At last we’re delighted to announce the launch of our dual-material printing head that will allow users to print in two different materials simultaneously for the first time. The new 3D printer head is available for pre-order today to both new and existing customers as an upgrade option.
Loyal customers who pre-ordered the new head months ago will be the first to receive this new technology.
The new 3D printer head retains the same form-factor as the existing Robox head and uses CEL’s proprietary needle-valve system, allowing it to start and stop printing better than any other printer head on the market.
This latest addition to CEL’s market-leading Robox 3D printer means users can print designs that were previously unprintable, as well as creating models using two different colours or even two dissimilar materials.
This also means the Robox can now print a softer scaffold material around a harder material, allowing users to print items with, for example, a small footing or complex designs that would have been previously impossible. Users can therefore print items such as plastic lids with rubber seals, coloured logos, light pipes, flexible watch straps with pins, or axles with bearing surfaces.
Many other printers have lengthy and material wasting processes in place to stop cross infection of materials, but the Robox system shuts off the material flow without the need for wiping, retracting or cooling the heads. The existing nozzle technology prevents ‘ooze’ or ‘stringing’, ensuring speed and quality of the print whether you’re printing in different colours, different materials or both.
The dual-material head uses two completely separate melt chambers and 0.4mm nozzles for optimum balance between speed and accuracy.
Both material reels can be hung on the side of the Robox device, with the addition of a simple adaptor, allowing the printer’s intelligent reel system to still recognise exactly what material it’s working with. This, in combination with the Robox’s closed-feedback loop and dual-pinch wheel extruder system makes sure that each filament is fed to its respective nozzle evenly.
Chris Elsworthy, CEO of CEL, commented: “3D printing has the potential to change the way we design and create products and the launch of our dual-material head means another step change in the complexity of items our users are able to print with Robox.
“We’re really excited to be able to offer this new 3D printer head to our customers and allow them to create new prints they never could have dreamed of 3D printing before! Users will still get all the reliability and quality they have come to expect from a Robox printer, but now with the ability to print in two materials at the same time.”
To hear Chris talk about the dual material head in more detail at this year’s CES show in Las Vegas, watch the video below:
Existing Robox customers can upgrade their printers.
We’ve also launched new service options for customers wanting to get their Robox printer checked over and upgraded to the latest specification.