RS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents, the global distributor for engineers, has added to its growing range of rapid-prototyping machines with the Ultimaker 2 3D printer, recently voted Best Consumer Product 2014 at the London 3D Print Show Global Awards. This new desktop 3D printer employs fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology and targets electronics and mechanical engineers involved in design, prototyping and research and development, as well as enthusiasts and students.
Manufactured from premium parts and materials the latest version of the Ultimaker 3D printer, compared to its previous incarnation, now adds a heated bed, which smoothens the print output, allows for ABS material printing and also prevents warping. Claiming the highest speed and accuracy possible on any desktop 3D printer available today, the printer offers a print speed of up to 300mm/s and a layer resolution of only 20 microns or 0.02mm. In addition, it is available in a highly compact design with frame dimensions of 357 x 342 x 388mm (not including filament spool), offering an overall build volume of 230 x 225 x 205mm.
Other specifications include a nozzle diameter of 0.4mm, with the capability to handle a recommended filament diameter of 2.85mm. Operating temperatures of the print nozzle and heated bed are +180 – 260°C and +50 – 100°C, respectively.
Approximate usage cost, provided by the manufacturer Ultimaker, is €0.05 per cubic centimetre, combining both material and power cost. The use of FFF technology also allows the choice of a wide range of material filaments including popular choices such as PLA and ABS.
The printer also comes with a standalone SD-card for 3D-model file upload and Ultimaker’s Cura open-source software, which essentially slices a 3D-model into the requisite layers in preparation for printing. Cura was voted Best Consumer Software 2014 also at the London 3D Print Show Global Awards.
The Ultimaker 2 is available now from RS Components in EMEA and some Asia Pacific regions.
