Some may say that the 3D printer market is getting over saturated. After all, it seems like every week there are two to three new companies popping up, with printers mostly not all that different than the dozens of other 
machines on the market. One area within the space, which I would venture to say is not over saturated, however, is that of large format 3D printers. Headlined by MakerBot’s Replicator Z18 with a build volume of 30.5 x 30.5 x 45.7 cm, the market has seen a few other machines launch over the last several months. With that said, many are still in production after successful crowdfunding campaigns. If you are a business, needing a machine capable of printing objects in excess of 2000 cubic inches, then you don’t have many options.
This is about to change, however, thanks to a company based in Singapore, called QwikFab. Founded in 2012, and known for their premium PLA filaments, the company has been working diligently on the development of their new QuikFab Beast industrial large-format 3D printer. The printer which will target the business and prosumer clientele will turn to crowdfunding at the end of this month or beginning of September to raise the money needed for full scale production.
The Beast will not only feature an incredibly large build volume of 300mm x 300mm x 600mm, but also include dual-pinch extruders, a feature which few, if any other large format 3D printers on the market today have. These extruders are build to maximize the driving force and grip during a print, allowing for more accurate, faster prints, and catering to multi-color and multi-material applications. If this isn’t enough to get you excited, then maybe the fact that it can print at speeds of up to 400mm/sec will. Below are some of the key specifications of the QwikFab Beast.
- Build Envelope: 300mm x 300mm x 600mm (54,000 cm3 volume)
- Print Speeds: Up to 400mm/s
- Linear Positioning (X & Y Axis): 50.0 microns
- Z-axis Layer Resolution: 100 microns
- Build Platform Alignment Accuracy: 10 microns
- Printer Software: Simplify3D
- Features/Components: Heated build plate, dual extruders, 1/128 microstepping drivers, ARM Cortex-M3 32-bit micro-controller, polycarbonate shell, patent pending cord management system.
“With the Beast, small and medium businesses are able to justify the cost of 3D printing with its real benefits in project development and if that isn’t enough, substantiate the purchase with the Beast’s high return on investment,” stated founder Steve Kumar.
Certainly this printer, once released will spawn additional innovation within the market for larger printers. If it functions like QwikFab claims it will, and retails for under $10,000, the Beast will certainly be a force to be reckoned with. Let’s hear your thoughts on this new 3D printer in the QwikFab Beast forum thread on 3DPB.com. Check out the video below from the recent Beast reveal.
