Dec 1, 2015 | By Alec
With the potential of other making machines such as CNC mills and laser cutters being rediscovered by many makers, a number of developers are seeking to meet that enthusiasm with multi-purpose making machines that usually feature a number of interchangeable modules on an classic 3D printer body. While that usually means slightly sacrificing on the quality of all those individual tools, the opposite seems to be true for a machine that has just come out of the workshops of Fused Machines in Portland. Called the Orsus, this making machine combines 3D printing and CNC milling into a single high quality desktop package, without sacrificing on 3D printing quality. In fact, its developers estimate that printing precision is up to 80 percent higher than regular desktop FDM machines, while it is up to 25 percent faster with results being up to three times smoother.
Now those stats certainly caught our eye. Fused Machines itself is a startup founded by Nathan Fuller, Michael Williams and Andy Baldwin and is based in Portland, Oregon. They have just gone live with their website today, with the first ten Orsus mini factories being available as early bird specials right now for just $2500 each.
So what makes the Orsus so impressive? Well, instead of taking a 3D printer and adding a CNC toolhead, the guys from Fused Machines have instead fully integrated the technologies into a single machine They call it Dual Sculpting Technology or DST. ‘DST is the combination of automatically switching additive and subtractive manufacturing tools in one machine. This allows for many of the freedoms additive manufacturing allows, with the benefits of traditional machining processes to achieve 0.005” precision and high quality surface finish that has eluded other FDM printers,’ they tell us. ‘Orsus is more than just a 3D printer, it's a desktop machine shop.’
What’s more, it seems to have all the elements it needs to make those promises come true. The 3D printing side of the equation relies on an all-metal hotend and a 600W precision ground heated bed. ‘Orsus parts find a strong foundation in a BuildTak mat atop a precision-ground aluminum plate heated by six times the industry standard heater power,’ the makers explain, which enables users to 3D print just about any material they want. While most dual-function machines are limited to PLA and ABS, this means that even nylon and polycarbonate filaments are absolutely possible. The CNC Machining option, meanwhile, relies on a 150W CNC spindle that is perfect for the regular foams, woods and plastics, but even for metal parts and circuit board etching.
But the real kicker is in the combination of the two technologies. ‘The true power of Orsus is in Fused Machines’ signature DST. By returning to finished prints, the Orsus can automatically give you machine shop grade results on your desktop. Additionally, optimizations made possible by DST make it possible to produce finished parts in less time than with other “high resolution” FDM solutions,’ the Portland engineers tell us.
What’s more, the Orsus machine features a fully enclosed build platform that not only increases print reliability by keeping temperatures optimal, but it also minimizes noise and waste – important when milling hard materials, as you can see in the clip below. Combine that with a custom software solution called InSpec, the Orsus definitely seems like a very good option for those of you looking for a dual action machine.
If you’re interested in the Orsus, head over to the Fused Machines website now, where the very limited early bird versions can be found. The full specifications of the Orsus can be found below.
- Fabrication technology: Dual Sculpting Technology (DST), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), CNC Milling
- Printable materials: PLA (nonmachinable), metalfill PLA, ABS, Nylon, Polycarbonate, PET, Polypropylene
- Additional machinable materials: woods, plastics, machining wax, foams, FR4 (for PCB etching)
- Build Envelope: 200x250x200mm LxWxH (7.8x9.8x7.8in)
- Collet size (for machining tool): ER11
- Frame construction: 6061 Aluminum
- Bed material: MIC6 Aluminum
- Heated bed: Yes, 600 watt
- Control software: Fused Machines’ InSpec (free seat provided w/ Orsus)
- Printer dimensions: 430x490x500mm LxWxH (16.9x19.3x19.7in)
Posted in 3D Printer
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wouldn't it be better to mill every layer in terms of formal freedom?
Fused Machines wrote at 12/2/2015 8:01:33 PM:
Thanks for the great article, Alec. Happy to answer any questions people have!
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