In the final stages of development, Elemental is a stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer with a difference. Elemental is the world’s first pressure controlled 3D printer. Like other SLA printers, Elemental utilises a laser system to cure photosensitive resins. Unlike other SLA printers though, Elemental uses a pressure control system to control resin levels when an object is being built.
With a simple modular, attractive design, Elemental is the easiest 3D printer around to use. Scott Pobihun, Hardcotton Co-founder & CEO said, “When you use Elemental you aren’t faced with a daunting set up and you don’t need to worry about fiddly calibration procedures. All you need to do in setting up Elemental is to ensure that the printer is level, with its adjustable feet, then simply fill it up with printing material and it’s ready to go.”
Elemental—key points
• Revolutionary SLA printer with a simple design that is attractive and functional
• Pressure control system moves the printing material to or from the build area
• The only 3D printer capable of operating by way of resin suspension (resin floating on top of a support material such as saline) or by utilising any resin with broad range of viscosity
• Quiet when printing and simple to use
• Minimal calibration required
• Patent pending technology
• Multiple operating configurations with single or dual control chambers
• Reduced dependency on support structures
• To print, users slice 3d models to g-code using their own preferred slicing software and use Hardcotton’s client software to operate Elemental
System specification
• Custom hardware, firmware and client software that accepts industry standard g-code
• Very large build area for SLA:
> 200mm x 200mm x 200mm (7.87in x 7.87in x 7.87in) with single control chamber configuration
> 140mm x 140mm x 200mm (5.51in x 5.51in x 7.87in) with dual control chamber configuration
• Z control accurate to 1 micron (depending on resin used and limited to 1 micron by microcontroller settings)
• XY control resolution up to 24.4 micron (variable through software)
• Variable output 405nm laser
• Pressure control of layer height
• Bluetooth functionality
“Elemental makes 3D printing simple, easy and affordable. Unlike other printers on the market, Elemental does not require complex set-up, assembly or calibration. Its modular design addresses cost concerns, usually a concern with SLA printers, as well as ensuring performance reliability with whisper quiet operation” says Pobihun.
Hardcotton will launch Elemental through Kickstarter in Q3 of 2014 and will offer units to Kickstarter backers for under AUD$1000.
“It really is amazing seeing something 3D printed. It is even more amazing when the print is done quickly, quietly and simply” says CEO Scott Pobihun. “Utilising pressure control, Hardcotton has developed a 3D printer that employs SLA technology but creates the 3D print without the use of a mechanical platform.”
Pobihun also said “This is a massive step forward for 3D printing. Because there are very few complex parts to be assembled in Elemental, we see this architecture as being the basis for the mass manufacture of 3D printers very soon.”
Source: HardCotton