Peopoly has been receiving positive feedback as a 3D printer developer and manufacturer since the launch of its Moai SLA 3D printer in 2017. Continuing on with their Phenom series, now the Hong Kong-based company is releasing the Phenom XXL 3D printer.
This also marks the further evolution of LCD-based vat photopolymerization, motivating the inception of Peopoly in 2015 as two friends got together to create SLA 3D printers that could be accessible to the public, affordable, and best of all—offer higher resolution and greater versatility. Following the success of the Moai Collection, the Peopoly team was back in the news during the fall of last year when they released the original Phenom system as a prototyping tool, featuring a 276 x 155 x 400mm build volume and a price tag of just under $2,000 for the professional set.
The Phenom uses a form of vat photopolymerization called Masked Stereolithography (MSLA). Similar to digital light processing (DLP), which relies on a projector to cure entire layers of resin at a time, MSLA uses a UV LED array behind an LCD screen to cure layers of resin.
This spring, Peopoly introduced two new systems: the Phenom L and the Phenom Noir, all based on the same technology, but with much greater speed in the Phenom Noir and a monochrome LCD panel. The Phenom L was even bigger with a build volume of 345.6 x 194.4 x 400mm, but apparently not big enough—leading them to the release of the XXL and an exponentially larger build volume of 527 x 296 x 550mm on a 780 x 570 x 1120mm frame.
Users will also be able to reportedly look forward to:
- High print quality
- Faster print times
- 4K LCD panel
- XY precision of 137 microns
- UV engine redesigned to offer 340W of power
- Resin vat capacity of 6.5kg
- Improved build plate, allowing for better adhesion during printing
Phenom on the left; Phenom XXL on the right. (Image: Courtesy of Peopoly)
Users accustomed to FDM 3D printers may find a whole new world opening to them upon delving into DLP 3D printing, along with Peopoly’s MSLA technology, featuring both LCD (liquid crystal display) and LED (light-emitting diode). The Peopoly team claims that their printers are faster than others due to the customized light engine, offering better distribution and an efficient cooling system that means better results in the end. While SLA 3D printing is still the go-to for many, both traditional DLP and LCD printers offer the best print speeds overall due to the entire layer being cured at once by an array of UV LED modules.
If you are a Peopoly 3D printer user and already a fan of their material options, you will be glad to know that you can still use their same resins with this printer too.
Phenom XXL 3D printer Specifications:
| LCD panel | 4K UHD |
| Print volume | 527 x 296 x 550mm |
| Pixel pitch | 137 microns |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| UV light power | 340W |
| Printer dimensions | 780 x 570 x 1120mm |
| Weight | 115kg |
| Vat capacity | 6.5kg |
| Power consumption | 48V / 9.7A |
The XXL’s vat holds 6.5kg of resin (Image: Courtesy of Peopoly)