Spanish 3D printer manufacturer BCN3D Technologies has announced a new portfolio of machines, including the Epsilon W27, Smart Cabinet and Sigma D25 systems.
We spoke to BCN3D CTO, Eric Pallarés, to learn more.
BCN3D’s Sigma D25 3D printer has been designed with productivity in mind, and it features several performance upgrades on its recent predecessor, the Sigma R19. The Epsilon W27 workbench system, meanwhile, contains a small build volume at 400 x 300 x 220mm, and the printer has been optimized for low-volume production design and prototyping applications.
BCN3D is marketing the W27 alongside the Epsilon Smart Cabinet, a new machine that enables users to better manage their materials during 3D printing. By integrating the new Smart Cabinet into its existing range of Epsilon systems, BCN3D aims to provide customers with a more tailored customer experience.
“I see it as our job every day to make every aspect of the customer experience better,” said Eric Pallarés, CTO of BCN3D. “With the launch of this new portfolio, I strongly believe we have done just that. Our new fully-integrated product offering means that customers can find the quality and productivity they need, at the price-point they can afford.”
BCN3D’s rapidly expanding 3D printing portfolio
Although BCN3D was founded in 2012, the firm was not fully spun-off from Fundacio CIM until last year. The company’s machine portfolio comprises its Epsilon workbench systems and its Sigma range of desktop 3D printers, which are both powered by its proprietary Independent Dual Extruder Technology (IDEX).
While some dual extrusion printers have both tool heads within the same carriage, BCN3D’s printers can control them independently, allowing users to work with both simultaneously. The technology has been integrated sequentially into each of the company’s new machines, including the R17, R19, the Sigma, Sigmax, and now BCN3D’s latest systems as well.
Since 2019, the company has rapidly expanded the applications of its technology. In January 2020, the firm signed a distribution deal with reseller 3Dörtgen to broaden its reach in the Turkish market. Later, Spanish industrial metals manufacturer Tecalum Industrial, leveraged BCN3D’s systems to achieve “remarkable” time and cost savings.
Integrating 3D printing into Tecalum’s daily activities reportedly allowed it to reduce its expenses related to the production of customized tooling, jigs, and fixtures. BCN3D has also focused on developing its product ecosystem, and worked with global chemical firms BASF and Mitsubishi Chemical to introduce new filaments for its Epsilon machines.
Now, leveraging the €2.8 million funding that it raised in July 2020, BCN3D has undergone “the biggest product launch in its history,” further broadening its additive offering to its customers.
BCN3D’s “complete” Epsilon solution
BCN3D’s Epsilon line of systems are specifically designed to cater for the workbench segment, and they are optimized for the low-volume production of functional end-use parts. The company’s new Epsilon W27 machine replaces its existing flagship W50 model, reportedly offering the same functionality, but with a smaller build volume and marketed at a lower price point.
The entry-level W27 workbench system features a print capacity of 400 x 300 x 220mm, making it considerably smaller than the 420 x 300 x 400mm volume in the company’s W50 3D printer. As a result, the machine is marketed at a lower cost of €4,995, and is designed to appeal to customers that manufacture in smaller production runs.
Aiming to further optimize its Epsilon range of systems, BCN3D has also announced the introduction of its Smart Cabinet. The device boosts the performance of Epsilon printers by providing filament humidity control, and an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to prevent print jobs from being lost.
By combining its range of Epsilon systems with its new Smart Cabinet, BCN3D is aiming to provide a more “complete solution” for customers, that are more focused on optimizing their manufacturing workflow, than large-format printing.
The “next generation” Sigma 3D printer
BCN3D’s Sigma D25 machine includes numerous upgrades on its predecessor, the Sigma R19, and replaces the original Sigma and Sigmax line of 3D printers. The D25 is engineered to provide maximum productivity for applications such as manufacturing functional prototypes, and is optimized for use within academic research as well.
The Sigma D25 will be shipped with four preset modes that are designed to make the printer as accessible as possible. Duplication mode prints identical models simultaneously, while the mirror setting creates designs symmetrically and speeds up iteration. The system’s other soluble supports and multimaterial modes, allow intricate structures to be produced with more than one type of filament.
For the first time, the company’s latest desktop system has also been built using the same production process as its workbench machines. As a result, the D25 features incremental improvements on the R19, including enhanced heat distribution, a refined calibration process and new embedded electronics.
The Sigma remains open-source, and BCN3D is continuing to work with partners Mitsubishi and BASF, to produce a new series of materials that have been optimized for use with the Sigma D25 and Epsilon W27. The filaments are currently being qualified for use with the new systems, and although they won’t be available at launch, the firm has said they should be released in the coming months.
Technical specifications and pricing
Below are the technical specifications for the Epsilon W27 and Sigma D25 3D printers. BCN3D’s upcoming Sigma D25 and Epsilon W27 systems are now available for pre-order via the BCN3D website, and will be available via sales partners on October 19, 2020. The Sigma D25 will cost €3,495, while the Epsilon W27 is set to cost €4,995.
The Smart Cabinet will be available from spring 2021 at a price of €2,495, or €6,995 if purchased with a W27 3D printer. For more information, please visit www.bcn3d.com.
| Epsilon W27 | Sigma D25 | |
| Dimensions | 690 x 530 x 750mm | 690 x 530 x 750mm |
| Weight | 33 kg | 30 kg |
| Architecture | IDEX | IDEX |
| Full-Colour Touch Screen | 5.0″ | 5.0″ |
| Build Volume | 420 x 300 x 220mm | 420 x 300 x200mm |
| Max Bed Temperature | 120 ºC | 80 ºC |
| Default Hotend | 0.4mm | 0.4mm |
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Featured image shows BCN3D’s W50 and W27 machines with its new Smart Cabinet system attached. Photo via BCN3D.
