Tech Breakdown: Ultimaker S5 3D Printer Evaluate

The Ultimaker S5 3D printer is the biggest, dual-extruder mannequin out there from Ultimaker. Launched in June 2018, the S5 is the primary within the new ‘S’ line of Ultimaker 3D printers, and it boasts a ton of recent and improved options to assist any enterprise obtain superb, skilled prints time after time.

MAIN FEATURES

• New 4.7” Touchscreen
• Twin Extrusion
• Absolutely Automated Mattress Leveling
• Filament Spool Identification
• Filament RunOut Sensor
• Construct Plate Digital camera
• Swappable Print Cores
• WiFi Enabled
• Massive Construct Quantity (330x240x300mm)
• Outer Dimensions (457x520x495mm)
• Weight 20.6 kg
• Swappable Construct Plate Surfaces (coming Fall 2018)

TOUCHSCREEN

Probably the most seen enhancements that comes with the brand new S5 is the 4.7” touchscreen interface. It really works precisely like a telephone touchscreen – one thing that everybody may be very aware of – and is a particular enchancment over the spin-wheels and LCD screens from earlier fashions.

The graphics are extraordinarily crisp and clear. The choices on all menus are simple to learn, and the tutorials are extremely simple to observe, as they arrive with footage for the consumer to reference on each step. Altering filament, altering print cores, leveling the mattress – every part you might want to do with this 3D printer is printed in very simple to observe tutorials. Anybody might simply step up and shortly have a brand new print up and working on the S5; the interface takes the educational curve down fairly a couple of notches.

DUAL EXTRUSION

Just like the Ultimaker 3 earlier than it, the Ultimaker S5 makes use of a Print Core system; as an alternative of eradicating nozzles, you swap out your complete hotend, nozzle, heater block, warmth sink, and electronics and swap in one other unit. There are a number of several types of Print Cores with completely different inside geometries of fabric capabilities, just like the AA core for construct supplies, the BB core completely for PVA, and the CC core for composite and abrasive filaments. And moderately than having the 2 print cores mounted degree with one another, the Ultimaker S5 makes use of a lever to raise and decrease the second print core to forestall oozing and smearing of supplies in a twin extruded print job. They’re additionally able to printing virtually any materials, because the print heads can warmth to 280°C, which supplies the consumer choices for twin materials prints utilizing nylon, PLA, ABS, TPU, PVA and extra.

Altering filament can also be simpler, because of the discharge lever on the extruder; you now not have to carry a button down with one hand to vary the filament with the opposite. Now you’ve got two free palms to vary filament. The Filament RunOut Sensor additionally ensures that when you run out of filament throughout a print you possibly can come again and resume the print proper the place it left off after putting in extra filament – no extra misplaced prints!

The twin geared feeder can also be optimized for composite supplies, which is ideal for engineering functions. The XYZ decision has additionally been barely improved to six.9, 6.9, and a couple of.5 microns on account of upgrades on the gantry with thicker rods, and a slight gear discount to make it way more inflexible and exact.

Absolutely Automated and Adaptive Mattress Leveling

The capacitive, lively mattress leveling course of is identical and nonetheless ensures an ideal first layer each time. With the bigger mattress, there are extra factors of contact that the S5 measures to make sure higher accuracy for the construct plate general, guaranteeing even bigger prints will probably be exact and correct.

Construct Quantity

The bigger construct quantity of the S5 permits for extra choices in each single and twin extrusion prints. After you have accomplished the prototyping and testing of single elements, there may be way more room to iterate that finest mannequin in a number of elements. The entrance ‘barn-doors’ on the S5 additionally assist management the airflow contained in the chamber, permitting simple, steady printing of ABS and different temperature delicate supplies.

Sensible Spool Detection

If you’re utilizing Ultimaker filament, the S5 will routinely detect the filament and alter temperature settings accordingly. If not, the S5 is open to accepting any filament kind from any producer within the 2.85mm diameter. In response to the Ultimaker web site, the S5 is optimized for the next supplies:

Construct Digital camera and WiFi

The built-in digicam can assist you monitor your prints remotely if you might want to begin a print job and go someplace else. With the Ultimaker app, you can begin and cease prints, get filament runout notifications, and join extra printers for workflow optimization. All of this knowledge is communicated wirelessly by way of WiFi by your community. You may as well transmit and obtain knowledge from the printer on to your pc – no hardline USB connection is required if in case you have a wi-fi community.

Swappable Print Cores

The S5 comes with two 0.4mm AA cores, and one 0.4mm BB core. The S5 routinely detects which print cores are at the moment put in, and the touchscreen interface walks you thru the steps of switching them out or putting in a second core when the necessity arises. It takes just some minutes, and swapping cores doesn’t contain any instruments – it’s all achieved by hand, shortly and simply. Further nozzles and print cores can be found in sizes from 0.25mm to 0.8mm.

Layer decision is superb even with a regular 0.4mm nozzle. Ultimaker studies a decision of 20 microns with a 0.4mm nozzle, and our checks got here extraordinarily near matching that mark.

Swappable Construct Plate Surfaces

On the time of launch, the S5 was shipped with the ever present heated glass construct plate. However beginning within the fall of 2018, Ultimaker will probably be delivery a further heated aluminum construct plate to present S5 homeowners, and it is going to be included with all new S5 shipments afterward. They’re additionally engaged on providing extra surfaces sooner or later, for extra print mattress choices.

As the primary within the line of Ultimaker’s new ‘S’ collection of 3D printers, the S5 stands out as an important new addition to an already well-known and dependable producer. From the extraordinarily easy-to-use touchscreen to easy swappable print cores, simple filament choice, loading and altering, to the enormous construct quantity and talent to community and monitor remotely, the S5 is an superior machine for any workflow.

Please Be aware: The Aluminum Construct Plate is at the moment in growth and presently, Ultimaker doesn’t have an anticipated ship date. MatterHackers will replace all product info because it turns into out there. We admire your endurance!