Polish 3D printer manufacturer Sinterit has unveiled a new SLS system that it says is “ten times faster” than its previous-quickest Lisa PRO, ahead of the machine’s full launch at this year’s Formnext trade show.
Known as the ‘Lisa X,’ the firm’s latest system is capable of sintering PA12 at up to 14 mm/h and processing a full print bed in just 30 hours. According to Sinterit, this “industrial-grade” print speed combined with the unit’s upgraded 130 x 170 x 330mm build volume, could make it ideal for helping designers improve the speed, flexibility and efficiency at which they iterate new products and bring them to market.
“Our third generation compact SLS 3D printer is made to speed up your innovation,” said Maxime Polesello, CEO of Sinterit. “We are still focused on delivering a whole SLS 3D printing solution, to make additive manufacturing useful and meaningful. With Lisa X this experience will be even better – faster prints and a bigger print volume answers the most common demands of the market.”
Sinterit’s industrial trajectory
Based in Krakow, Poland, Sinterit specializes in the development of compact, easy-to-use SLS 3D printers. Over the last seven years, the firm has gradually built up a broad portfolio of machines, as well as related software and equipment, starting with the entry-level Lisa in 2016, before going on to release the more advanced and customizable Lisa PRO in 2018.
Since then, Sinterit has launched the Lisa in the U.S, and established a range of peripherals that are designed to help users get the most out of their machines, including its Studio design software, an extended end-to-end hardware offering and a nine-strong lineup of proprietary powders, that will now be compatible with the Lisa X once launched.
More recently, the company has announced its entry to the industrial market with its ‘NILS 480’ 3D printer, a larger-format machine geared towards end-use production in addition to high-volume prototyping. In a similar vein, Sinterit has also built its upcoming Lisa X with a focus on throughput, albeit while maintaining the Lisa’s trademark compact shape, as it continues to improve the scalability of its offering.
“Despite the pandemic, we are growing rapidly,” adds Polesello. “After more than five years on the market, and getting countless customer feedback, for the first time we have launched two major products in one year. In September we entered the industrial market with NILS 480, and now we are presenting the Lisa X.”
Lisa X: a prototyping speed machine
According to Sinterit, if SLS systems are going to be capable of meeting the demands of hardcore FDM or SLA 3D printer users, they need to be sufficiently rapid to deliver “next day prototyping.” To meet this perceived demand, the firm has therefore launched the Lisa X, a machine with a 10-14 mm/h print speed that’s said to be quick enough to complete most builds in less than 24 hours.
Leveraging Sinterit’s fastest system to date, designers can expect to print a greater number of unique elements per week, enabling them to expedite the rate at which they assess their prototyping results and implement any changes. In doing so, such users can potentially come up with improved designs, as well as reducing their modelling costs and ultimately accelerating their products’ time-to-market.
The Lisa X also comes equipped with a unique ‘airblade’ set up that automatically cleans the glass around the system’s laser during production, meaning that users don’t have to do so manually for two out of every three builds, thus it accelerates their print preparation, and furthers the machine’s mass-production credentials.
In terms of build volume, the Lisa X’s may be smaller than that of the NILS 480, but it is bigger than the Lisa PRO’s, making it large enough to outperform its Lisa predecessors on throughput. To demonstrate this part yield potential, Sinterit has now released the results of a case study, in which it used each of its systems to 3D print electric connectors.
Through these assessments, the firm found that the original Lisa yielded 56 sets in 103 hours, the Lisa PRO produced 112 sets in 205 hours, and the Lisa X could create as many as 270 sets over just 28 hours. By adopting the Lisa X to manufacture similar parts, Sinterit has therefore concluded that prototyping users can test more models per print run, improving both their powder and energy efficiency.
However, despite the performance benefits of its upcoming machine, the company’s Co-founder and Head of R&D Michal Grzymala-Moszczynski, has been keen to highlight how all of its systems provide the same open-platform for building precise, support-free prints, and he maintains that they’re not competing, as each addresses a distinct target market.
“All of our compact SLS 3D printers are in production, as they cover different needs,” said Grzymala-Moszczynski. “Lisa, our first model, is the most compact and most affordable SLS 3D printer, Lisa PRO guarantees a wide range of materials and an open environment, and the Lisa X adds fast printing time and a large working area.”
Technical specifications and pricing
Below are the technical specifications for the Sinterit Lisa X 3D printer. The system’s pricing and availability are expected to be announced at Formnext, where it will also be showcased at Sinterit’s booth (F09) in Hall 12.1, from November 16-19 2021.
| Build Volume | 130 x 180 x 330mm |
| Layer Thickness | 0.075 – 0.175mm |
| Build Speed | 10-14mm/h |
| Laser Type | IR 30 W |
| Laser Spot Size | 650/0.0256 microns/in |
| File Compatibility | STL, 3MF, OBJ, 3DS, FBX, DAE |
| Communication | Wi-Fi/Ethernet/USB |
| Printer Dimensions | 650 x 610 x 1200mm |
| Printer Weight | 145kg |
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Featured image shows a rendering of Sinterit’s Lisa X 3D printer. Image via Sinterit.
