Chicago-based Azul 3D, a resin 3D printer maker, today announced its latest endeavor, a large-format machine called Ocean, as in, perhaps, an ocean of resin.
This digital light processing (DLP) 3D printer has a large build volume of 812 x 812 mm on the X and Y (the Z height was not released), and features a modular LED light engine to offer a 72-micron resolution. The company told All3DP that modular translates to multiple light projectors, 66 in all.
Ocean uses the same proprietary resin technology that Azul 3D launched in 2021. The technology, called HARP (high-area rapid printing), was touted as enabling continuous 3D printing of large parts. But the application of it inside the company’s first 3D printer, called Lake, was limited to a 254 x 305 x 609 mm build volume, which is on par with a Photocentric Magna or an ETEC Xtreme 8K.
Ocean’s substantial build volume is slightly larger than a 3D Systems SLA 750 (750 x 750 x 550 mm) or a SoonSer Mars Pro 1600 (1,600 × 800 × 600 mm), both of which are SLA. Previously, SLA has been the only technology to enable very large prints, but the trade off is in speed. An exception may be the Photocentric Liquid Crystal Titan, which is an LCD 3D printer with a large 700 x 395 x 1,200 mm build volume. Its prints at 86 mm per hour, but faster as layer thickness increases.
Azul 3D says high speed coupled with large size is what HARP tech uniquely delivers. It “employs a liquid interface that remains molecularly flat across the entire build area during printing,” which enables high precision across the large parts. “The architecture actively removes heat from the curing reaction, enabling thermal consistency and process stability for high-volume manufacturing,” the company says.
The maximum build speed is an impressive 300 mm/hour. By comparison, the LuxCreo Lux 3Li+ DLP has a max print speed of about 40 mm/hour and the B9 Creations Core 530 DLP boasts a print speed of up to 120 mm/hour.
When it come to materials, Azul 3D says its chemists will develop materials for you.
Although the Lake did not enjoy commercial success, investors are still keen on the HARP technology. In October, Azul3D received $15 million from investors Beta Lab, GS Futures, DuPont, and others. The company’s new CEO as of 2023, John Hartner, is the former CEO of ExOne, which is now a part of Desktop Metal.
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