Leapfrog's Xeed Now Available for Purchase

As promised, the folks at Leapfrog have launched their biggest 3D printer, the Xeed. It's big for a desktop 3D printer, but that fits its target market: offices where the device would be shared by (presumably) professionals. 

 

The Xeed offers premium 3D printer features, such as standard dual extruders, automatic bed leveling before each print, a large build volume of up to 350 x 270 x 220mm and the ability to print in ABS, PLA or PVA plastic filament. 

 

But Xeed includes a number of features specifically to address the office crowd: 

 

• Wireless access to enable those on the far side of the office to queue up a print without having to walk over
• Tablet-based touch-screen control panel, able to provide a simplified interface to timid office workers
• Enclosed (but not heated) build chamber, providing a way to reduce warpage of ABS prints and increase machine productivity
• Print job queuing to collect prints from a group
• Simplified settings and workflow

 

The Xeed is available for purchase at a price of €7,000 (USD$9,600) and will ship in early 2014. If you're interested in this machine, we recommend you order early as the lead time for delivery could lengthen. 

 

Via Leapfrog

Leapfrog's Selling Simplify3D

We managed to get a close look at the new version of Simplify3D software today, courtesy of Mathijs Kossen of Leapfrog 3D Printers. Leapfrog is offering Simplify3D as an option for use with their printers. 

 

The standard software, Slic3r, works well, but sometimes introduces layer artifacts such as those illustrated above. Simply3D attempts to provide better quality prints and introduce much more function while significantly increasing your workflow speed. 

 

Simplify3D is a combination of both simple and expert control interfaces. The software provides 3D printer management functions, such as 3D model import, placement, scaling, rotations, slicing and producing GCODE for driving your 3D printer. 

 

By default the software is in "simple" mode, where you are presented with a small set of controls to import and place your model (and it can auto-place it for you). You'll select from a short list of materials (ABS, PLA, PVA, etc) and either Medium or High quality (0.25mm or 0.1mm layer sizes, respectively). 

 

The software comes pre-configured with a number of machine profiles, including: 

 

• The Leapfrog line
• Various recent MakerBot machines
• PrintrBot Jr
• Prusa Mendel
• Rostock Max
• Solidoodle 2 machines

 

We understand it is possible to add your own profile by going into "Advanced" mode where numerous details suddenly appear. There aren't sufficient bytes in this post to describe all the features available in Simply3D, but we'll list a few notable items here: 

 

• Very rapid slicing. We observed the castle model pictured below slice in mere seconds
• Sophisticated options for viewing the sliced model
• Multiple items can be added to the model, including a specified number of copies
• Ability to independently adjust, resize or rotate each loaded model
• Specific controls. For example, you can specifically adjust the temperature of any layer
• Support for multiple extruders, which can even have different characteristics
• Graphic animation of simulated print operation - you can see how the print proceeds in real time or sped up with an animated extruder
• Receives realtime monitoring information from your printer during activity

 

One of our favorite features is the colored lines representing GCODE movements. The color of the line corresponds to the speed of the extruder as shown in this example. 

 

The software is available today from Leapfrog's site at a cost of €89 (USD$125). 

 

Via Leapfrog 3D Printers

Leapfrog Introduces Improved PVA Material

Leapfrog 3D printers introduced a new type of PVA filament for 3D printing that, according to them, "actually works".  

 

PVA is a different kind of plastic. It's not ABS nor PLA, but something different. Because it isn't ABS or PLA it can be used as a support material for both, but it's most interesting property is that it can be quickly dissolved in water. Imagine printing a very complex shape with tons of support material, then simply tossing the print in a bucket of warm water and watching the supports dissolve cleanly away. Check out the spider above, which was printed with PVA and is seen after the PVA dissolved. 

 

Other vendors have offered PVA, including MakerBot, who we believed offered it first some years ago. However, they no longer offer it and instead have something called "MakerBot Dissolvable Filament" that works only with ABS. 

 

Leapfrog says: 

 

After much research and experimentation we now introduce the first PVA that does not get in the way of you and your happy printing by boiling in your nozzle or messing up your print in any other way. PVA dissolves in (hot) water, so it is the perfect support material for your PLA or ABS prints. 

 

Apparently their formula is "100% PVA" and is "not diluted with additives", which apparently occurs on competitive PVA offerings. 

 

The improved PVA can be stored in a safer manner because it does not absorb humidity from the air as fast as other PVA. It dissolves completely in about "half an hour". 

 

If you'd like to try their PVA, it's for sale today at a cost of  €69 (USD$94) per 500g. 

 

Via Leapfrog

Leapfrog's 3D Printers

Leapfrog offers not one, but two different low-cost 3D printers: the Creatr and the Xeed. 

 

First, let's check out the Creatr. It's a USD$1500 entry level personal 3D printer that is fully assembled out of beautiful laser-cut aluminum panels. It comes with a single extruder, but an alternate dual-extruder version is available for USD$1850. The machine consumes 1.75mm ABS, PLA or water-soluble PVA filament as its build material. The PVA is interesting, since when it's used as the support material, any arbitrary shape can be successfully printed. The support material simply dissolves away to reveal the completed object. The Creatr also includes a heated print bed that should greatly assist printing ABS. The build envelope is a generous 250 x 270 x 300mm and the minimum layer thickness is 0.2mm for very fine prints. 

 

The Creatr's big brother is the Xeed, priced at USD$6700. For this much higher price you get many more features, including a standard second extruder. The Xeed also has a closed chamber that should help avoid ABS warping issues. We're quite interested in seeing how the print cartridges operate, as you no longer have to fiddle with spools. The Xeed's build size is larger as well: 370 x 340 x 290mm with a layer thickness of only 0.1mm. Unfortunately the Xeed will be available later this year and for now you can only place a deposit on your unit. 

 

While the Creatr is perhaps similar to other units, the Xeed is more interesting, since it starts to intrude on Stratasys's Mojo market. The Mojo, you'll recall, is an ABS 3D printer priced at USD$10,000. The Xeed might produce similar results at a lower cost of machine and lower cost of materials, but it's likely the Mojo has better operational features. 

 

Via Leapfrog