German 3D printing company Tangible Engineering has launched its new Solidator 8K resin 3D printer at Formnext 2023.
With a production rate reaching up to 9157 cm³ per hour and a substantial build volume of 330 x 185 x 400 mm, the system stands out. According to the company, it addresses the economic viability of 3D printing for series production by minimizing the gap between prototyping and mass manufacturing. Facilitating economic and flexible production of end-use parts, the system allows for the potential on-demand manufacturing in digital warehouses.
“We have been using the Solidator ourselves in our production for years”, says Tim Fischer, Managing Director of Tangible Engineering GmbH. “We can now produce parts for our push-to-open mechanism in an impressive 17 seconds per part or, for example, a Lego® brick in 5 seconds in series production. These scales were previously unattainable.”
8K resolution 3D printing at quadruple speed
The Solidator achieves an 8K resolution, providing a detailed depth of 43 microns, akin to the thickness of a human hair. This level of precision is particularly beneficial for industries like mold-making and dentistry, ensuring the replication of fine details and the creation of smooth surfaces. Moving into its 4th generation, the Solidator seeks to outperform its predecessor, the Solidator 3+, with a quadruple increase in speed, a fourfold augmentation in the number of voxels in the build space (8K resolution), and a more extensive material selection.
With a broad material portfolio of 19 options, the Solidator covers diverse materials such as ESD resin, ceramic composites, ultra-tough, high-temperature, and dental technology materials. This extensive range makes it suitable for a variety of industries, including automotive and dentistry. A notable feature of the printer is its automatic refill system, which, when combined with subsystem calibration, significantly enhances its efficiency, especially in the context of series production.
Technical specifications of Solidator 8K resin 3D printer
| Type / Model | Solidator 8K |
| Technology | 8K resolution LCD mask stereolithography, vat polymerisation |
| Build Volume (length x width x height) | 330 x 185 x 400 mm |
| Max. Speed @ 200µm layer height | 9157 cm³ / hour – Vertical: 150 mm/hour |
| Max. Speed @ 100µm layer height | 4197 cm³ / hour – Vertical: 69 mm/hour |
| Resolution enhancement | 3D surface smoothing |
| Voxels in the construction space | more than 132 billion voxels |
| Layer heights | 30 / 50 / 60 / 100 / 200 µm |
| Z-motor resolution | 10 micrometer (0.010 mm) |
| Minimum Feature Size XY | 0.043 mm x 0.043 mm |
| Printer size (width x depth x height) | 682 x 376 x 810 mm |
| Slicer Software + Support Generator | Solidator Studio (included) |
| Standalone 3D printing | Yes, no other PC necessary during printing |
| Touch display | 3.2″ touch display |
| HTML5 web interface for mobile and PC | Yes |
| WLAN support for file transfer | Yes |
| LAN support for file transfer | Yes |
| USB stick for file transfer | Yes |
| Long-life light unit | 50,000 hours, UV LED array |
| Automatic refill system | Yes |
| Windows system support | Yes |
| Voltage | 110 V – 240 V 50-60 Hz |
| Operating temperature | 18 – 25°C (64.4-77°F ) |
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Featured image shows Solidator 8K resin 3D printer. Photo via Tangible Engineering.
