Jan 5, 2016 | By Kira

CES 2016 kicked off today in Las Vegas and already, new 3D printing innovations, 3D printed projects and major 3D printer launches have begun rushing in. Following its highly successful Ultimaker 2 and larger-format Ultimaker 2 Extended 3D printers, the Dutch 3D printer manufacturer has today launched its most advanced 3D printers yet: the Ultimaker 2+ and Ultimaker 2 Extended+.

Though their names are marked only by a somewhat unassuming plus sign, Ultimaker’s new 3D printer models boast several significant improvements and new key features that will enable faster and easier 3D printing across an incredibly wide range of 3D printing projects and needs.

Most notable amongst these new features are the interchangeable nozzles, which, within seconds, allow 3D print enthusiasts to work with a variety of different 3D printing materials and to choose between either highly detailed prints or high speed prints.

The interchangeable nozzle was first introduced to Ultimaker by Swedish researcher and inventor Anders Olsson, who just a few months ago created the Olsson Block, a custom-made threaded replacement block for his Ultimaker 2 that allowed him to remove and switch-in a brand new nozzle within seconds. Now the powerful 3D printer add-on comes standard with all Ultimaker 2+ and Extended+ 3D printer models.

This key interchangeable nozzle feature will allow Ultimaker users to swap nozzles on-demand and go from 600 micron layer thickness all the way down to a finely detailed 20 microns. Users can also use separate nozzles for different materials, choosing harder nozzles for more abrasive filaments and therefore persevering the overall shelf life of their existing nozzles. All in all, it’s a tiny tool with a big impact on increasing 3D printing efficiency.

Other key enhancements to the Ultimaker 2+ and Ultimaker 2 Extended+ 3D printers are a powerful geared feeder, which pushes the filament into the print head with ease, giving users the freedom to quickly control pressure depending on whether they are using harder or softer filaments; and a newly optimized cooling system that helps to improve surface quality by reducing the likelihood that prints will shift during production. Finally, a 35 Watt heater cartridge helps heat the nozzle in under a minute and allows for extremely fast printing.

Ultimaker 2+ Geared Feeder

Ulimaker 2+ fancaps

According to the company, which has a large 3D community following and has been a strong advocate for open source creation and creativity, the DNA of their newest and most advanced 3D printers is “a testament to the community-driven energy that went into creating them.”

“We are excited to release two new 3D printers at CES this year,” said Jos Burger, CEO of Ultimaker. “The Ultimaker 2+ and Ultimaker 2 Extended+ are the result of countless collaborations and insightful feedback we’ve received from the Ultimaker community. Both printers feature crucial upgrades based on what our customers are looking for in a 3D printer.”

“Ever since we started we have a strong passion for being open source, sharing our ideas and listening to the creativity and suggestions of our community to improve our printers” said the company in its product launch statement. “This process has continually pushed the boundaries and made our innovative solutions possible."

Both the Ultimaker 2+ and Ultimaker 2 Extended+ are available for purchase worldwide as of today, and will retain the same prices as the previous models, with the Ultimaker2+ (build volume: 223 x 223 x 205 mm) retailing for $2,499 and the Ultimaker 2 Extended+ (build volume: 223 x 223 x 305mm) retailing at $3,030.

 

 

Posted in 3D Printer

 

 

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mike wrote at 1/6/2016 7:37:37 PM:

I thought they will relase dual hotend or something more groundbreaking.

RC wrote at 1/6/2016 2:05:35 PM:

I had expected them to add autoleveling/calibration. This reduces the possibility of print failure and increases usability.

sander van schie wrote at 1/6/2016 10:18:40 AM:

In the article, the nozzle sizes have been confused with the layer size: the layer sizes can be 20u to 600u and the nozzle sizes can be 250u to 800u



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