Aleph Objects Announces the LulzBot TAZ 6 Available May 17 for $2,500

Get the top spot on all of those end-of-year Best Of lists ready, because I’m pretty sure that the desktop 3D printer that is most likely to fill it was just announced today. Colorado-based 3D printer manufacturer Aleph Objects is already releasing a follow-up to 2015’s best-rated 3D printer the TAZ 5, and it is pretty clear that they have another solid hit on their hands. The LulzBot TAZ 6 looks to be every bit the powerful, user-friendly and dependable desktop 3D printer that its predecessor was. Plus, it has a bunch of new, enhanced features that have never been available for the TAZ line, not to mention a larger print area, higher layer resolution, some fast printing speeds and a new PEI printing bed.

If there were ever any complaints made about the TAZ 5, they were typically restricted to the fact that it didn’t have a few of the popular features on the LulzBot 3D Printer line’s baby brother the LulzBot Mini. But just reading over the list of the TAZ 6’s added features makes it pretty clear that not only is Aleph Objects serious about making top-of-the-line 3D printers, but they are also listening to what their customers want, and doing their best to give it to them. The TAZ 5 was so popular that Aleph Objects really could have easily gotten another six months to a year out of it without needing to worry about being outclassed. But instead, barely a year later, they decided to just put everything that they have into a brand new model.

The TAZ 6 will include a new heated borosilicate glass printing bed with a PEI surface, a feature that was wildly popular on the Mini. The Mini’s printing bed was actually so popular that users commonly requested that it be offered as an upgrade for the TAZ 5. It will also get the Mini’s self-leveling printing bed feature and its convenient self-cleaning nozzle system. It also has an integrated power supply, so there is no more need to deal with the big, bulky external box. As an added bonus, Aleph Objects is throwing in a full one-year limited warranty and customer support that is available seven days a week.

Additionally, the TAZ 6 will also have one of the largest build volumes in its class at 280mm x 280mm x 250mm (11 inches x 11 inches x 9.8 inches), which is roughly about the size of a soccer ball. It also gets a pretty big resolution upgrade, and is now capable of laying down layer thicknesses ranging from 0.05mm to 0.5mm (0.002” – 0.02”). The TAZ 6 is just as fast as the TAZ 5 at 200mm/sec (7.9in/sec), and of course it includes the standard Cura LulzBot Edition that is preloaded with more than 300 quickprint material profiles.

As with all LulzBot 3D printers, the TAZ 6 is open filament and the software and hardware are entirely open source. It has been certified by the Free Software Foundation and meets the definition of open source from the Open Source Hardware Association. That means that you can get a look at all of it, from the design, to the materials and components used, to the source code of the software. Because everything is open source, that means that the TAZ 6 can be used as sold, or it can be heavily modified and converted to its users’ specific needs and requirements.

As with the TAZ 5, the TAZ 6 can also be upgraded with LulzBot’s multiple tool head options. The Flexystruder has been optimized for use with soft or flexible materials that can often vex other desktop 3D printers. The Dual Extruder tool head allows the TAZ 6 to print using two different color filaments or two materials, including water soluble support materials like HIPS. It can also be upgraded with the FlexyDually tool head that enables unique 3D prints made by combining rigid materials with flexible materials. With a hot end that can reach 300°C (464°F) and a heated bed temperature that can go as high as 120°C (248°F), the TAZ 6 can use just about every material on the market, even high-end exotic and industrial grade materials, including PLA, ABS, HIPS, copolyesters, nylons, elastomers, natural blends, polycarbonates, wood and metal composites and PET.

Aleph Objects will be making the LulzBot TAZ 6 available for purchase on Tuesday May 17 for $2,500. They will also be showing off the TAZ 6 at both RAPID in Florida and the Bay Area Maker Faire in May. The TAZ 6 will be available for purchase through LulzBot.com, not to mention Amazon.com and MatterHackers. You can find out more about the LulzBot TAZ 6 and sign up for product updates on their website. Is this a new release you are interesting in purchasing or checking out further? Discuss in the LulzBot TAZ 6 3D Printer forum over at 3DPB.com.

Check out the MatterHackers unboxing video here: