3D printer manufacturer Leapfrog was founded over five years ago, and has been busy ever since, coming out with 3D printers for both professional and industrial uses. The company first turned heads in the 3D printing community with the release of its Creatr XL in 2014. That same year, the company launched both its Creatr HS and its Creatr ’14. A little less than a year ago, Leapfrog introduced us to its desktop Bolt 3D printer, which is capable of 3D printing with Verbatim’s plastic polypropylene filament. Just a couple weeks ago, we brought you news that the company had a new 3D printer – the industrial Bolt Pro, which has now officially launched.
Leapfrog took its Bolt, which is the company’s most successful 3D printer as of right now, and made some major improvements to fulfill customer requests and requirements, bringing us the breakthrough FDM Bolt Pro. It was built for long-term reliability and performance, and even though it’s an industrial 3D printer, it was specifically designed for office use.
The fully enclosed Bolt Pro integrates seamlessly into an office environment with an activated HEPA carbon filter that makes it possible to 3D print using advanced materials while cutting down on the smells and noise typically associated with industrial machines, so it can be used close to an office workplace. In addition, the printer allows you to control and monitor the entire printing process from your computer or smartphone, thanks to its 7″ touch screen, intelligent and responsive user interface, and WiFi-connectivity. You can also integrate the 3D printer’s on-board storage with Dropbox and OneDrive, to enable a smooth workflow between multiple departments and users, and when the printer is online, it will automatically check for, and install, new firmware and software updates.
The multi-material Bolt Pro features direct drive Independent Dual Extruders (IDEX). The extruders offer clean, dual-material print jobs, and high quality printing of advanced engineering materials is possible because of the direct drive system and high temperature hot end. The IDEX system comes with easily swappable nozzles, so users can choose from a larger selection of filaments; the nozzles also offer sync and mirror modes, which automatically make a copy of the selected print with both extruders – increasing the speed of production by 200%.
Exchangeable heated print beds, made of standard borosilicate and a granite option, make for perfect top adhesion and flatness, and the beds can be swapped at any time, allowing for a continuous workflow. The Bolt Pro can swap filaments in mid-print, features an RGB LED status indication and magnetic closing doors, and has an improved fan-duct, cabling, and cooling – all features that the Leapfrog Bolt does not have. It also comes with an interactive user interface start-up guide and several maintenance guides, and the linear guides in the printer’s Y-axis help to guide the IDEX, reduce noise, and increase printing precision.
The Bolt Pro weighs 64kg, and the framework was built with high-grade aluminum, while all the components are made out of steel, which helps to guarantee maximum durability. Other Bolt Pro 3D printer specs include:
- 330 x 320 x 250 mm build volume
- 50 to 350 micron layer height
- Print speed: 100 mm per second
- Built-in webcam
- Heated bed can reach 90°C
If you are interested in the Bolt Pro, which costs $9,499 (excluding VAT) and want to receive a sample print, contact Leapfrog. Discuss in the Leapfrog forum at 3DPB.com.
