Formnext 2024 saw CEAD, a Netherlands-based company specializing in large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM), introduce the Flexcube. This new cartesian-style pellet-extrusion 3D printer offers a substantial four-meter by two-meter build volume within a compact footprint.
Maarten Logtenberg, CTO of CEAD, told 3D Printing Industry that the company is targeting “industrial production” applications. To meet market demand, the Flexcube is optimized for “footprint, usability, and print size,” and is automated for lights-out manufacturing.
Incorporating a heated print bed and CNC milling capabilities, the system offers particular value for design, architecture, toolmaking, and mold-making verticals. The Flexcube also stands out thanks to its “three-plus-one” axis system. Its rotatable pellet extruder unlocks a fourth axis and 45-degree 3D printing to achieve “complex geometries, previously only possible with robotic systems.”
Logtenberg elaborated on how CEAD’s new 3D printer makes LFAM technology more accessible. With prices starting at approximately €250,000, the company hopes to make large-scale 3D printing attainable for a broader audience. He also introduced CEAD’s “wider printing technology.” This turns additive manufacturing on its side to produce parts with unlimited lengths, including 40-meter-long 3D printed boats.
Additionally, the conversation touched on how CEAD has solidified its position as a profitable 3D printer manufacturer, achieving organic growth. “That makes us unique in this industry, where many firms raised significant funding but struggled to deliver on promises,” added Logtenberg
CEAD’s new Flexcube LFAM system
With the tagline ‘Think Inside the Box,’ CEAD’s Flexcube is a space-efficient 3D printer for large-scale parts. Its large build volume is compressed into compact dimensions. The system ships in a standard container and requires just 2.5 meters of ceiling height, making it ideal for Universities, design studios and manufacturers looking to scale their production lines. “Compared to robotic systems capable of the same print area, you can fit three or four of these systems in the same factory space,” added Logtenberg.
One standout feature is its heated build plate, which improves material performance during 3D printing. Another is the printer’s innovative “three-plus-one” axis system. Unlike standard three-axis 3D printers, the Flexcube’s extruder can rotate, allowing for 45-degree printing. This unlocks more complex part geometries, allowing the system to better compete with robotic-based pellet extrusion technology.
Logtenberg was keen to emphasize that the Flexcube differentiates from the competition by being “designed with 3D printing in mind.” He claimed that there is currently no similar system on the market as “most gantry or cartesian systems come from the world of CNC.” These machines are “large and heavy, built for high-precision milling, but with limited build volume compared to their size.”
CEAD’s new offering instead integrates milling as a secondary function with 3D printing being the primary focus. The result? A 3D printer with a spacious build area, affordable feedstock options, and integrated post-processing capabilities. Options for customization, such as enhanced milling capabilities or advanced extruder configurations, allow customers to tailor the machine to their needs.
“This design philosophy allows us to keep costs low, making the machine more accessible while still targeting industrial production,” Logtenberg noted.
Scaling LFAM to industrial production
While the new Flexcube is designed with versatility in mind, its primary focus is industrial manufacturing. “We didn’t create this for a single application,” explained Logtenberg. “It’s built with a production environment in mind.” Use cases set to benefit from the system include toolmaking, large-scale molds, and the serial production of end-use parts.
Throughout the week at Formnext, CEAD used the Flexcube to fabricate 3D printed scooters. Each day, attendees had the chance to win a scooter of their own by answering CEAD-related trivia questions, generating much excitement on the show floor. Visitors were often seen zipping around Hall 12.1 during allotted test-driving sessions. While Logtenberg acknowledged that the scooters were “more of a gimmick than a real product,” he noted that they demonstrate the ability to achieve “fully automated 3D printing with no user input.”
According to Logtenberg, automation is becoming increasingly important as customers seek to be more “cost-effective and competitive.” This is supported by the Flexcube’s “proven technology,” such as its Siemens controller and CEAD’s proprietary extruder. The latter, which is also used on the company’s robotic systems, has proven its ability to run 24/7 since launching size years ago.
Significantly, CEAD has prioritized accessibility with its latest system, aiming to expand additive manufacturing adoption across industries. Logtenberg underscored the importance of affordability and ease of use. He stated that the Flexcube is “less intimidating” than systems with large robotic arms, making it “easier for companies, universities, and others to adopt.”
To enhance ease of use, CEAD has partnered with ADAXIS, making the Flexcube available on the French-Swedish robotics firm’s software. Logtenberg described ADAXIS software as a “very user-friendly” platform offering “a lot of options.” He hopes integrating CEAD’s cartesian system into the platform will drive broader adoption of LFAM.
Infinite-length 3D printing
Formnext 2024 also saw CEAD introduce its novel wider printing option for the company’s Flexbot robotic-based 3D printer. This customizable setup employs a vertical 3D print bed and fabricates parts laterally as the robotic arm moves along a track.
CEAD’s wider printing approach allows for print widths exceeding four meters, more than doubling the two-meter limitations of its previous robotic systems. Additionally, 3D printing lengths are virtually limitless, restricted only by the length of the rail system.
“The bigger you go, the more cost-effective 3D printing is compared to other technologies. So that’s why we are going bigger and bigger” explained Logtenberg. CEAD has already delivered a 40-meter-long automated 3D printing system for maritime applications. This can reportedly 3D print full-scale boats more efficiently and at lower costs than conventional methods.
“By enabling local manufacturing, we’re addressing labor shortages and reducing costs associated with transporting large structures like boats,” Logtenberg added. “It’s also a step toward making production more sustainable.”
CEAD’s wider printing technology draws parallels with Stratasys’ Infinite Build demonstrator unveiled back in 2016. Showcased at that year’s IMTS event in Chicago, the large-format FDM 3D printer was later released as the Stratasys H2000.
Like CEAD’s technology, Stratasys’ system also employs a vertical 3D print bed to produce parts laterally, unlocking infinitely long components. Stratasys’ specially developed screw extruder reportedly unlocked 10x faster 3D print speeds when launched, translating to approximately 50% cost savings.
Multinational airplane OEM Boeing was involved in the project from its inception. Along with Airbus, the company adopted the system to produce large-scale aerospace components using thermoplastics. Leading automotive firm Ford Motor Company also adopted the Infinite Build 3D printer for rapid prototyping and the production of bespoke car parts.
CEAD targets profitability and pragmatic growth
Logtenberg hopes the new Flexcube system will support the company’s positive business trajectory. While some firms in the 3D printing sector chase rapid, investor-fueled growth, CEAD has taken a different path. “We’ve grown entirely through our own profits,” Logtenberg explained.
Generating steady profits over the past five years has allowed CEAD to expand organically, nearly doubling its workforce annually to a workforce of nearly 100 people, and opening a new 3,000-square-meter facility last year.
This approach ensures that CEAD’s machines align closely with market needs. “Before developing a system, we ensure there’s real demand,” Logtenberg said. “It’s how we stay profitable while delivering value to customers.” Looking ahead, the CTO believes the company will “become bigger and bigger,” ensuring more companies adopt CEAD technology.
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