Apr 13, 2016 | By Benedict
Brooklyn-based 3D printer manufacturer gCreate has released advanced upgrades for its gMax 1.5+ and gMax 1.5 XT+ Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) / Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printers. Upgrades include a 16” x 16” dual zone heated print bed and “BLTouch” auto-bed leveling sensor.
For some time now, Brooklyn-based gCreate has been producing highly affordable, large build volume FDM 3D printers. In August 2015, the company unveiled its large format gMax 1.5+ and gMax 1.5 XT+ 3D printers, with respective build volumes of 16’’ x 16’’ x 12’’ and 16’’ x 16’’ x 21’’. Both came equipped with the gMax base extruder, capable of processing a variety of 3D printing filaments, including PLA, ABS, Ninja Flex, Carbon Fiber, water soluble PVA, Woodfill, Bronzefill, Stainless Steel, and more.
The original gMax 3D printer was funded through a 2013 Kickstarter campaign, delighting its many backers with its large build area and wallet-friendly price. Since then, the company has continually refined its product, and has now returned with a number of upgrades for its gMax 1.5+ and gMax 1.5 XT+ 3D printers, without any increase in price. The additions include a “BLTouch” auto-bed leveling sensor, shipping standard with every order; a full graphical LCD screen; an increased number of powder coated metal components; and the availability of a 16” x 16” dual zone heated bed. Both the gMax 1.5+ and gMax 1.5 XT+ 3D printers boast a resolution of 80 to 400 microns, thanks to a Genuine 0.5mm J-Head Mk V-BV nozzle from Reifsnyder Precision Works.
The dual zone heated print bed is a particularly exciting addition for users of either gMax 3D printer, as it opens up new material possibilities, such as the use of Colorfabb’s popular nGen copolyester 3D printing filament, a filament which offers a heat resistance of 85 ºC and a 220 - 240 ºC processing temperature range. The heated print bed, developed in conjunction with BuildTak and Keenovo, will also offer the important advantage of reduced warping, contributing to higher quality 3D printed objects. The build plate is made from 4mm borosilicate glass.
According to gCreate, both gMax 3D printers will continue to ship fully assembled, calibrated, and pre-tested. Furthermore, the price of both the gMax 1.5+ and gMax 1.5 XT+ will remain the same following the upgrades: $2495 and $2995 respectively. Both come packed with extra accessories and a spool of Colorfabb PLA filament.
The Brooklyn-based manufacturer has also announced that it plans to expand, and is currently reviewing potential new premises in Brooklyn. gCreate currently occupies space at Industry City, a startup-friendly facility which is also home to Stratasys-owned MakerBot, which recently downsized its space at the complex by more than 25%. gCreate is now seeking a larger space in order to take on more staff and increase production.
Posted in 3D Printer
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Review summary: The large print volume is really the only impressive feature. The printer itself is hobbyist-grade; the high-quality aluminum frame is betrayed by cheap PLA plastic parts. The gCreate support team is responsive and as helpful as they can be, but they can’t fix the firmware problems. Do not expect to do any production-level work (e.g., using any material other than PLA) with this printer without a significant investment in additional customizations, and even then it might not be up to the task. What we like: * At this price point, 16x16x21” is an impressive print volume. * gCreate support is very responsive and helpful. * The overall build quality is very good. Electronics & moving parts seem to be quality. The aluminum frame is very solid. What we don’t like: * At this price point, a printer should have significant usability improvements over DIY hardware; the gMax doesn't. * gCreate can’t help you with firmware issues—and there are issues. * Plastic parts on the printer are made from PLA instead of production-quality materials like ABS or nGen. * The BLTouch Leveling Sensor has no connection to the actual Z position of the nozzle, so every print requires manual “babystep Z” first-layer height adjustments. * gCreate does not provide consistent-quality profiles for common slicing apps. For example, their Simplify3D profiles are pretty good, but their Cura profiles are essentially worthless. Read the full review at http://bit.ly/2lYFAt5
RepRapper wrote at 4/17/2016 8:20:33 PM:
You cannot print Carbon Fibre through this nozzle.. it will melt ..!!