Every so often, a machine or device comes along that changes the way we do things. For manufacturers, engineers and designers, 3D printing is the newest such thing, allowing them to fabricate and make parts and tools in-house.
However, 3D printing has a key limitation, and that is extruder temperature. You see, different plastics have different melting points which vary from 185°C (PLA) to higher than 400°C (PEEK, ULTEM). The difficulty of this is most printing modules aren’t made to operate at such a wide temperature gamut. This limits the materials you can use.
To remedy this, a 3D printer manufacturer called 3DGence designed interchangeable print modules which allow you to easily switch between low and high melting point plastics and polymers. We first saw this system with the 3DGence F340 3D printer, but it has now made its way over to a newer 3D printer called the F420.
The 3DGence F420
The 3DGence INDUSTRY F420 is 3DGence’s best 3D printer yet, capable of printing a wide range of plastics and polymers including PEEK and ULTEM AM9085F, ABS, PLA, ASA, PC and PA6/69 which is made possible by those interchangeable modules.
The Module M280, Module M360 and Module M500 print at temperatures up to 280°C, 360°C and 500°C respectively, enabling you to print a wider range of engineering materials than most other FDM 3D printers on the market.
Imaged above: The Module M500.
Module M280: Prints ABS, PLA, soluble supports and other commodity filaments
Module M360: Prints ULTEM filaments and polycarbonates
Module M500: Prints PEEK and PEKK – two of the best engineering plastics in the world
The ability to print ULTEM AM9085F and PEEK is particularly impressive. Made by SABIC, ULTEM AM9085F has one of the highest tensile strengths of ANY FDM filament and is one of the most robust polymers in the world. It’s widely used for mechanical applications. PEEK is also an impressive addition to the material range with it being widely used to make bearings, piston parts and pumps.
To swap out a print module, all you do is unclip it and remove it. The new module will then click into place, allowing you to change materials.
Build volume and throughput
The 3DGence F420 has a 380 x 380 x 420 mm build volume and prints at speeds up to 400m/s, depending on the material being used and the print settings. Most models can be made within one day without human input. You can also pause prints and resume anytime to suit your workflow. The build volume is larger than that of the INDUSTRY F340 (the F340 has a 260 × 300 × 340 mm build volume).
Compared to other FFF printers, the INDUSTRY F420 is fast. It also produces parts to an exceptionally high standard. Models printed at standard settings are dimensionally accurate and true to design. Having tested the printer out on numerous occasions, we can also attest to its reliability and consistent printing experience.
In addition to those interchangeable modules, the F420 also has a heated printing chamber up to 180°C. This is air cooled to maintain a stable temperature.
Software and usability
Slicing is taken care of by 3DGence’s proprietary software with cloud-based services delivered by 3DGence Cloud.
3DGence Slicer 4.0 is the latest version of the slicing software and it’s really very easy to use, with a wide choice of pre-defined settings and easy ways to make modifications to models (rotating, scaling, merging, etc.). There are also prepared material profiles for all the materials the INDUSTRY F420 prints.
3DGence Cloud is an online 3D printing management platform which can be accessed anywhere with an internet connection. It allows you to control the printer remotely as well as the print process and print queue. You can monitor the progress of print jobs in real-time and collaborate with other users to simplify workflow.
Built into the front of the INDUSTRY F420 there’s also a touchscreen interface through which you can control the print process. It’s easy to use and allows you to control various print settings. The door can also be unlocked from here.
Additional features
The INDUSTRY F420 has a Smart Material Manager feature coupled with NFC connectivity for automatic material recognition.
There’s also automatic spool change for 4 materials. You simply load in four spools of filament and the F420 will cycle through these until it runs out. This reduces the time between changes considerably.
There’s a flow control sensor which will pause your print without affecting print quality in the unlikely event you experience a material jam.
The interchangeable modules are all available to purchase separately.
There’s a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) with a capacity up to 71ah.
Optionally, you can add an advanced ULT filtration unit which will effectively catch hazardous airborne particles during the print process. This will be particularly useful if you are working in a confined space.
3DGence INDUSTRY F420 printer specifications
Print technology – FFF
Build volume – 380 x 380 x 420 mm (60 648 cm3)
Minimum layer height – 50um
Travel move – 1000 mm/s
Printing speed – Up to 400 mm/s
Number of printheads – 2, printhead purging and cleaning system
Filament diameter – 1.75 mm
Printhead max. temperature – 500°C
Build plate temperature – 180°C
Chamber temperature – 180°C (Active heating)
Filament chamber temperature – 50°C
Supported materials: PEEK, PEKK, ULTEM AM9085F, ABS, PLA, ASA, PC and PA6/69.
Filter: UTL filtration unit (optional)
Sensors – Main chamber door, top access hatch, thermal sensors, emergency switch
To find out more about the INDUSTRY F420, please visit our product page.