DUPLEX launches multidimensional additive manufacturing 3d printing system
The company's technology is called Multidimensional Additive Production (Multidimensional Additive Production) process. This technology allows users to 3D print objects from two different directions at the same time, which essentially deviates from the bottom-up 3D printing concept, and instead chooses a middle-out method, that is, the parts are divided from the middle. For two, each half is manufactured on one side of the central build platform.
The company claims that MAP's multi-directional approach can achieve five times faster printing speeds than traditional FDM or SLA printers, while greatly reducing the amount of supporting materials required. The startup has now integrated MAP into two initial prototypes: FDM-based DUPLEX F2 and SLA-based DUPLEX S2.
DUPLEX F2 is a large-scale extrusion-based machine designed for functional prototyping, medical equipment (such as prosthetics), automotive parts and construction applications. In order to achieve multi-directional printing, F2 accommodates two face-to-face independent print heads (one at the top of the cavity and the other at the bottom), and there is an automatic system in the middle part to control the central build board. The two print heads can print at the same time .
F2 has a cylindrical build volume of 400 mm (diameter) × 1000 mm, is equipped with a PEI-covered build plate and a closed build chamber that can be heated to 80°C. With a nozzle temperature of 500°C, the machine is compatible with various high-performance polymer filaments, including PLA Pro, PETG, ASA, TPU, ABS, PA and PC. In addition, the equipment is equipped with an onboard camera for remote construction monitoring, Wi-Fi connection and an automatic cooling mechanism to control the heat of the construction room.
DUPLEX S2 is based on SLA technology. The printer has a central build plate that is immersed in a large 7 kg resin bucket. Two independent light sources (above and below the build plate) are used to cure the layers on both sides of the platform, printing from the middle of the model outwards. This model is designed for smaller-scale applications, with a build volume of only 200 x 120 x 300mm. Instead, the system focuses on accuracy, providing an XY resolution of 77 microns and a Z resolution of only 50 microns.
DUPLEX F2 is available for pre-order now and is expected to be delivered for the first time in March 2022. But the company sells DUPLEX S2's SLA-specific MAP technology, which means that other 3D printer manufacturers will be able to integrate multi-directional printing into their own resin 3D printers.