3D Print Speeds to Approach 1800 mm/sec, Thanks to REAL’s 3D Printer Boards

My biggest complaint, along with probably the majority of individuals who own a desktop 3D printer, is the lack of speed when it comes to fabricating an object. The typical desktop 3D printer, whether it’s an FDM/FFF or an SLA machine, prints at speeds which are typically in the range of 50-150 mm/sec. This means that the extruder (if an FFF/FDM machine) is able to lay down 50-150 mm of molten filament every second. This may sound quite fast, and in fact the movements are rather rapid, but the layer height of the extruded plastic is usually so small that such speed does not translate into rapid fabrication.

One company called Create it REAL, founded by a man named Jeremie Pierre Gay, and based out of Aalborg, Denmark, wants to change all this, and in fact already is in the process of doing so with the introduction of their 3D RTP (Real Time Processor) board. The control board, which can serve as the main brain for both FFF/FDM and SLA 3D printers, is incredibly advanced and built for speed, among other capabilities.

Create it REAL is offering the board as part of a development kit via their website, seeking 3D printer manufacturers as well as everyday enthusiasts who may want to upgrade their own printer’s capabilities. Currently the company says that the 3D RTP board is capable of putting out up to 450 mm/sec extrusion rates in machines which utilize it, while also providing other important features lacking in many 3D printers today.

Back in February, we reported on Italy based Dynamo 3D, the first manufacturer to utilized these boards within a production run of their ONE EVO 3D Printers. This allowed the ONE EVO to print at speeds of up to 450 mm/sec, a key selling point within a market that’s hungry for improvements in the speed department. Although we haven’t tested the printer out ourselves, early indications seem to back up the company’s claims.

ONE EVO 3D Printer

What’s even more incredible may be Create it REAL’s future plans, as according to Fabbaloo, they claim that the 3D RPT board will soon be capable of handling print speeds approaching a staggering 1,800 mm/sec. No, this is not the travel speed, but actual print speed, meaning that prints which may take 4 hours (240 minutes) to print on a machine capable of printing at 180 mm/s, could be fabricated within just 24 minutes on future printers which utilize Create it REAL’s boards.

At these speeds, the developments we saw earlier this year pertaining to the rapid printing enabled by startup Carbon 3D’s CLIP technology, may just seem ordinary. There are some physical speed limits I imagine, especially when it comes to extrusion based FDM/FFF 3D printing, as the thermoplastic needs at least some time to cool before a subsequent layer is deposited.  With that said, even these obstacles can likely be overcome with software tweaks and new materials.

In addition to speed, the company claims that the chip within the board has a surplus of processing power which can be exploited to eliminate a great deal of vibration during the print process. This is because the chip is able to perform calculations within nanoseconds, and adjust acceleration and movement to best suit the current print job.

If the company’s claims are legitimate and print speeds of up to 1,800 mm/sec are forthcoming, then there is little doubt in my mind that we will soon be seeing adoption of this board by some of the larger manufacturers within the industry.

We are only at the very earlier stages of innovation within the 3D printing space. The next several years are going to be incredibly exciting as progress continues to be made on several fronts. Let’s hear your thoughts on Create it REAL’s technology in the 3D RTP forum thread on 3DPB.com.