EnvisionTEC Introduces New 3D Printer Models and Software Update at formnext

This year’s formnext is about to begin, and even though we’ve been hearing announcements of innovative new products and 3D printers ahead of the show for months now, there are still plenty more to come as the event kicks off in Frankfurt. Global 3D printer manufacturer EnvisionTEC is there, and is introducing two larger, production-ready versions of its popular 3D printer models, the Perfactory and the cDLM, which will now be able to support more throughput.

EnvisionTEC CEO Al Siblani said, “Our larger new models will give our customers even more speed and throughput as DLP-style printing technologies continue their rapid growth in the 3D printing industry. Because of our commitment to innovation and delivering value, EnvisionTEC’s 3D printing business is stronger than ever.”

The popular Perfactory family, introduced 15 years ago, is now on its fourth generation with the introduction of the new Perfactory 4 LED XXL, and comes in a multitude of configurations, with the XY resolution down to 10 microns. In addition, the line is also able to 3D print with the largest range of the company’s materials, including ones that are biocompatible, castable, durable, and heat resistant, among other characteristics; for instance, its new E-Shore A material is tear-resistant and waterproof, making it good for applications in footwear and rubber seals.

The new Perfactory 4 LED XXL will help EnvisionTEC hang on to its lead of offering the largest DLP 3D printer on the market, with a build area of 9″ x 5.7″ x 7.9″; it also features an XY resolution of 60 microns with EnvisionTEC’s ERM 3D printing technology.

EnvisionTEC is launching two larger versions of its popular 3D printer
models at formnext 2017, the Perfactory 4 LED XXL and the Vida cDLM.

Additionally, EnvisionTEC is introducing the newest addition to its patented, high-speed Continuous Digital Light Manufacturing (cDLM) machine family – the Vida cDLM, with an XY resolution of 76 microns and a build area of 5.7″ x 3.2″ x 3.9″. This desktop printer expands the company’s cDLM line, already consisting of the Micro Plus cDLM and the Vida HD cDLM, to a total of three 3D printer models, all of which can print at speeds from 10 to 20 minutes an inch in the Z axis across the whole build envelope.

EnvisionTEC now sells over 40 configurations of 3D printers, based on six different technologies, all of which work for a variety of applications. The Vida cDLM, and the Perfactory 4 LED XXL for that matter, are both good choices for direct 3D printing a variety of applications, from investment casting patterns, manufacturing aids, and molds and tooling to functional prototypes, medical devices like hearing aids, and final end-use parts.

If you thought these new 3D printer models were the only thing EnvisionTEC had up its sleeve for this year’s formnext, think again – the company’s experienced 3D printing software development team, based out of Germany and Ukraine, has been developing the new Perfactory Software Suite (PSS) 3.2 for over a year, and finally unveils it at formnext.

The new Observer feature in Perfactory Software Suite 3.2 allows users to prepare,
manage and edit print jobs across numerous 3D printers on a network.

PSS allows EnvisionTEC users to prepare, monitor, and manage print jobs on several 3D printers, and the new upgrade supports the company’s wide range of 3D printing technologies, including its 3D-Bioplotter, 3SP, cDLM, Desktop, Perfactory, and Viridis 3D printers, at volume production. PSS 3.2 comes with a new Observer feature, which will identify other network EnvisionTEC 3D printers by name and type, and show a progress bar, and estimated completion time, for each print job; the feature also lets users rearrange and cancel print jobs.

EnvisionTEC CEO Al Siblani

“Our new software suite with Observer demonstrates that we are listening to customers and delivering the tools they need to continue 3D printing’s ultimate evolution to full production. Our 3D printers have been used for mass customization production for more than a decade. Now, Observer will make it easier to manage a factory floor full of 3D printers processing multiple jobs,” said Siblani.

The new PSS 3.2 has all of the functionality of the company’s RP software, which has let users translate digital parts in STL files to a print job through its proprietary Build Style approach for the past 15 years. This approach controls roughly two dozen machine parameters, optimized for specific material and printer combinations, so an object will be built with the correct material on the correct printer.

In addition, this software update adds support for the 3MF file format, and has specific software controls for high-speed 3D printing with the company’s cDLM technology, so accurate printing is achieved across the whole build envelope. PSS 3.2 also has multiple exposure strategy enhancements for different patterns, along with several new tools, like the ability to rescale the part size and clip prints in all three axes; users can also inspect the layers, and see which features were applied, thanks to the software’s new job inspector.

To get a closer look at the updated PSS 3.2 software, the Vida cDLM 3D printer, and the Perfactory 4 LED XXL 3D printer, visit EnvisionTEC at formnext this week at stand E10 in Hall 3.1 in Messe Frankfurt.

3DPrint.com is at formnext this week, working to bring you all of the latest announcements right from the showroom floor.

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