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Dec 15, 2016 | By Benedict

Beijing Tiertime Technology Co., Ltd., one of Asia’s leading 3D printing companies, has introduced a raft of updates for its line of UP 3D printers. Existing customers can enjoy new features like WiFi connectivity, smartphone control, and blackout recovery by replacing the CPUs of their 3D printers.

If you follow the desktop 3D printing world closely—whether from China or elsewhere in the world—there’s a good chance you’ll have heard of Beijing-based 3D printing company Tiertime and its line of UP 3D printers. Those machines, which cater to the needs of a wide range of users, include the UP Mini, the UP Plus 2, and the UP BOX. In 2016, the company introduced feature-packed updates to two of those machines in the form of the UP Mini 2 and UP BOX+, both of which include exciting new features like WiFi connectivity, smartphone-based operation, and blackout recovery. All well and good for customers buying the upgraded machines, but what of UP users still 3D printing on their first-generation machines?

Fortunately, Tiertime has always sought to maintain a positive relationship with its loyal customers, and has therefore decided to make many of the new UP 3D printing features available to owners of previous-generation machines. All these customers have to do is get themselves an UPgrade Kit, which they can use to swap out their old printer CPU with a new, updated version packed with newly developed features. In an age of enforced technological redundancy spearheaded by money-grabbing companies like Apple, the ability to upgrade a 3D printer without necessarily having to purchase an entirely new machine is certainly a breath of fresh air.

You can upgrade your UP Box 3D printer with the new UPgrade Kit

The UP Mini 3D printer can also be upgraded

For those hesitant about the prospect of cracking open their UP 3D printer to replace its CPU, Tiertime has put together a handy guide which explains, step by step, how to make the changeover. Better still, time should be no concern for makers looking to get the new UP features, since there are just four simple steps involved in the process. UP users just need to remove the back cover of their printer using an M2.5 hex key, after which they can carefully slide out the old CPU and replace it with the new one. Next, they should install the new UP Studio software on their computer. After this, the WiFi setting can be activated, and the final step simply involves registering and activating the new CPU.

Although Tiertime is making several of its newest 3D printing features—WiFi, smartphone operation, blackout recovery, and more—available on older models like the original UP Mini and UP BOX, there are a handful of new features on the UP Mini 2 and UP BOX+ which are entirely unique to the new models and cannot simply be installed with a new CPU. The UP BOX+, for example, comes with a redesigned print head, optimized for smooth, fast operation and minimal chance of jamming, as well as an improved metal frame, a higher filament capacity, (from 500g up to 1kg) and more supported printing materials.

Tiertime customers can upgrade their CPU (top) or invest in the new Up BOX+ (middle) or Up Mini 2 (bottom)

As well as making hardware improvements to the UP BOX with the UP BOX+, Tiertime has also made some mechanical adjustments to the UP Mini to make the UP Mini 2 a more rewarding overall 3D printing experience. The UP Mini 2 has a revamped mechanical design, which, amongst other advantages, allows users to print with layer thicknesses of just 0.15mm, while a new HEPA air filtration system helps keep the entire system healthy. Perhaps the most obvious change between the UP Mini and UP Mini 2, however, is its cosmetic revamp: the previously black 3D printer is now glistening white, with an added handle, spool container, and tool box making the new machine more practical as well as more stylish.

In 2015, Forbes rated Tiertime as one of the top 100 unlisted enterprises in China, and the 3D printing company has also received awards from Make magazine for its high-quality desktop 3D printers.

 

 

Posted in 3D Printer Accessories

 

 

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