Intellecta Technologies Pty Ltd

Circuit Wizard, Roland, Techsoft, innovative electronics and Control systems, Lasers, 3D Printers

Introduction 3D Printing

The concept of adding a material in layers is the  basis of 3D printing. 3D Printers come in different sizes and use different processes - from UV lasers interaction with polymers, lasers heating powders or fusing plastics.

The Fused deposition modelling of FDM is a popular system that uses low cost components and materials such as ABS, PVC and PLA as the base material.

This is heated and extruded through a nozzle that moves in an X,Y and Z manner to build up the object.

Overhanging parts of the design are either supported by the base material or extra support materials are used that can be dissolved or washed away.

Intellecta has a strong background in innovative education resources and the 3D printing products were added to complement our existing mills and laser cutters. We feel that these are excellent chisels that do specific jobs.

Of course, the concept of just printing an object rather than machining  appears to be easy and powerful. There are some downsides - limited choice of plastic materials, poorer resolution than machining, slow deposition rates etc but the process is still very useful with positive education outcomes.

• 3D Printing : Adds materials using CNC technology
• Builds up parts right before your eyes
• Amazing simplicity

Email support@intellecta.net for a review of the UP! in SIlicon Chip Augiust 2011

3D Printing with the UP! 3D DESKTOP FDM Printer

We fell in love with the UP! printer that complements the Roland mills, Versalaser lasers and other 3D Printers that we support.

The attraction - portability, low cost of materials, amazing accuracy, simple software, robust, works out of the box in minutes.

These factors are important for both industrial and education environments.

How does the UP! work?

A plastic filament is pulled from a spool by a Plastic feeder. This is pulled into the extruder heat that has a temperature controlled hot zone.

A microcontroller controls the extruder to deposit a thread of hot plastic on the build platform while controlling the X and Y and Z motion of the extruder and build platform.

The exact location of all the slices of the model is worked out by the Windows or MAC software.

The slices are loaded into the UP! for final processing.

Check out videos on www.youtube.com

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Some images of UP! work

These images show a number features of the UP! printer that are unique.

The build platform is based in a perforated PCB board that is clipped to the build plaftform. It is easy to remove this base, flex slightly to remove the part and then clip back.

Duplication of parts:

Just import the part and select it to undertake some duplication. The software places the parts on the build platform but you can move, rotate parts as needed.

Autogeneration of support structure.

Support structure is needed to support overhanging features of the part otherwise plastic will be extruded into space and droop over the part. This support structure is a thin, web like extrusion that is easily removed to expose the underlying part.