Engineers and designers, a word of warning: Whatever benchmark you have in your head for what the ultimate industrial desktop 3D printer looks and performs like, scrap it, because the Roboze One + 400 blows it away. But before we get into why that is the case, let’s discuss who the One + 400 is for, since Roboze also manufacture the regular One model.
The Roboze One + 400 is for engineering and manufacturing applications, where there is a clear limitation to product and part design due to the standard range of thermoplastics / filaments available, such as ABS, PLA and Nylon. The Roboze One + 400 can 3D print with a much wider range of materials than the regular One model, and most other 3D printers, because it has dual extruders that can reach an operating temperature of over 400 °C, and because it has a heated build plate that can reach a temperature of 150 °C. Crucially, this means that you can print with PEEK (Polyether ether ketone), a high-performance material that is widely used in engineering and manufacturing applications.
The Ultimate Industrial Desktop 3D Printer?
With the ability to print with PEEK, thanks to dual extruders that can reach an operating temperature of over 400 °C, the Roboze One + 400 offers something that other industrial-grade desktop 3D printers do not. However, it is far from a one-trick pony, as we have duly found out after testing it ourselves.
We have found the Roboze One + 400 to be extremely accurate and precise, not to mention extremely reliable and consistent, across hours of operation. It even offers a build volume that satisfies larger projects, and it has some of the highest quality mechatronics we have seen in any 3D printer, full stop.
But enough of the praise, already – let’s get into the features that make this 3D printer the machine it is, and the selling points that are going to sway you to invest in one for your workshop.
Patented Technology
One of the key reasons that the Roboze One + 400 has epic accuracy and consistency, is that it has no belts. Belts, for what it’s worth, are used in almost all desktop 3D printers to move things. Roboze has done away with this, by creating a new beltless system. This patented mechatronic movement is a work of art – it incorporates a counterbalanced pair of stainless steel helical racks with a pinion, for fluid motion, and as a by-product of this, it eradicates the dilation and contraction issues you may face with a ‘belted’ 3D printer. The result? More uptime, better consistency, and a more enjoyable 3D printing experience.
It is quite clear when you cast gaze at this patented system, that a huge amount of research and engineering time went into it. It really is that good. But that’s not all – the Roboze One + 400 also has a C7 spindle ball screw on the Z axis with a flexible motor coupling for the absorption of vibration, for perfect resolution between layers, and every single component in the printer has been expertly CNC machined. So, in a nutshell, this is one 3D printer that has been built to perform, and to last.
Now, let’s move onto barebone specifications. The Roboze One + 400 can print at a layer height (resolution) of 50-200 microns with a precision accuracy of 0.05mm, and it has a 200 mm x 200 mm x 200 mm (xyz) build volume. The recommended print speed is 50 mm/s however you can turn that up to 80 mm/s with select filaments. It uses open source software, it has a 3.5″ touchscreen interface, and you can send files to print over USB or SD card. The only thing it misses out on is Wi-Fi.
12 Technical Materials – Limitless Applications
How far can we talk about the One + 400 without mentioning its extruders that can exceed 400 °C? Not very. And we’ve tried, really. But when a 3D printer is, by its very nature, defined by what it can print, you can’t knock us, or Roboze, who proudly state that this printer can print with 12 technical materials, to suit a wide range of engineering and design applications.
Perhaps the most impressive application, is metal replacement. Techno-polymer plastics have come a long way over the last twenty years, and it is now possible to create plastic parts that are as strong as metal, with impressive thermal performance to match. Carbonium is one such techno-polymer created by Roboze that offers this. Another important application is rapid production. The One + 400 has excellent print speed that’s suitable for small-series production.
Here’s everything you need to know about those materials:
Ultra:
Prints at 200 – 210 °C with a bed temperature of 40 °C. Offers the definition and print speed of PLA, with the durability of ABS.
Strong:
Prints at 240 °C with a bed temperature of 90 °C. This is an ABS-based material with special fillers for additional strength.
Functional:
Prints at 220 °C with a bed temperature of 60 °C. This is a PolyAmide with good strength, flexibility and chemical resistance.
Flex:
Prints at 215 – 225 °C with a bed temperature of 60 °C. This material mimics rubber, or silicone, with high wear resistance.
PC:
Prints at 285 – 310 °C with a bed temperature of 110 °C. This is a polycarbonate filament that’s completely transparent.
PC/ABS:
Prints at 270 °C with a bed temperature of 110 °C. Has the thermal properties of PC with the mechanical properties of ABS.
PMMA:
Prints at 285 – 310 °C with a bed temperature of 110 °C. This is acrylic glass, or Plexiglass as it is often referred to.
Carbonium:
Prints at 250 °C with a bed temperature of 100 °C. This is a polyamide with 40 per cent chopped carbon fibre.
PEI:
Prints at 290 – 330 °C with a bed temperature of 150 °C. A polymer that’s self-extinguishing with good mechanical properties.
PVA:
Prints at 180 – 190 °C with a bed temperature of 40 °C. This is a water-soluble support material, for printing with Ultra.
HIPS:
Prints at 245 °C with a bed temperature of 90 °C. This is a D’Limonene-soluble support material, for printing with Strong.
PEEK:
Prints at 330 – 380 °C with a bed temperature of 130 °C. This is a chemically inert material with outstanding heat resistance.
Here’s an interesting video testing PEEK’s thermal inertia:
To find out more about the Roboze One + 400, check out our product page, or visit the official Roboze website.
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