Ultimaker Unveils Their Next Generation 3D Printer, the Ultimaker 3

October 18, 2016 by Michael A. Parker 3D Printers 3D Printing Business

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For those looking to buy their first 3D printer or printer owners who are looking to trade up, buying a desktop 3D printer can be a real headache. There’s a glut of them on the market. It can be quite difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. And I’m just referring to FDM printing, the mainstays of desktop 3D printing that extrude plastics and other materials. But for those with a little extra dough to spare, you really can’t go wrong with an Ultimaker.

Ultimaker is well known for their highly accurate printers. While priced higher than most entry-level printers, the Ultimaker 2+ series of printers are capable of printing as fine as 20 micron layers. They are also very accurate and as such are very much in demand by designers, architects, engineers and other professionals. Though the Ultimaker 2+ series was introduced earlier this year, as was a 2+ upgrade package for Ultimaker 2 owners, It looks like Ultimaker had something else in the works. Today, Ultimaker has unveiled their next generation 3D printer line, the Ultimaker 3.

On its face, the Ultimaker 3 doesn’t look that different from its predecessor

“Our team is constantly working to evolve the 3D printing market, and the Ultimaker 3 represents three years of development with the goal of delivering a product that serves the needs of demanding businesses. 3D printers have historically been tapped by businesses for straight-forward prototyping and short run production. The extended capabilities of the Ultimaker 3 introduce a wide variety of new applications and we’re excited to get them into the hands of professionals that can capitalize on the benefits of 3D printing across a variety of industries,” said Jos Burger, CEO of Ultimaker.

: The Ultimaker 3 features a unique auto-nozzle lifting system…

: and swappable print cores

: It also has material recognition with NFC scanner

According to Ultimaker, they’ve “created the most industrial-grade desktop 3D printer ever” — as the Ultimaker 3’s advanced capability to print complex geometries using industrial-grade materials right from the desktop empowers users with a freedom of design never before accessible in the professional environment. Fully integrated hardware, software and materials configuration, as well as full settings alignment, ensures both efficient workflow and precision in print results. With the Ultimaker 3, professional and reliable 3D printing is now available for multiple users across an organization.

Ultimaker 3 provides, says the company:

An unlimited number of geometry options thanks to its new dual extrusion system that allows the freedom to produce more complex outputs in a full range of engineering materials, including Nylon and dissolvable PVA, and two color. The impact: design is not constrained, opening up opportunities for experimentation, creativity and innovation.
High uptime and maximum performance due to material-matching print core design, enabling users to switch cores optimized for Ultimaker’s own industrial-grade materials in seconds. The impact: repeatable, high-quality output is achieved in a low-maintenance environment.
Enhanced printer automation that eliminates the guesswork from printing prep. Smart material detection through NFC technology, as well as active bed leveling, tunes Ultimaker 3 to the best possible settings for specific materials and corrects level errors. The impact: anyone, regardless of their role within the business or skillset, can produce a consistently perfect model every time.
Advanced connectivity through integrated Wi-Fi capabilities, in addition to USB and Ethernet connections, results in seamless access across the organization. A built-in camera, connected to open source software CURA allows for remote monitoring of print output. The impact: organizations achieve efficient workflow and access across users.

Some of the standout features of the Ultimaker 3 are dual extrusion with a unique auto-nozzle lifting system and swappable print cores, material recognition with NFC scanner, Wi-Fi, and live camera monitoring. Build volume is 215 x 215 x 200 mm, slightly smaller than the Ultimaker 2+ (223 x 223 x 205 mm) when printing with a single extruder, and 197 x 215 x 200 mm when using dual extrusion. Max resolution is 20 microns, and the printer supports STL, OBJ files, as well 3MF.

“Additive manufacturing is a key aspect of Jabil’s digital manufacturing strategy, positively impacting numerous areas within our business including the acceleration of product development and affording greater supply chain flexibility,” said John Dulchinos, Vice President of Digital Manufacturing at Jabil Circuit. “Ultimaker has proven a valuable partner in collaborating with our team to bring solutions to market that meet the needs of our factories and customers.”

The Ultimaker 3 is available today through Ultimaker’s network of global partners with prices starting at $3,495. To learn more about the Ultimaker 3, you can visit their product page. We’ll be following the latest from Ultimaker closely; stay tuned for our upcoming exclusive interview with John Kawola, President of Ultimaker North America, as well as more details about the Ultimaker 3. Discuss in the Ultimaker 3 forum at 3DPB.com.