The new Ultimaker 2+ and Ultimaker 2 Extended+ 3D printers have been unveiled at CES 2016, where the manufacturer has also discussed its vision regarding 3D printing in 2016.
As successors of the Ultimaker 2 and Ultimaker 2 Extended, the two new products focus even more on making 3D printing accessible. While the devices developed by the Netherlands-based Ultimaker aren’t exactly cheap, they are extremely easy to use, and I’m sure that’s what the main priority should be.
“We are excited to release two new 3D printers at CES this year,” says Jos Burger, CEO of Ultimaker. “The Ultimaker 2+ and Ultimaker 2 Extended+ are results of countless collaborations and insightful feedback we have received from the Ultimaker community. Both printers feature crucial upgrades based on what our customers are looking for in a 3D printer.”
Some of the features shared by both 3D printers include interchangeable nozzles, optimized print results and enhanced surface quality. By allowing users to change the nozzles whenever they want, Ultimaker provides them a greater freedom for choosing the materials they work with. Both printers come with 4 nozzles that measure 0.25, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 mm in diameter. Depending on the nozzles that are used, people can choose between highly detailed prints and high speed prints.
Similar in length and width (493 x 342 mm), Ultimaker 2+ and Ultimaker 2 Extended+ differ significantly in height, the latter being 10 cm taller than the former (688 vs 588 mm). That difference becomes noticeable in the build volume (223 x 223 x 305 mm vs 223 x 223 x 205 mm), as well as in the overall weight of the 3D printers (12.1 vs 10.8 kg).
In terms of used materials, layer resolution and speed, the two printers have identical specs, again. Both can work with open filament systems and are optimized for PLA, ABS, and CPE. The layer resolution ranges from 600 microns to 20 microns. As for the speed, the new Ultimaker 3D printers build at up to 24 mm3/s, and travel at up to 300 mm/s.
“We have seen great success this year with professionals and educators who can optimize the modular components of our infrastructure for their own specific needs,” concluded Burger. “Ultimaker has seen an expansion of sales within industries such as Aerospace, Automotive, Healthcare, Energy and Education especially within engineering, design and manufacturing in the past year. We look forward to see how Ultimaker’s global community will continue to grow and help it create the products of the future.”
Both printers are available for purchase now, and while the Ultimaker 2+ costs €1,895, the 2 Extended+ comes at €2,495 (both prices exclude VAT). These definitely aren’t cheap printers, but that’s not even what Ultimaker wants for its products. Instead, the Dutch company wishes to provide reliable, versatile 3D printers that print quickly and accurately. Keep in mind that the company is working on also providing top-class software for its 3D printers, and not only the hardware. This stands to show Ultimaker’s commitment to making all of its customers happy, regardless of what they’re using the 3D printers for.
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