Upon being selected as an Interactive Innovation Award finalist in the 3-DIY category at SXSW Interactive, for their Ultimaker 2 Go and Extended 3D printers, Dutch 3D printer manufacturer Ultimaker has announced a new extrusion upgrade kit for owners of previous Ultimaker models, in order to improve their printing capabilities and the overall 3D printing experience.
At SXSW, the company announced the extrusion upgrade kit, which can be applied to previous 3D printer models, the Ultimaker 2 and Ultimaker 2 Extended, to give them the full capabilities of the Ultimaker 2+, announced at CES this year. These features include, a new geared feeder for increased reliability, improved filament loading, and applying correct filament pressure. The kit also allows users to upgrade their machine to have swappable nozzles, ranging from 0.25, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mm, depending on a user’s desired speed or detail. And new fan caps can be installed in older Ultimaker models for better airflow aimed below the nozzle and equally from both sides.
The kit is meant to demonstrate the company’s efforts towards backwards compatibility. Siert Wijnia, CTO and founder of Ultimaker, said of the kit, “Not only do we introduce new features for our printers based on what we think is valuable, we listen to the needs and wishes of our users. By introducing the Extrusion upgrade kit we allow our users who already own an Ultimaker 2 to benefit from our latest technology.”
From the video below, installing the kit looks rather easy. Also, be sure to check out this dude’s swing in his apartment! One issue that some Ultimaker users might have, however, is the price of the kit, which is near $395. Fair price or no? What are your thoughts?
