3 Interesting Professional 3D Printers For Rapid Prototyping With Large Build Areas

With the advent of 3D printing, rapid prototyping has gained popularity in many industries.

Rapid prototyping is the process of fabricating physical models rapidly from computer-aided design (CAD) data using digital manufacturing methods. Prototypes help in understanding a final product's behaviour, aesthetics, and functionality, thereby reducing waste in the event of errors or mistakes in the CADfile.

After carefully assessing the prototypes, the design is finalised and sent for mass production. 3D printers reduce prototype manufacturing time, effort, and money, speeding up product delivery. However, desktop 3D printers are too small to manufacture large prototypes, such as automobile bumpers, ship hulls, art structures, airplane wings, or any other large parts. Using a regular-sized desktop 3D printer is inefficient because large parts must be printed in smaller segments and then assembled. 

This effectively negates the entire benefit of 3D printing over traditional prototyping methods. The solution comes in the form of 3D printers with massive build volumes that can print large objects. 

In this article, we’ll discuss and compare three of the most interesting professional 3D printers with large build areas to help you make the right decision for your business.

Why use professional 3D printers with large build areas?

While your company may have a 3D printer or printers, an important question to ask is whether you have to break your prototypes into multiple pieces in order to print them. If you do, then you should seriously consider purchasing a large 3D printer.

The following points will help you understand why you should now switch to professional 3D printers for your large parts.

• Today's large-format 3D printers are precise and efficient. These printers don’t have the layer displacement, dimensional accuracy, or layer bonding issues that plagued older models.
• The latest generation of large-format 3D printers has made manufacturing large prototypes and parts faster and more affordable, allowing almost any company to use 3D printing to improve product development and production.
• Large-format 3D printers can print large parts as a single piece, eliminating the need for assembling smaller parts. This single part is a much more accurate representation of the final product and can be tested for strength, fitment, and aesthetics while also saving time in the process.

Best rapid prototyping 3D printers

Now, we'll look at three of the best rapid prototyping machines to consider purchasing if you work with large parts.

Raise3D Pro3 Plus

The Raise3D Pro3 Plus was created to meet the demands of large-scale production and multi-sized rapid prototyping. This rapid prototyping 3D printer features a dual extrusion system that allows you to print with two different materials for a better printing experience.

The Pro3 Plus has a large build volume of 300 x 300 x 605 mm, allowing for the printing of taller parts with ease. The printer offers a wide range of features to eliminate inefficiencies, such as auto-bed levelling, a flexible build plate to remove printed parts, power loss recovery, filament run-out sensor, multiple connectivity options, and more.

Additionally, all of this is enhanced by a built-in EVE smart assistant system, preloaded with common printing problems and corresponding solutions. You can also use the Pro3 Plus to access the Raise3D ecosystem by pairing it with ideaMaker, a 3D slicing programme; ideaMaker Library, an open-source template; and RaiseCloud, a cloud-based 3D printing software.

FEATURES

BCN3D Epsilon W50

The Epsilon W50 is a professional 3D printer with a 420 x 300 x 400 mm build volume for large-scale printing.  Its distinguishing features include a humidity-controlled environment that keeps the filament dry and in optimal use condition, a full enclosure with a passively heated chamber to deliver better printing results, and a HEPA filter to protect the working environment.

The Epsilon W50 is equipped with BCN3D’s independent dual extruder (IDEX) system, which allows for four different printing modes and a wide range of printing possibilities.  With duplication mode, it’s possible to print identical parts simultaneously; mirror mode allows for symmetrical or mirrored printing; support mode prints soluble support material in one extruder; and multi-material mode allows for printing with two different materials, thereby increasing printing flexibility.

Epsilon W50 is also compatible with a wide range of materials, including BVOH, Tough PLA, PETG, PA, PP, TPU, and others. Adding a metal pack to your Epsilon W50 allows you to print on metal and fibre-filled materials seamlessly.

BCN3D has its own ecosystem of products compatible with the Epsilon W50, including BCN3D Cloud, a powerful control panel for managing your fleet of 3D printers in real-time; BCN3D Stratos, slicing software designed for speed and efficiency; industrial-grade filaments manufactured by industry leaders like BASF and Mitsubishi Chemicals; and an extensive hotend portfolio.

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Meet the Zmorph i500

The Zmorph i500 is a professional large-format 3D printer that is powerful, safe, and offers industrial-grade printing.  It’s regarded as one of the best 3D printers for prototyping and has the largest printing volume on our list, measuring 500 x 460 x 300 mm.

Because of its large size, the Zmorph i500 can meet the needs of various industries such as automotive, aerospace, and R&D. Its dual extrusion system allows the printer to print multiple objects at the same time, further reducing prototyping time. This printer has a variety of interesting features with a deliberate focus on integrating control and safety systems to provide high-quality print jobs and increased productivity.

Features such as Zmorph’s Dual Drive Dual Extruder and Automated Filament Loading System ensure continuous, repeatable 3D printing for the most challenging applications.  One of the most important reasons to consider the Zmorph i500 is that it provides a large print volume and a wide range of features at a low cost of only $7,799.

Zmorph also has high-quality, affordable filaments available to use with your printer. Zmorph will soon launch its Cloud Hub in Q4 2022, allowing you to remotely operate the printer and keep track of print progress.

FEATURES

Interesting Professional 3D Printers: Side-by-side

To make it simpler for you to understand the various features of the 3D printers discussed above, check out the below table as a summary.

Meet the Zmorph i500. If you're interested in the Zmorph i500, you can get in touch with us via the contact form or LiveChat on our website.