Prepared by:
ShapingBits
shapingbits.com
Contact:
Bogdan Diaconescu
bogdan@shapingbits.com
+1 702-660-9013
ShapingBits announces 3FXtrud Duo desktop 3D printer with advanced features for
true free-form and multi-material additive manufacturing
Albuquerque, NM April 14, 2015 – ShapingBits is announcing the release of 3FXtrud Duo, the
companion of user-friendly single extruder 3FXtrud Uno. The new 3FXtrud Duo is a fully featured 3D
printer, designed to push the boundary of what is achievable with desktop additive manufacturing.
3FXtrud Duo is a dual extruder, true free-form fabrication 3D printer, with advanced features for 3D
printing with the largest variety of engineering thermoplastic materials, a tool for professionals
wanting the most capability within one system. It builds functional objects with material properties
matching your applications, from soft and compressible (rubbery) to hard and high strength, and from
low to high melting temperature. It is the next generation of multi-material capable, high resolution,
fast, safe, commercial grade, and easy to use desktop 3D printer.
The quality of the 3D printed objects depends heavily on the positional accuracy of the printing head
with respect to the printing platform, the precision with which the material is deposited, the range of
materials supported, which translates in the desired physical properties of the object printed, and
ability to control the environment around the building platform to reduce thermal stresses in
between the 3D printed layers of materials, therefore improving part's strength. ShapingBits 3FXtrud
Dou printers set a new standard in positional accuracy, material deposition control, have the largest
range of materials supported for a desktop 3D printer, and provide thorough control of the printing
environment.
At the core of 3FXtrud Duo is an advanced multi-material dual extruder printing head with an allmetal construction that excels at printing the largest range of thermoplastics, from renewable to
specialty engineering grade thermoplastics. It was specifically designed to print thermoplastic
materials with very different physical properties, from high-strength specialty engineering
thermoplastics to flexible to soft (rubbery), from low temperature renewable plastics to high
temperature engineering materials. It can print FDA approved materials. The extruders on the
ShapingBits 3FXtrud Duo have been designed to provide low maintenance and prolonged utilization,
by reducing stripping, skipping and jamming, and employs a tool-less constant force filament feeding
system that is simple to use and setup for different materials.
True Free-Form Fabrication (3F) can be achieved when any shape can be printed. 3FXtrud Duo uses a
multi-material dual extruder thus can print a large number of thermoplastics along with any two
combinations of such materials. With 3FXtrud Duo you can print any 3D geometry with overhangs,
bridges, internal spaces with internal objects, all possible by using dissolvable support materials.
A high temperature heated bed that can sustain up to 130 °C continuously with an extremely flat
removable glass surface is used for improved adhesion and to prevent warping for a large range of
thermoplastic materials. A fully enclosed build volume that eliminates air drafts and provides a stable
air temperature profile by trapping the heat is improving 3D printed object’s quality by minimizing
interlayer stress in the built objects which results in stronger parts. The users have the option of
installing a particle and activated carbon air filter with air temperature homogenizer for odor free
operation and even more uniform temperature profile for the enclosure, and, for the mavericks
wanting even more control and desire to work with experimental materials, a closed loop air
temperature conditioner for extended enclosure air temperature range.
Supported materials at this moment are: ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), Nylon (aliphatic
polyamides), TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), TPE (Thermoplastic elastomers), PC (Polycarbonate),
PC-ABS (Polycarbonate - ABS blends), HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene), PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol), PLA
(Polylactic acid), PETT poly(ethylene-co-trimethylene terephthalate), PLA metal/ceramics blends, PLA
wood, PLA Carbon Fiber, PLA Conductive, ABS Conductive. FDA approved materials can also be 3d
printed.
3FXtrud Dou are the evolutive result of five+ generations of 3D printers extensively tested with every
single supported material. Some of our previous printers are in use by makers and engineers in their
homes, research labs, companies (from Sandia National Labs to toy companies), and universities.
ShapingBits develops and markets desktop 3D printers and their multi-material 3D printers are used
by makers, engineers, and researchers in their homes, research labs, companies, and universities
(from Sandia National Laboratory to toy companies to R/C scale parts shops).
For additional information please visit www.shapingbits.com.
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