August 5th, 2021. Rotterdam – Raise3D, the global provider of additive manufacturing solutions for SMEs and LSEs, now reveals all the details of the E2CF, its new 3D printer that had its first appearance in TCT Asia.
Based on the award-winning E2 3D printer, the E2CF is engineered to print with fiber-reinforced materials and is optimized for carbon fiber. The E2CF meets the needs of numerous industries, including automotive, aerospace, and healthcare, who need to produce parts with a high strength-to-weight ratio and have consistent high performance during long-term operations.
Raise3D E2CF 3D printer (with dry boxes)
In addition to having the most comprehensive ecosystem in the industry, including ideaMaker slicing software and the RaiseCloud print management platform, as well as the most acclaimed features of the E2, such as IDEX technology, the flexible build plate, the resume print function, the door sensors and the power save mode, the E2CF comes with:
- Double-gear extrusion system: with twice the feeding grip force when compared to the E2, and built with hardened components that are specifically optimized for the increased wear that occurs when printing with fiber-reinforced filaments.
- High durability nozzle and feeding system: the extruders and nozzles are functionally and mechanically enhanced for long term usage, allowing for over 1000 hours of printing with Raise3D Industrial PA12 CF filament.
High durability nozzle and feeding system
- Standalone dry boxes: to ensure a stable printing process, the E2CF is equipped with two standalone sealed dry boxes developed by Raise3D to deal with the high water-absorption of nylon and fiber-reinforced filaments. These dry boxes are attached to the printer, allowing the materials to be kept in conditions of minimum humidity while printing.
Dry box
- New assisted auto-bed levelling process for fiber-reinforced filaments: equipped with a high-precision optical sensor with improved accuracy in the nozzle height calibration, for better first layer adhesion and printing performance.
New assisted auto-bed levelling process developed for fiber-reinforced material
Along with the E2CF will come the launch of the new filament Raise3D Industrial PA12 CF and its breakaway support material. The PA12 CF (Density = 1.04 g/cm3, Young’s modulus = 3.3 GPa, Tensile strength = 72 MPa, Impact strength= 12.5 kJ/m2) will allow users to produce parts that meet requirements for light weight, accurate and long-lasting high performance, with an outstanding finish that requires little or no post-processing. All these features make PA12 CF ideal for jigs and fixtures, engineering tooling and various industrial end-use parts. In addition to these materials, other high-performance filaments are in the pipeline for approval to be used with the E2CF.
Carbon-fiber part printed with breakaway support
According to Timmy Schramm, CEO of OKM3D, the distributor of 3D Printing Solutions to whom was given access to an early unit, “the E2CF makes the easy production of strong and light parts a reality, which will certainly contribute to the ongoing transformation in many industries and applications.”
Carbon-fiber parts printed on the E2CF, with an outstanding finish that requires little or no post-production
Edward Feng, Raise3D’s Global CEO said that “the global effort to manufacture more energy-efficient equipment has fuelled a high demand for high strength-to-weight ratio parts. Carbon-fiber is a great material choice for such parts, but its use in 3D printing was, until now, considered expensive. With the release of the E2CF, Raise3D fills the market gap for a desktop-level 3D printer optimized for fiber-reinforced filaments and will make carbon-fiber 3D printing affordable and simple at last. We are confident this is a relevant step in our mission to lead the promotion and implementation of Flexible Manufacturing Solutions used for low-volume or agile production, by removing another obstacle to the adoption of additive manufacturing as an alternative to traditional production.”
Pricing and availability
The E2CF launch is planned for late Q4, with the final date still to be set. Raise3D will be hosting an online public event later this year to present the new printer, while pre-sales will be opened a few weeks before the start of sales. The E2CF 3D printer will also be showcased at Rapid+TCT in Chicago (Sep 13-15), TCT Birmingham (Sep 28-30), and Formnext in Frankfurt (Nov 16-19).
Prices are still subject to change but are planned at 3,999 EUR in Europe and 4,499 USD in the rest of the world.