Zortrax is launching the Inkspire 2 refined resin 3D printing and post-processing system – consisting of an industrial-grade UV LCD 3D printer, and two post-processing devices – the Zortrax Cleaning Station, and Zortrax Curing Station. The Inkspire 2 is compatible with a wide range of high-grade engineering resins from top manufacturers, like Henkel/Loctite and BASF Forward AM.
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The Inkspire 2 is a high-end UV LCD 3D printer with a build volume of 192 x 120 x 280mm. It has been designed to work with quality resins and to ensure an easy, automated, and user-friendly operation. A cutting-edge proprietary light engine, developed entirely in-house by Zortrax, provides the same levels of UV exposure across the entire platform – enabling users to achieve the same quality prints, regardless of where the models are placed on the platform.
Resin manufacturers actively participated in the testing of the Inkspire 2, throughout the system’s development. The Inkspire 2 is also able to print with some resins dedicated to DLP technology, thanks to the high-power light source implemented in the machine. Overall, there are four resin lines dedicated to the Inkspire 2 – elastomeric resins, rigid/tough resins, castable resins, and basic resins. This list will be expanded in the future.
“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. Similarly crucial for us was also delivering the highest quality across the entire platform and making the process as automated and clean as possible. We’ve reached this goal through a series of high-end features introduced in the Inkspire 2. It 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, like Henkel/Loctite and BASF Forward AM. The Inkspire 2 also stands out with its high automation and uniform quality of prints at every point of the build platform,” said Artur Chendoszko, Resin Technology Leader at Zortrax.
Although Inkspire 2 is more advanced than its predecessor, it is easier to operate. The automation of most processes makes operating this machine cleaner and more convenient. A resin level sensor measures the amount of resin needed to 3D print a certain model. If there is not enough liquid in the resin vat, the 3D printer informs the user about it – limiting the user’s engagement in the printing process. Inkspire 2 also has closed air circulation, with HEPA filters, installed in the printer, absorbing chemical particles during printing and reducing the smell. The vapors that are created during printing do not escape the machine through gaps, but instead are filtered through an advanced filtering system.
Inkspire 2 is accompanied by the company’s automated ecosystem for professional post-processing – the Zortrax Cleaning Station. The station’s main purpose is to remove excess resin from the models’ surfaces, and hard-to-reach places, whereas the Zortrax Curing Station provides crucial UV curing once the 3D printed resin parts have been cleaned. Cleaning the prints is necessary to preserve the models’ dimensional accuracy, and additional UV curing is essential to ensure resins achieve their target mechanical properties.
The Zortrax Cleaning Station, due to its high-volume tank, can clean relatively large models that have been 3D printed on nearly any resin 3D printer available on the market. Thanks to a special filtering system, IPA can be safely reused for multiple cleaning sessions. The Zortrax Curing Station’s industrial-class curing chamber provides consistent UV exposure, enhanced by a rotating table, and ensures that the models are free of any weak spots caused by insufficient UV exposure.
Zortrax Cleaning Station and Zortrax Curing Station, just like Inkspire 2, have been validated by top resin manufacturers. BASF Forward AM and Henkel/Loctite post-processed the sample 3D prints and tested them to confirm compliancy with all the applied resins declared properties. Moreover, these devices can operate independently of the 3D printer with different technologies, such as UV LCD, DLP, and SLA.
“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. Our trio complements one another and is most powerful together, but each individual machine is a true game-changer in its own category. The Inkspire 2 is able to work with most advanced resins available. Zortrax Curing Station and Zortrax Cleaning Station are stand-alone devices that can be successfully used to support also other types of resin 3D printers on the market,” said Mariusz Babula, CEO of Zortrax.
The new Inkspire 2, has a 7x more powerful UV light engine, 40% more uniform UV light distribution, and a 4x bigger build volume, compared to the previous generation Inkspire 3D printer.
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