Polish 3D printer manufacturer Zortrax has introduced its second vat polymerization system, the Inkspire 2.
Marketed as a high-end professional UV LCD 3D printer, the Inkspire 2 has a four times larger build area and a seven times more powerful light engine than its predecessor. The machine also boasts compatibility with engineering resins developed by Henkel and BASF 3D printing arm Forward AM, which Zortrax says have been validated to “guarantee that prints meet all declared properties.”
“The Inkspire 2 is now able to serve resins originally dedicated to other technologies, like DLP, and 3D print the most demanding engineering resins by leading worldwide resin manufacturers,” explains Artur Chendoszko, Resin Technology Leader at Zortrax. “The Inkspire 2 also stands out with its high automation and uniform quality of prints at every point of the build platform.”
“What we aimed at, while working on the Inkspire 2, was creating an innovative resin 3D printer advanced enough to serve the most durable resins on the market.”
Zortrax’s vat polymerization portfolio
While Zortrax initially made a name for itself in the field of Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), it expanded into resin 3D printing with the launch of the original Inkspire in 2018. Designed to allow its customers to tap into a new range of materials and resolution capabilities, the machine scored especially highly for part quality in the Inkspire 3D Printing Industry review.
Though the system supports third-party resins, provided they are curable at a wavelength of 405nm, Zortrax has continued to support it with new materials since launch. In 2019, the company introduced biocompatible Inkspire resins called Raydent Crown & Bridge and Raydent Surgical Guide, to facilitate dental bridge, crown and surgical guide 3D printing.
Last year, Zortrax also rolled out its Inkspire Resin Tough materials, designed to feature mechanical properties similar to those of conventional polymers, without sacrificing on printability and shrinkage. At launch, it was thought the resins could address prototyping and end-use production demand in the fields of research, industrial tooling and optical devices.
Enhanced UV LCD 3D printing
Featuring a series of upgrades on its predecessor, the Inkspire 2 is designed to deliver greater material compatibility, without users having to compromise on quality or system usability. Powered by an in-house-developed light engine characterized by an array of UV diodes backlighting a monochromatic screen, the machine is said to achieve uniform UV exposure across the entire platform.
As it’s more powerful than the original, the Inkspire 2 is able to process select Digital Light Processing (DLP) resins. Zortrax says these materials have been qualified via a two-stage validation process alongside BASF and Henkel engineering-grade resins, to guarantee they “match or exceed values specified by the manufacturer.”
To ensure its beefed-up machine remains easy-to-use, the firm has equipped it with a resin sensor that measures how much is needed for a given print, and tells users if there’s not enough. The Inkspire 2 also has closed air circulation. Thanks to its HEPA filters, the system is able to absorb chemical particles emitted in production, to make sure any unpleasant vapors don’t escape.
Additionally, alongside the Inkspire 2, Zortrax has launched dedicated cleaning and curing stations, designed to clear out excess resin from parts and post-cure them to ensure they have desired properties. While they can be used with other LCD, DLP or SLA technologies, both have been validated by BASF and Henkel as well, as part of an end-to-end Zortrax manufacturing workflow.
“Bringing our system into your business, you can easily create your own manufacturing facility, equip your factory with high-quality, reliable, and professional machines that work for you, or combine them into farms,” adds Zortrax CEO, Mariusz Babula. “Our trio complements one another and is most powerful together, but each individual machine is a true game-changer in its own category.”
Technical specifications and pricing
Below are the technical specifications for the Zortrax Inkspire 2 3D printer. Prospective customers can order the Inkspire 2 now via the company’s online store, with pricing starting at £3,190.
| LCD Screen | 8.9″ monochrome |
| Light Source | Integrated 405nm LED Panel |
| Build Volume | 192 x 120 x 280 mm |
| Pixel Size | 50 μm |
| Layer Thickness | 25, 50, 100 μm |
| Operating Temperature | 20-40 °C |
| Touchscreen | 4” IPS 800 x 480 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, LAN, USB |
| AC Input | 100-240 V AC 6.2 A 50/60 Hz |
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Featured image shows the Zortax Inkspire 2 3D printer. Photo via Zortrax.
