Tiertime Showcasing Three New 3D Printers at Upcoming RAPID + TCT

Chinese 3D printer manufacturer Tiertime, headquartered in Beijing, is a pioneer in the country’s additive manufacturing market, making headlines first with its UP BOX 3D printer and then its new and improved UP Mini 2, which was globally released not long after its introduction. The innovative company even tried its hand at a microgravity 3D printer, based on its UP Plus 2, a few years back.

Tiertime aims to provide affordable, easy-to-use, and high-quality 3D printing solutions to companies in multiple fields, including architecture, education, engineering, and medicine. With its global distribution network serving more than 50 countries, the word has been getting out about the company.

Tiertime is headed to RAPID + TCT in Fort Worth, Texas later this month. The company, which also provides manufacturing and prototyping solutions in addition to 3D printers, plans to announce three new additions to its lineup at the event, along with a new software/hardware combination called Tiertime Print Queue.

UP Mini 2 ES

The first of these new 3D printers is the UP Mini 2 ES, an updated version of its UP Mini 2.

“The mini 2’s feature set, ease-of-use, and reliability have made it popular, particularly among educators and professionals operating on a nominal budget,” said Joseph Guo, International Sales and Marketing Director, Tiertime Corporation. “Updating a best-seller to take advantage of contemporary hardware and software was a priority.”

The compact 3D printer is currently in production at the company’s factory.

UP300

The new UP300 is larger than the UP Mini 2 ES, featuring a build volume of 205 × 255 × 225 mm and an improved air filtration system, with separate HEPA and activated filters that recirculate the air in the build chamber to reduce UFP and VOC emissions.

“The UP300 is more industrial than our previous efforts. It is designed for professionals seeking reliable, quality printing with multiple materials. It features our tightest enclosure to date, maximizing build chamber temperature stability,” Guo explained. “It also comes with an interchangeable print surface that is glass on one side and traditional perf board on the other, another first for Tiertime.”

The 3D printer has three specific extruders – one each for TPU, PLA, and ABS materials – and a dual extruder option is currently in the works for a later release. As user demand grows for certain materials, the UP300’s interchangeable print head design handily allows for extruder development in the future. The UP300 is scheduled for release later in 2018.

Finally, Tiertime is introducing what it refers to as its “crowning achievement” for the year – the continuous X5 3D printing system, which combines the features customers expect from Tiertime, like ease of use and air filtration, with short-run production.

“Years ago we recognized the value of inexpensive 3D printing in a low-volume manufacturing environment,” said Guo. “The X5 was designed from the ground up with this in mind. The machine fully realizes the potential of the Tiertime Print Queue and is intended to be a workhorse, grinding out print jobs one after another with as little hassle as possible.”

The X5, also scheduled to be released this year, is a fully enclosed, continuous 3D printer, featuring a unique print bed vault with several spare beds inside. Once a print job is completed, the used bed is expelled from the 3D printer’s side and automatically replaced by the new Tiertime Print Queue, so it’s ready for the next job.

A side door on the vault allows for the insertion of previously used and cleaned print beds, so production is nearly nonstop. The X5 also ensures continuous printing with its ability to handle filament spools up to 2 kg, for little required spool and vault maintenance.

While very different from each other, the X5, the UP300, and the UP Mini 2 ES all share four common features – compatibility with Tiertime Print Queue, an Ethernet port for wired LAN connectivity, an extra USB port so users can load 3D models from their memory sticks, and a more advanced touchscreen display.

“Our engineers are constantly thinking of new abilities they want to add to our hardware and software,” Guo said. “We needed a way to inject fresh GUI elements into a printer’s touchscreen so users could take advantage of future technology upgrades. The 2018 touchscreens aren’t just an improvement over previous models. They are a method of rapidly deploying enhancements to existing 3D printer investments.”

This year’s model touchscreens allow users to update programming within each 3D printer’s hardware, so they can take advantage of any future upgrades through printer-to-printer communications, interoperability, and maintenance.

A user interface is included in the new Tiertime Print Queue, in order to control multiple print jobs assigned in a series by authorized users.

The X5 includes these four new enhancements to the company’s line of innovative 3D printers, along with a third USB port for options like a USB camera, which will allow users to remotely monitor their print jobs.

To see Tiertime’s new 3D printers for yourself, visit the company at booth #2230 at RAPID + TCT, which runs April 24-26. Staff members will be on hand to demonstrate the new systems, as well as answer any questions and provide additional information. 3DPrint.com will also be attending the event.

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