recommending an upgrade to a Fortus 380mc, 450mc, or F770.
That recommendation reflects the end of OEM support, not the machine’s ability to keep producing. Before upgrading, consider the cost of a new machine, the downtime and retraining involved, and whether independent service can keep your current machine running for years to come.
Is Trading In a Fortus 400mc Worth It When Buying a 450mc?
Trading in a Fortus 400mc is usually not the best deal. A reseller’s trade-in credit is often an upgrade incentive, and you can often get more total value by taking the discount and selling your machine separately.
How to get more value if you’re buying a 450mc:
- Ask the reseller for a trade-in value on your 400mc
- Ask them to apply that value as a discount instead, since you plan to keep or sell your existing machine
- Sell your 400mc to Pivot AM
- You get the reseller discount and the revenue from your machine sale
For full transparency, we won’t pay the same amount as a reseller’s trade-in credit, because that credit is often inflated as an incentive to upgrade. But whatever we pay comes on top of the reseller discount.
How to Get the Best Deal When Replacing a Fortus 360mc or 400mc
To get the best deal when replacing a Fortus 360mc or 400mc, compare new and pre-owned options, turn any trade-in credit into a discount, and sell your existing machine separately.
- Consider pre-owned: Pivot AM has pre-owned 450mc systems that cost less than new. See our refurbished Stratasys printers
- Convert trade-in credit to a discount and sell your old machine separately
- Get an appraisal so you know what your current machine is worth through our 3D printer appraisal service
- Price out keeping it with independent maintenance and upgrades before you commit
Talk to Pivot AM Before You Upgrade
Whether you want to keep your Fortus 360mc or 400mc running, upgrade it, or replace it at the best price, Pivot AM Service can help. Call 641-780-5686 or 888-928-6811, email info@pivotam.com, or request a quote.
Stratasys provides technical support for a minimum of seven years after end of sale. The 360mc and 400mc reached end of sale on February 18, 2016; service contracts are no longer available, and OEM service is now best effort depending on spare part availability.
Stratasys’s minimum support period ended in February 2023. OEM service is now offered on a best-effort, time-and-materials basis, and materials are still listed as available.
No. Stratasys lists service contracts for the Fortus 360mc and 400mc as not available. Independent providers like Pivot AM still offer maintenance contracts.
The machine keeps working. OEM service contracts end and OEM repairs depend on parts availability, but independent parts, repairs, and maintenance contracts are still available.
It can still be serviced. End of life refers to OEM support, not the machine. Pivot AM is committed to supporting the 360mc and 400mc for at least the next five years.
For most shops, keep the 400mc. It’s usually paid off, it’s robust, and in Pivot AM’s experience, the 450mc isn’t faster and limits some advanced build controls.
In Pivot AM’s experience, the 450mc is not faster than the 400mc. It offers a simpler interface but limits some advanced controls, and the 380mc and 450mc are less robust than the earlier T Class machines.
Yes. Pivot AM stocks Fortus 360mc and 400mc parts, including tips, brushes, flickers, blowers, bulbs, head feed motors, and drive block motors.
Customers report that Stratasys resellers describe the 360mc and 400mc as end-of-life and recommend upgrading to a 380mc, 450mc, or F770. That reflects the end of OEM support, not the end of the machine’s usable life.
Yes. Pivot AM can upgrade a Fortus 360mc to a 400mc, including the 400mc material options and a full-size build envelope.
An upgraded 360mc can run the full 400mc material set, including ULTEM 9085 and ULTEM 1010.
Usually not. Ask the reseller to convert the trade-in credit into a discount, then sell your 400mc separately to get both the discount and the sale proceeds.
Pivot AM Service supports these machines with spare parts, spot repairs, on-site service, depot repair, maintenance contracts, and upgrades.
They use the same canister style but different encryption. The 450mc canister EEPROM chip isn’t compatible with the 400mc, so running both means stocking two chip types and two types of foundation sheets.
Compare pre-owned options, convert any trade-in credit into a discount, sell your existing machine separately, and get an appraisal so you know what it’s worth.
