Alex, Author at re:3D | Life-Sized Affordable 3D Printing

re:3D’s HQ is Moving to Austin TX!

re:3D is proud to announce that we bought our own headquarters space in Austin. We will use the space to scale, grow our ability to experiment with Gigalabs in a large outdoor space, and expand our networks in Texas!

The new facility is located in East Austin, known for being a mecca that actively convenes creatives & organizations committed to social impact. This location also allows re:3D to scale locally with University of Texas and Austin Community College initiatives focused on additive manufacturing, while increasing our global presence.

We’re still working out the details, but welcome your feedback at info@re3d.org as we are committed to ensuring a seamless transition.

Below are some FAQs our team has assembled, and will be updated weekly based on your inputs.

re:3D’s new headquarters is located at 1201 Old Bastrop Highway, Austin Texas 78742 (formally the High Sign Brewery). The building can be accessed just off of the frontage road near the 183 and 71 intersection, so if you are looking for something to do before your next flight from the Austin airport, we would love to see you!

Our current Houston headquarters’ and Austin Office lease end May 31, 2024. For this reason we are trying to batch equipment and inventory moves each week to minimize disruptions to our operations. All headquarter operations will be established in Austin beginning June 1 2024.

re:3D has maintained a presence in parallel with Houston since 2013. We are indebted to the Clear Lake community for supporting our founding but are struggling to scale & maintain insurance for manufacturing operations in a hurricane vulnerable area. As Austin offers more opportunities for recruitment, reduced overhead, and active support from local organizations that support our social mission, we decided to move our operations, while still maintaining a footprint in Houston.

Both Charlotte, who is a Co-PI for our NSF Covergence grant, and Patrick who leads our Army Gigalabs grant as well as two NASA awards will remain in Houston. Where they will be working from is yet to be determined, and we welcome your suggestions!

While some of the Houston crew is moving to Austin (so far- Miguel, Cheyena, Justin, Will, Mitchell, Jordan, and Annaebelle), several teammates will be transitioning to their next adventure and welcome suggestions/introductions on where they should be applying!

Orders are being accepted, however there may be delays in for orders placed in May when we transition from Houston to Austin. For this reason, we recommend stocking up on parts prior to April 30th:)

Tours in Houston and Austin can be arranged by emailing discover@re3d.org.

Email info@re3d.org and we will do our best to transparently reply within 24 hours!

A Journey of 3D Printing Innovation & Collaboration with YLAI Fellows

re:3D was first introduced to the US Department of State’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) in 2017. YLAI’s vision is to create a vibrant network of entrepreneurs across the Western Hemisphere. A key way this is achieved is through a Fellowship Placement with a business in the United States for four weeks. The Fellowship Placement is an opportunity for YLAI Fellows to experience the U.S. work culture and connect with key players in their industry. The YLAI Fellowship offers hands-on experience in exchange for using their skills and network to contribute to U.S. businesses and organizations. The Fellowship not only provides business insight and network for the Fellows but also provides their placement companies with cross-cultural understanding. Businesses form long-term relationships with their Fellows, extending the Fellowship well past the initial four-week placement.

Since 2017, re:3D has hosted three YLAI Fellows, the most recent being Juliana Martinelli from Brasília, Brazil in May of 2023. Samantha Snabes, re:3D’s Co-Founder and Catalyst and Juliana met over video to ensure that re:3D would be a good match for her fellowship. Juliana’s company, InovaHouse3D, 3D prints with cement and has a mission to print affordable houses in Brazil. Even though re:3D prints with plastic, we also have a social responsibility aspect to our work and admire InovaHouse3D’s goals!

Frame of the Ayla 130, InovaHouse 3D's Cement Printer

Extruder of the Ayla 130, InovaHouse 3D's Cement Printer

Juliana worked on three different projects during her Fellowship. The largest project she undertook was completing a customer outreach campaign to re:3D’s customers who spoke Spanish and Portuguese. Juliana individually contacted forty-four customers in Central and South America. She successfully heard back from twenty-five customers via email and set up in-depth phone calls with them. During these conversations, Juliana learned what each customer used their Gigabot for and the current state of their Gigabot. Juliana provided the customers with re:3D resources and connected them with other members of the re:3D team. re:3D values the relationships with our customers and the outreach Juliana did have a positive impact in connecting with customers we don’t normally get the chance to talk to. Additionally, this outreach campaign connected Juliana with more players in the Additive Manufacturing space in Latin America.

Because of Juliana’s background in Electrical Engineering, she was able to problem-solve grounding issues with Gigabot’s electrical box. This was incredibly helpful as re:3D was building up its engineering team. The final project Juliana worked on was a personal project. She wanted to pitch InoveHouse3D to a few American Investors to get their valuable feedback. Juliana was able to meet with two different Investors and strengthen her InovaHouse3D deck.

By the end of Juliana’s Fellowship, a strong connection had formed between her and the re:3D team. YLAI had let re:3D, and the other businesses hosting fellows, know that there would be an opportunity for an Outbound Exchange program. In this exchange, someone from re:3D would go to Brazil for two weeks and work with Juliana’s company. Jennifer Dennington, re:3D’s Account Manager, applied for the Outbound Exchange Program and was awarded the grant! Jennifer left for the exchange in early January 2024 to amplify the future of Additive Manufacturing in Brazil.

One of the main projects Juliana and Jennifer worked on was creating a storytelling blog post and video on re:3D’s customer Rhodes. Rhodes produces around 5 million components per year to assemble various models of office, school, and training chairs and public seats in airports, theaters, cinemas, and football stadiums. The blog article and video about how Rhodes uses its Gigabot will be published soon, so stay on the lookout for that.

Another project Jennifer and Juliana collaborated on was creating Additive Manufacturing lessons for Brazil. Jennifer’s background is in Special Education, she has a passion for making education fun and accessible to all people. Juliana teaches lessons to schoolchildren at the Planetário de Brasília (Brasília’s Planetarium) and has connections with public schools in Brasília. Before coming to Brazil, Jennifer knew she would share re:3D’s Introduction to Autodesk’s TinkerCAD lesson where Juliana would teach students how to make 3D models on their computers. However, after speaking with Juliana, Jennifer learned that many students do not have access to technology at school. Jennifer shifted gears and decided the first lesson she needed to create was an Introduction to 3D Printing lesson for students with limited to no knowledge of 3D printing and limited access to technology.

Jennifer modeled this lesson after the 5E Model of Instruction where students engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate 3D printing. She only included resources that Juliana had readily available to be used in the lesson. For example, because of Juliana’s partnership with the University of Brasília’s LAB, Juliana could bring 3D printed examples to show the students on top of having the Google Slides presentation. Click here to view and download the Introduction to 3D Printing Google Slides and here to view and download the full lesson plan.

After Jennifer finished the Introduction to 3D Printing lesson, she went back to the Introduction to TinkerCAD lesson because it is a personal favorite of re:3Ds. TinkerCAD is a fantastic resource for teachers because you don’t have to have a 3D printer to do incredible and engaging lessons with your students. Teachers will have students they do not expect to interact with this lesson get really into it and become incredible 3D designers. Not only can students make 3D designs with TinkerCAD, but also they can create circuit boards and learn how to write code, all for free! TinkerCAD puts out challenges each month for students to compete in and educators post lessons they have created on TinkerCAD as well. Click here to view and download the Introduction to TinkerCAD Google Slides and here to view and download the full lesson plan and other additional resources. These lessons can be replicated and customized to fit different cultural contexts, educational settings, and learner demographics, thereby extending the reach and impact of 3D printing education. Jennifer hopes her lessons contribute to building a future workforce equipped with valuable science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) knowledge and competencies, thus promoting innovation and economic development in the long run.

Juliana took Jennifer on a tour of Programando o Futuro, an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling center with a broader mission of providing free technology education to the community. Their hands-on courses in robotics, 3D printing, computer repair, and marketing aim to equip people with tech skills, boasting a 55% job placement rate. With a commitment to inclusivity and sustainability, Programando o Futuro engages in extensive plastic recycling, collaborating with companies like HP to transform shredded plastic into new products or filament for their 3D printing lab. Programando o Futuro has repaired and donated over 3,000 computers and aims to recycle 1,100 tons of material this year. They want to partner with Juliana and the University of Brasília to get a spectrometer, which will help them rapidly and accurately identify the types of plastic that are donated. Additionally, Juliana wishes to use her partnership with Programando o Futuro to apply for re:3D’s Gigaprize program or apply for a grant to purchase a GigabotX 2 for their organizations.

A bonus meeting happened with Bryan Murphy, Associate Chief Engineer for the International Space Station (ISS), at Boeing to bring ISS Mini-Mimics to Brazil. The ISS MIMIC is a 1:100 scale articulating model of the International Space Station (ISS) that runs off of live data streaming from the real ISS. re:3D has had the joy of helping the ISS Mimic team by 3D printing solar arrays and participating in the 11 Freeman Library Community Builds of the ISS Mimic. If you would like to learn more about the ISS Mimic, check out this article written by re:3D. Jennifer and Juliana’s meeting with Bryan was successful because they secured three ISS Mini-Mimics for educational institutions in Brasília. The goal is that after Juliana completes the ISS Mini-Mimic with students, she will then apply for grants to fund an ISS Mimic community build at the Planetarium! She is also hoping to get support from Brazil’s only astronaut, Marcos Pontes, who is currently a Senator for São Paulo, in this endeavor. Bringing the ISS Mimic to Brazil has the potential to foster a lasting interest in space exploration and STEAM fields to all who encounter it.

A final fortuitous event happened at the end of Jennifer’s time in Brazil when she was able to meet with the 2024 Class of Brazilian YLAI Fellows. Jennifer was in Brasília at the same time as their orientation for YLAI. Juliana and Jennifer went and spoke about their YLAI experience with the Fellows for an hour and a half. The Fellows Jennifer met were awe-inspiring entrepreneurs. They have built up their business and are incredibly hard workers. When they come to the US they are paired with businesses and are partnered with anyone from the CEO of the company to an Account Manager. YLAI is not only about the Fellows coming in and learning from an American company but also about them sharing their knowledge and passion with the company they are paired with. If you are interested in hosting a YLAI Fellow, please email info@re3d.org, and Jennifer will put you in touch with the proper contacts. re:3D hopes to continue partnering with YLAI for as long as we are around.

Jennifer Dennington

Blog Post Author

2023 Gigaprize

Brookwood in Georgetown

And that is a wrap folks! Gigaprize 2023 is in the books, but our winner, Brookwood in Georgetown, is just getting started on their 3D printing journey! Brookwood in Georgetown is excited to use their Gigabot 4 to aid in producing ceramic molds and training for their vocational community that provides meaning work for adults with functional disabilities. Their final products the find their way onto the shelves at their award winning giftshop in Georgetown, TX.

GIGAPRIZE FINALISTS

We had many amazing applicants this year and it was an incredibly tight judging process, with our final 5 contestants (I Want That Leg, Re-Inventa, Sew-Printed, Centro de Aprendizaje Educarte and Brookwood in Georgetown) being separated by less than a point. A huge thank you goes out to our wonderful judges – Khaalid McMillan, Sabine Berendse, Kameco de los Santos, Sonakshi Senthil, Josh Pridmore, Scott Austin Key, Jason Kessler, Sakshi Shah, Dr. Andrea Santos, Ama Fofie, Erik Hausmann, Lillian Ferrell & Lindsay Shwartz for bringing their expertise and industry experience to our judging process.

AMERICA MAKES

As a bonus, our Partner Organization AmericaMakes, will provide America Makes Education and Workforce development portfolio assets and training to the selected organization, meaning Brookwood in Georgetown will be onboarded into the AMNation! To learn more about America Makes, please visit their website at www.americamakes.us!

A MESSAGE FROM BIG, 2023 GIGAPRIZE WINNER:

BiG has a vision of an inclusive, empowering world for adults with special needs. This marks a paradigm shift in the way that society typically views these individuals. We provide training and support for our Citizens to succeed in modified job tasks, allowing them to experience the dignity and satisfaction of accomplishing real work. Winning the Gigabot will allow us to dream and create in new and innovative ways for our Citizens to succeed. From making molds for our clay enterprise to creating adaptive tools for our Citizens to participate in our pie making kitchen—the sky is the limit! We are beyond grateful!

Debbie Guinn from BiG

I am so thankful to have been a part of this journey, and cannot wait to see what amazing things Brookwood in Georgetown will do with our Gigabot! I hope that the runner up will continue to follow re:3D and apply for our next Gigaprize!

Ryan Murray

Blog Post Author

re:3D® kicks off their 2023 Gigaprize Campaign, giving away an industrial 3D Printer to someone committed to uplifting their community.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HOUSTON, June 1, 2023 — re:3D, Inc. is pleased to announce the kickoff of their 2023 Gigaprize campaign. For every 100 printers sold, re:3D donates a Gigabot 4* large-format, industrial 3D printer to an individual or organization committed to doing good in their community and/or society. Past Gigaprize winners include, among others, Magic Wheelchair out of Portland, OR, who provides 3D printed Halloween costumes for kids in wheelchairs, and Tunapanda Institute, incorporating region-specific 3D printing educational curriculum and opportunities to serve community needs in Kenya. The application for Gigaprize is live as of June 1st, 2023 via the re:3D website (www.re3d.org/gigaprize). Submissions will be accepted until June 30th, 2023 at 11:59PM CDT. Applicants will need to produce and upload a short 3-minute video explaining how a Gigabot 4* would help in furthering their mission and fill out a short questionnaire. Judging will take place during the first two weeks of July, and the winner will be announced mid-July. To remain impartial, re:3D will bring in external judges with a wide range of experience and expertise. All contestant videos will be uploaded to the official re:3D Youtube channel and a small percentage of the final score will be based on the number of “likes” each video receives.

*Gigabot 4 or equivalent store credit towards another 3D printer.

ABOUT re:3D

re:3D® Inc. consists of a group of explorers committed to decimating the cost & scale barriers to industrial 3D printing. Having pioneered the world’s first and most affordable, human-scale industrial 3D printer, re:3D likewise is creating large scale, affordable 3D printers printing from pellets, regrind, and flake plastic waste. Beyond creating 3D printers for customers in over 50 countries, re:3D offers 3D printing contract services, consulting, design and education services. For more information on re:3D, visit www.re3d.org.

Contact:

Ryan Murray

gigaprize@re3d.org

+1 (512)730-0033

Ryan Murray

Blog Post Author

Gigalab

Gigalab is re:3D’s next evolution in large-scale 3D printing & services. Each climate-controlled Gigalab contains the printers, tools, and supplies to innovate on-site with the option for a generator or off-grid energy power. We look forward to customizing your Gigalab to meet your needs.

We look forward to sharing success and failures with you! You can sign up for updates, or receive a quote for your Gigalab below!

Gigabot 3D Printer Portfolio Pellets, Flake and Filament

A unique space to create, collaborate and innovate. Crisis-affected communities engage in creative problem-solving, adapting resources and processes to address challenges and create opportunities.

Gigalab offers unique tools and opportunities to repurpose discarded materials and create new items.

The first generator powered Gigalab is currently being outfitted for the Puerto Rican Science & Research Trust to process & 3D print with water bottles and manufacturing waste in Puerto Rico.

Thanks to an AFWERX SBIR Phase II award, two containers powered by wind will be installed at the United States Air Force Academy in 2022. These containers will contain all of the tools to process & 3D print with plastic waste from the dining hall, as well as discarded 3D prints used in their education.

Full-Scale Additively Manufactured Training Aids for DOD

Executive Summary

This award was designed to fulfill requests from two Air Force Education and Training Command (AETC) organizations who presented the need to produce full-scale training aids for Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) training. The inert aids, however, were too heavy and inaccessible, and traditional production methods can be time and cost intensive. Existing Additive Manufacturing (AM) hardware that could produce training aids at high fidelity were too small, requiring the aids to be made in multiple small pieces and then assembled. re:3D explored how a digitally driven workflow could drastically reduce these time, cost, scale, and quality factors. re:3D also provided fully custom AM machinery (i.e. 3D printers) capable of producing single-piece, full-scale training aids at high quality. By implementing 3D scanning and a custom large-scale 3D printer, dubbed “Exabot” by re:3D, these groups were enabled to produce full-scale training aids on-demand at a 74% reduction in turnaround time and approximately 90% reduction in costs.

Client Snapshot

The 149th Fighter Wing, stationed on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas is a part of the Air National Guard. As an F-16 training unit, its mission is to produce the finest airmen for global engagements and domestic operations while supporting its families and serving its communities. It’s sister unit is the 147th Attack Wing, at Ellington Field Houston, where they fly combat support missions with the MQ-9 Reaper.

Needs and Challenges

For the AETC, there was a need to train Air Force (AF) technicians and operators in the precise assembly of GBU and JDAM kits. Technologies like AR/VR could have greatly increased training efficacy, but such a process still required the use of full-scale training articles. There were, however, certain drawbacks to using them. First, existing training aids were extremely heavy, requiring special rigging or equipment to transport. Second, traditional manufacturing methods for training aids were costly with respect to time, materials, and money spent. This could have been overcome by utilizing AM, but there were no existing AM platforms that could produce high precision parts at the scale of training aids being used. Even then, operators required a thorough knowledge of 3D printing for the greatest return on investment.

Solution

re:3D focuses on affordable, industrial scale AM, offering a much lower barrier of entry with respect to build volume and feature set as compared to industrial competitors (Fig. 1). All re:3D 3D printers are also designed for modularity and customizability, so older units always have the potential to upgrade. Through a Phase II Open Topic SBIR grant awarded by AFWERX, re:3D was able to work with the 149th FW and 147th ATKW to reverse engineer and produce full-size training aids from AM thermoplastic.

During this process, re:3D explored the potential for savings in cost, time, and materials through the fabrication of training aids via digital fabrication tools. Specifically, a Creaform HandySCAN Black Elite 3D scanner was used to capture high resolution 3D geometry for multiple Guided Bomb Unit(GBU) and Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits (Fig. 2). The scans were post-processed in Creaform VXmodel and Dassault Systemes SolidWorks for ease of 3D printing and assembly. From there, several test prints were produced (Fig. 3) on re:3D’s print farm, a collection of in-house Gigabot and Terabot 3D printers(Fig. 4), to optimize the printing parameters for best quality.

After exploring the workflow and implied cost savings of using 3D scanning and AM to produce training aids, re:3D designed a custom 3D printer catered specifically towards GBU and JDAM production (Fig. 5). This included an extension of the flagship products’ maximum printing height from 3 feet to 6 feet, allowing for printing entire GBU/JDAM models in a single piece. Training was provided to the customer to minimize the learning curve and achieve reliable, successful 3D prints faster. The development process began on a touchscreen add-on, which will provide a more intuitive and accessible control interface.

Results

The first half of the work with the 149th FW and 147th ATKW consisted of the 3D scanning and print optimization work. With the 3D scanner, re:3D was able to capture and reverse engineer fully featured 3D models of multiple GBU/JDAM kits (Fig. 6). The test printing yielded multiple full-scale printed training aids delivered to both the 149th FW and 147th ATKW for their assessment. After this process, re:3D compiled a digital package consisting of post-processed 3D models, optimized printing profiles, and ready-to-print .gcode files (Fig. 7).

A fully AM GBU38B weighed 33 lbs (Fig. 8), with its real-world equivalent weighing in at over 600 lbs. This amounts to a weight reduction of over 90% by switching to an AM training aid that still maintains the same geometric features as the genuine article. There are also implied safety and logistical benefits as a result of the drastic weight reduction. Transportation and handling of the training aids would require less staff and equipment and be easier, safer, and cheaper as a result.

Using traditional sourcing, for the 147th ATKW to acquire one of their GBU/JDAM units would cost $10,000. A spool of high quality PLA plastic filament for AM will typically cost $20 per pound. At roughly 30 lbs, a fully AM GBU/JDAM kit only uses about $600 in materials to produce (Fig. 9). This equates to a 94% cost reduction when comparing just the materials. Extra associated costs include electricity usage, printing set up and post processing (when necessary), but these do not nearly make up for the drastic cost difference. Primarily, the main cost advantage comes in the fact that the parts can be printed with minimal setup or supervision.

Instead of acquiring engineering drawings of each and every piece of equipment and recreating the models in CAD, re:3D used a 3D scanner to quickly capture 3D geometry for the kits the 147th ATKW and 149th FW were interested in using. Each scanning session took approximately 2 hours, followed by a few hours of post processing for each model in order to fix any scanning artifacts or to modify geometry for ease of printing or assembly. From there, each model was ready to print as desired. The typical turnaround time for the 147th to acquire one of their traditional training aids can be around 3 weeks. On the other hand, one of these kits can be printed in its full scale in 130 uninterrupted hours. This equates to a 74% reduction in time to complete a fully 3D printed training aid.

After the completion of the custom 3D printer, dubbed the “Exabot”, it was delivered directly to the 149th FW. With a build volume of 3 feet by 2 feet by 6 feet (Fig. 10), Exabot is perfectly suited for printing full-sized GBU/JDAM kits, or any other parts that fit within the build volume as the end users see fit. Compared to a typical re:3D Gigabot 3+, Exabot also sports a stationary bed, a gantry which moves in the X, Y, and Z directions, a heavy duty frame with leveling casters, and a counterweighted filament delivery tube for consistent quality no matter how tall the print (Fig. 11).

After the Exabot delivery, re:3D provided training to the 149th FW (Fig. 12). While the crew at the 149th FW were already very familiar with 3D printing, re:3D was prepared to train operators at all levels of experience. This included education in machine calibration, maintenance, and operation as well as Simplify3D software set up. At the conclusion of the training, the 149th FW crewmen felt comfortable with operating Exabot and excited at their new ability to 3D print full scale parts.

Continuous Improvement

re:3D values continuous improvement for their products and is committed to building an upgrade path for all standard machines. For example, an early Gigabot 2 can be upgraded to the latest Gigabot 3+, affordably preserving common components from unnecessary disposal while improving the machine’s functionality. re:3D approaches Exabot with the same commitment, leveraging feedback from the 149th FW to inform improvements that all Exabot users will benefit from.

Improved Filament Feeding

One challenge of large scale 3D printing is managing the filament feed path. The first iteration of Exabot used counterweighted filament tubes, with a constant length of tubing that moved in and out of the frame depending on the height of the gantry (Fig. 13). After some use, however, the operators gave re:3D feedback about shortcomings with this design.

The 149th FW Exabot was updated with a frame holding the filament spools directly above the gantry (Fig. 14). This stores all filament inside the frame, minimizing the overall footprint. There was also a 70% reduction in the filament path, for more reliable feeding and less chances of grinding through filament, and more economical use of filament spools.

Upgraded Build Volume

While the original bed size was driven by the size of the training aids used by the 149th FW, the gantry of Exabot could actually accommodate a slightly larger bed plate. A simple and straightforward improvement was to install a new bed assembly that was large enough to fit the full stroke of travel of the X and Y axes. The original bed plate was 24” x 30” while the new plate is 30.7” x 30.7”, for a 31% increase in build volume.

Continued Engagement

re:3D continues to engage with the 149th FW for regular service and maintenance needs, and also to better understand their 3D printing workflow and collect valuable feedback. This information will inform the next generation of re:3D’s large scale 3D printing products.

Call to Action

This grant opportunity awarded by the AFWERX open topic solicitation enabled active investigation of Air Force needs and resulted in an innovative solution that was immediately commercialized with global interest, which include requests for even larger custom form factors. As mentioned above, many areas were identified and addressed for cost reduction. re:3D has had subsequent conversations with DOD stakeholders, identifying further needs that may be addressed through large scale 3D printing, whether through the flagship Gigabot, and now Exabot, or a collaborative, custom solution.

If your organization is interested in an Exabot of your own, it is available for purchase via GSA (https://bit.ly/3eFLpa0). If your organization is interested in collaborating on a future SBIR grant opportunity, feel free to email info@re3d.org with your vision to #dreambigprinthuge. re:3D is happy to consider any SBIR Phase 1, Direct to Phase 2 and eventually even beyond into Phase 3 opportunities. If you are interested in purchasing one of re:3D’s standard 3D printers or service offerings, please send a message to sales@re3d.org.

Specialty Pellets & Flake

Specialty 3D printing Pellets and flake materials

Specialty pellets and flake are unique materials created for specific use cases. Sometimes, common materials like PLA or ABS cannot meet the demands of a specific application and a dedicated material is needed. Specialty materials have been created for casting, smooth surface finishes, flexible parts, high clarity, and improved material strength. Due to the wide range of different applications, specialty materials are not easily classified into other common material categories. The chemical makeup of specialty materials is diverse as well, making each specialty material truly special. If you have a very specific demand for a material, there may be a specialty material to help you out!

Applications for specialty pellets and flake are almost entirely driven on the material’s design. Unlike common materials, specialty materials are often created for a specific application. Some of the most common specialty material use cases are given, but specialty materials exist for a wide variety of different applications.

The sustainability of specialty pellets and flake varies widely, though often they are not easily recycled at commercial centers. Some specialty pellets are formulated to redirect a specific kind of waste into a pellet form for reuse. Safety data sheets of a specialty material can provide insight into ways to dispose of it properly.

rPC Flake

rPC Polycarbonate (PC) is a high performance material intended for use in engineering and industrial settings. As suggested by its name,

Learn More

rPET Pellets

rPET Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a durable material with either a glossy appearance or opaque appearance depending on its crystallinity. PET

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rPLA Flake

rPLA Polylactic Acid, more commonly known as PLA, is one of the most frequently used materials in 3D printing. Its popularity

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GigabotX 2 XLT 3D Printer

The GigabotX 2 XLT 3D Printer is the next evolution in 3D printing technology. These direct-drive pellet extrusion based printers, can print from virgin or recycled pellets, flake, or regrind – and bring us even closer to the dream of a circular economy.

A ⅝” extruder screw with a 16:1 L/D ratio powered by a NEMA 23 motor enables 3D printing with 3-5mm plastic granules melting below 270ºC. With a larger 0.4, 0.8, 1.75 or 3mm nozzle, GigabotX 2 XLT reduces the dependence on printing with filament while supporting plastic granule mixing, increasing printing speed and cost savings.

Your open-source industrial 3D printer is powered by a 32bit Ultimachine ArchiMajor control board and Klipper firmware run on a Raspberry Pi. Access GigabotX 2 XLT controls via the Mainsail interface on either the 10” LCD touchscreen or a desktop or mobile web browser.

Hand-crafted in Texas by team re:3D to highly precise standards, your GigabotX 2 XLT 3D printer is modular, upgradable and backed by Lifetime Customer Support.

GigabotX 2 XLT 3D printer graphic featuring a drawing of the bot 552 x 740 x 765 millimeter print volume