Peopoly, a Hong Kong-based 3D printer manufacturer, recently launched its Phenom XXL 3D printer. The Phenom series, now four-strong, initially made its debut in October of 2019, and features professional-grade machines ranging from $1999 to $3299.
The high-resolution LCD 3D printers are characterized by their considerably large print volumes, making them perfect for professionals looking for high speed, high throughput resin printing.
Grand scales, not so grand price tags
Despite all four printers being comfortably in the sub-4k band, their print volumes rival those of many 5k+ systems. The largest machine in the series is the newly released Phenom XXL with a print volume of 527 x 296 x 550mm, which is four times larger than the Formlabs Form 3L. The fastest is the Phenom Noir, sporting Peopoly’s own monochrome LCD panel to achieve an impressive maximum print speed of 30mm/hour.
The exceptionally large build volumes of the Phenom printers enable complex, larger scale models to be consolidated into one print. Alternatively, a number of smaller models can be squeezed in for high throughput production, which is aided by the monochrome UV technology’s rapid curing capabilities. The high-resolution LCDs make for excellent dimensional precision and repeatability, resulting in part qualities higher than even the leading FDM systems.
Frank Ippolito, Founder of costume manufacturer Thingergy, states: “There are only so many hours in the day. If a robot, like our Phenom, can help us facilitate a project so we can finish on time and on a budget… then we are gonna use it! We use our Phenom 3D printer to help offset building times and create rapid prototypes – in the entertainment industry sometimes clients want things “yesterday” so being able to have a physical piece in their hand is a game-changer.”
Disrupting verticals since 2016
The undeniably great-value-for-money features make the Phenom series perfect for a number of production applications. In automotive, engineers have reportedly been using the machines to fabricate certain non-critical bespoke components such as panels and various decorative add-ons. The high precision nature of the systems also makes them excellent for precise jigs and molds, facilitating further manufacturing.
Tony Zheng, Fuwandai, explains: “Fuwandai develops and manufactures phone and battery testing systems for major OEMs like BYD and ZTE. We always need new fixtures and working samples for production and field testing, which we print on Phenom machines. The ability to print parts without using expensive services or materials has been a game-changer for us as we can save money and time. We wish we had started looking into 3D printing earlier.”
The medical sector has also benefited greatly from the large build chambers, as medical professionals now have a low-cost method of producing highly-detailed, single-piece dental and anatomical models for surgery preparation and educational purposes. In the laboratory, researchers can also rapidly prototype single-use parts for fixtures and holders in next to no time. It is these applications where the dimensional precision and throughput potential of the Phenom series really shines.
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Featured image shows The Phenom XXL (right) next to the Phenom (left). Photo via Peopoly.
