AON3D Introduces the AON-M2: Improved 3D Printing with High-Performance Materials

In 2015, AON3D arrived in the 3D printing world with a very large 3D printer. The AON boasted not only a big build area but big capabilities, with two independent print heads and the ability to 3D print with a variety of high-performance materials. The 3D printer was launched through a successful Kickstarter campaign, and then a little over a year later AON3D followed up with the AON-M, an improvement on the original capable of printing with just about any FFF material on the market.

Now AON3D is introducing another new 3D printer. The AON-M2 is specifically designed to print with high-performance materials, such as PEEK, ULTEM, polycarbonate, nylon, and others that can produce end-use parts capable of withstanding high temperatures and harsh chemical environments. Parts produced with these materials can rival those produced with metal. The M2 is a machine that sums up AON3D’s whole reason for being.

“We founded AON3D to let business 3D print high-end polymers,” Founder and CEO Kevin Han told 3DPrint.com. “With better materials, you can use 3D printed parts in final application, which opens up a whole new world of design possibilities.”

The key to the M2’s high performance printing abilities is an actively heated build chamber.

“High-strength materials like PEEK and Ultem need an actively heated build chamber, or else they will suffer from poor layer bonding, and extremely low part strength,” Han continued.

“The AON-M2 has the highest chamber temperature on the market – capable of over 120C, aside from the high-end Stratasys systems,” added Co-Founder Randeep Singh. “This maximizes compatibility with high-strength polymers.”

The AON-M2 is a complete redesign of the AON-M, with a whole new architecture, improved components, and automated operation. It’s capable of printing large-format parts such as tooling, jigs, fixtures and full-scale components. The new 3D printer retains the distinctive features of its predecessors, namely the large build volume (450 x 450 x 600 mm) and the independent dual print heads that made the first AON so intriguing.

Specifications include:

• Build volume: 450 x 450 x 600 mm (18 x 18 x 25 inches)
• Maximum speed: 500 mm/s
• Z layer height: 0.05 mm to 0..5 mm
• Hot end max. temperature: 470ºC+
• Heated bed max. temperature: 170ºC+
• Build chamber: 120ºC+
• Nozzle sizes (MM): Hardened steel 0.25, 0.3, 0.4, 0.6 (default), 0.8, 1.0, 1.2
• Filament size: 1.75
• Materials: PEEK, PEI (ULTEM), PPSU, PSU, Nylon, TPU, TPE, PETs, HIPS, PVA, ASA, ABS, carbon-filled,etc.

The AON-M2 is a middle market 3D printer, priced starting around $30,000, created to be accessible to businesses looking to make professional quality, end use parts. It’s built to last, too, with robust, CNC-quality components. AON3D describes itself as being “fully committed” to an open materials system, and is partnering with top materials manufacturers for each specialty plastic material. As the company told us at last year’s RAPID + TCT, stronger parts benefit the customer and AON3D is excited about future possibilities.

Many people took a chance on AON3D when it ran its first Kickstarter campaign, and they weren’t disappointed. Now AON3D has many more organizations willing to invest in its products before even trying them out: customers for the AON-M2 so far include Blue Origin, BIC, Axis Prototypes, Ecole Polytechnic, Cancer-Care Manitoba, and Essentium Materials.

The AON-M2 is now available for purchase. You can get a quote here.

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[Images provided by AON3D]