May 2, 2018 | By David
Chinese 3D printing company eSUN has established a reputation as one of the industry’s leading lights, due to its broad range of 3D printing products for a variety of applications. The company was founded back in 2002, and has been developing 3D printing solutions for over 15 years across 3 high-tech R&D centers. Combining environmentally-friendly development processes with high-performance properties, eSUN’s solutions are aimed at meeting specific 3D printing needs, many of which are still relatively underserved. The company has recently made a new range of product packages and offers available, complementing its solid portfolio of hardware and materials.
eBOX + Respool + Refilament product package:
We reported last year on the release of the eBOX, a unique 3D printing filament storage solution that keeps material dry and dust-free. The eBOX/Respool/Refilament package has been generating a lot of buzz at this year’s Rapid + TCT show in Texas, where it was coupled with INTSERVO’s CR-10S 3D printer.
Plastic filaments tend to be hygroscopic, which means they take in a lot of moisture from the air and their surrounding environment. This moisture absorption can begin to cause problems when the filament is used for printing, causing bubbles, inconsistent layers, and even bad surface finishes. The eBOX addresses this issue by offering a way to keep the plastic material as moisture-free as possible.
It has an internal heating system, which will dry out a filament spool by evaporating moisture on its surface. Placing the spool within the eBOX’s special drying bag will also prevent any exposure to moisture in the first place. The eBOX can also be sealed in order to prevent filament’s exposure to dust particles, which could adversely affect the product’s quality.
The eBOX features a LCD display, which gives useful information about the filament stored within it. The temperature monitor and drying time will give an indication of how long it will take to restore the filament to its optimal condition. A weight sensor will also indicate how much of the filament has been used, so users know when it’s time to switch out the spool and avoid wasting filament due to incomplete prints.
Alongside the eBOX, eSUN is also offering the Respool and Refilament solutions, in a new product package which will make storage and maintenance of 3D printing material much easier and more efficient. The Respool and Refilament solutions prevent the filament reels from getting knotted or tangled, as well as optimizing the spool so no material is wasted. The combo package helped eSUN take the Rapid + TCT show by storm, as it offers a convenient, complete solution to a set of 3D printing problems that are overlooked all too often.
isun3d LTP 4.0 + eMate materials product package:
eSUN also develops innovative 3D printing hardware products, the most exciting of which is probably the isun3d LTP 3D printing pen 4.0. This is the latest version of the company’s portable 3D printer, offering a unique level of convenience and flexibility. Perfect for 3D printing novices or designers on the move, it enables users to draw in the air in order to create 3D objects and structures, without the need for an elaborate design workflow or long printing times. It provides quality 3D printing functionality without any need for the large workspace that a desktop 3D printer typically requires.
The isun3d LTP 4.0 has a one-button operation, and is compatible with the Android data cable and Android power adapter. It also works with a remote power source, making it truly portable, and it prints at a relatively low temperature, around 80 degrees Celsius. The pen is available with a range of different customizable color options, perfect for kids or creative types who want to personalize their hardware as much as possible.
The isun3d LTP 4.0 also comes packaged together with a special materials range, eMate. eMate material is a biodegradable material, which means that it is safe to use in terms of being non-toxic as well as environmentally friendly. It prints at a low temperature with a good level of flexibility.
DLP / LCD Printer + eResin-PLA material:
eSUN also has regular-sized DLP and LCD 3D printers, and these are available alongside eResin-PLA as part of a useful resin 3D printing package. Dental applications as well as jewelry manufacturing will be vastly improved with the use of this unique resin printing package.
The company’s affordable LCD machine has automatic bed levelling and an open modular structure, and has recently been upgraded with a new light source. The eSUN DLP machine has a unique intensive printing dot matrix, and can guarantee 50,000 hours of service life. Both these machines are particularly good for dental 3D printing applications.
As for the eResin-PLA, this is a PLA resin that is one of the first bio-based resins on the market. As well as the safety and environmentally-friendly qualities that come with materials formed from biological products, the resin offers high-precision printing, as well as good hardness and scratch resistance.
Filaments:
eSUN’s wide range of different filament products is aimed at meeting the needs of users from all over the 3D printing eco-system, from designers and hobbyists to manufacturers. Hugely popular in the Chinese market as well as further afield, eSUN filaments are characterized by their perfectly round shape, consistent diameter, high levels of tenacity, uniform color shades and stable melting points. eSUN’s manufacturing methods for materials are often innovative, as the company is focused not just on ensuring product quality but also safety for the user and for the environment.
eBamboo:
eSUN’s eBamboo material is an example of the company’s commitment to innovation and to creating 3D printing materials in a safe and sustainable way. The eBamboo material is pre-treated with plant fibers or powder as the main component, and then compounded with a polymer resin matrix. The resulting plant-plastic composite has a woody aroma and texture, and it is insect-proof as well as being good for the environment.
eTPU-98A:
Another eSUN material available for everyday use is the eTPU-98A filament, a TPU product which has passed the US FDA certification and offers an excellent level of hardness.
eSoluble:
A particular concern for everyday desktop 3D printing is the printing of support structures. When trying to achieve an elaborate shape with curves and overhangs, it’s often necessary to print a temporary structure that will support the weight of the main object while it’s in the process of printing. The materials specifically developed to make these support structures can fail to meet expectations, requiring a lot of physical labor or nasty chemicals to remove and often leaving behind marks on the printed surface.
eSUN’s eSoluble support material addresses this issue and has established a reputation as one of the best support materials on the market due to its easy removability. The filament dissolves completely in water, leaving behind no traces, and it will dissolve up to three times faster than comparable water-soluble filaments. Unlike other water-soluble materials it has a low level of hygroscopicity, making it much easier to store. eSoluble is compatible for printing with PLA, ABS, PETG and most other widely available FDM materials.
eClean:
Further showing its dedication to solving the specific 3D printing problems faced by everyday users, eSUN also offers eClean, a material intended for the cleaning of printer head nozzles. This materials has a level of viscosity which can bring out the residual material in the nozzle of the 3D printer’s print head, to prevent carbon residue from clogging the nozzle, especially when the high and low temperature materials are switched over. It has high thermal stability and can be normally extruded in the temperature range of 150 °C - 260 °C.
To meet the growing demands for high-performance engineering filaments, eSUN has a number of unique materials that offer impressive properties fine-tuned for specific applications.
ePA-CF:
To improve the strength of nylon filament, eSUN offers two high-performance reinforced nylon products. ePA-CF, the company’s 20 percent carbon fiber-reinforced nylon filament, prints smoothly with high precision, and best of all has a high level of flame retardancy, reaching the UL94-V2 flame retardant level.
ePA-GF:
ePA-GF is a nylon filament that has been reinforced with glass fibers, to make it significantly stronger than the average nylon 3D printing material. This is useful for industrial applications due to its high level of mechanical strength and resistance to heat, creep and fatigue. It’s ideal for developing automobile parts as well as being suitable for aerospace and other industries with a need for heat-resistant structural parts.
ePEEK:
Aimed at similar heavy engineering applications, the company’s ePEEK filament has unprecedented levels of ductility for plastic filaments, comparable to metal equivalents. The material is a semi-crystalline polymer with very high heat resistance, capable of being printed at temperatures up to 315 degrees Celsius.
eASA:
With a focus on electronics, architecture and furnishing applications, eSUN developed its unique eASA filament. This material has a similar structure to ABS, but has been modified to have improved mechanical and physical properties, such as good weather and UV resistance. It is also good at resisting dust build-up, due to its anti-static property.
eSUN also has a range of products that are identified as its "Star Products". These best-sellers are versions of the everyday 3D printing filaments that are most commonly used in the industry, with the company’s development process giving them an extra level of quality and performance that sets them apart.
PLA+:
PLA + is another of the company’s unique bio-materials. The filament is extracted from corn grain and so is naturally degradable and non-polluting to the environment. With a similar structure to PLA material, it offers a higher level of hardness and strength, with high rigidity and good surface gloss and smoothness. PLA + is particularly suited for large-model 3D printing, amongst other applications.
PETG:
Another Star Product is the company’s new PETG filament. This material is odorless when printing, and it has a good level of water repellency, high transparency and good gloss. The material has outstanding levels of toughness, and is environmentally-friendly like most eSUN products.
PVA:
(all images: eSUN)
Meeting demand for one of the most popular materials on the market, eSUN’s PVA filament is suitable for all FDM double extrusion head 3D printers, such as those manufactured by Makerbot, Up, RepRap, Cubify, and many other companies. It can be hydrolyzed at room temperature, with softness and safety, and has the same environmentally-friendly qualities that are the defining feature of eSUN’s product portfolio.
With such a broad range of advanced 3D printing solutions, we’re likely to see eSUN’s impact on the 3D printing world continue to grow in upcoming years. Its strong showing at this year’s Rapid + TCT expo is proof that innovation in production methods, paying attention to consumer needs, and particularly a focus on sustainability, will ensure continued success in an increasingly competitive 3D printing marketplace.
Posted in 3D Printer Company
Maybe you also like:
- Medtronic announces new TiONIC titanium 3D printing platform for spinal implants
- 3Doodler's new EDU Learning Pack Kits let kids design 3D objects in the classroom
- U.S. Marine Corps uses 3D printing to repair snowshoes for mountain training mission
- Israeli initiative uses 3D printing to help 12 injured veterans regain pleasures of life
- Engineer dad 3D prints prosthetics and $3 device to help disabled children skip, fish and play golf
- AZL Architects modernizes rural Chinese stone house with 3D printed pavilion
- Vader Systems unveils three new Magnet-o-Jet liquid metal AM systems
- 3D printed heart helps Rice students develop cutting-edge wireless pacemaker
Their filament box is a copy of the Filament Bunker, typical Chinese copy cats
3Ders.org provides the latest news about 3D printing technology and 3D printers. We are now seven years old and have around 1.5 million unique visitors per month.
