Print and Scan with Blacksmith Genesis

Is it too soon to be unimpressed with the vast array of material extrusion (AKA Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printers available on the market? With so many choices available, the only questions left to be answered by most additive manufacturing (AM) systems relate to price, material options, and quality.

If you’ve found one system capable of producing quality prints in the material of your choice, it’s more than likely you’ll be able to find two more with the same specs. At this point, most people will choose the least expensive option. A new material extrusion 3D printer needs to have something extra going for it to set it apart from the crowd.

Blacksmith, a company formed at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, is set to release a new material extrusion AM system named Blacksmith Genesis later this year. Rather than rely on shiny touchscreens or a sleeker design to draw attention to the 3D printer, Blacksmith has brought additional functionality. Along with building 3D objects, the new system also includes a 3D scanner.

According to the company, the Blacksmith Genesis incorporates a rotating build platform. This operates like a standard print bed when the system is in build mode. The platform is also meant to speed up build times by moving in concert with the extruder head rather than relying on the head alone to move around the build. When in 3D scan mode, the platform rotates to ensure each part of an object is recorded.

Specs for the 3D printer half of the Blacksmith Genesis include a 9.1 in. diameter x 6.3 in. height build envelope, and a layer resolution up to 50 microns. The system’s only material option at this point in development is 1.75mm PLA. Unsurprisingly, the scanner volume is the same as the build envelope, with a complete scan requiring about six minutes. The system performs 1200 steps per rotation, using a 3.1 MP CMOS Image Sensor.

The same camera that records data from scans can also be used to remotely monitor a print. Users can also remotely cancel a print if they catch any problems. The Blacksmith Genesis also comes with its own software, called Blacksmith Sorcerer, which will run on Windows, Mac and Linux. No word yet on price.

Below you’ll find a video about the Blacksmith Genesis.

Source: Blacksmith