Ultimaker 2 - MIDAS

Ultimaker
The Ultimaker 2+ is one of the most advanced, accurate and reliable desktop 3D printers around.

Equipment > 3D Printers > Ultimaker

The Ultimaker is an incremental upgrade to the venerable workhorse of the 3D printing world, the Ultimaker 2. That means it has the exact same user base as its predecessor: home-users, schools, and libraries, as well as small businesses, academic institutions, and industrial designers who need a 3D printer for rapid prototyping and production.

It’s made by Ultimaker, a company based in Geldermalsen in the Netherlands, which has steadily built up a complete range of 3D printers and supporting ecosystem. This includes the Ultimaker Original+ in kit form, the Ultimaker 2+ Extended (replacing the Ultimaker 2 Extended), and the Ultimaker 2 Go. The company is committed to the open source movement, so the hardware and software it creates is fully documented and free to be copied, modified, and converted by all users.

Ultimaker describes the Ultimaker 2+ as one of “the most advanced, accurate and reliable desktop 3D printers around”, and we broadly agree with that statement. For one thing, none of our test objects have failed during printing (yet), so the machine scores highly in terms of reliability. And the quality of the individual print objects is pretty astonishing (even at medium settings), so it wins again on the accuracy front.

Three different quality settings of fast (0.25mm layer height), medium (0.15mm layer height) and high (0.1mm layer height).

The difference between objects printed at Normal and at High print-quality settings is hard to distinguish without closer scrutiny with a magnifying glass. On that basis, you might be dissuaded from ever using the higher quality setting, because it takes more time to print than normal quality without a noticeable gain.

Website

https://ultimaker.com/

Over the past 5 years Ultimaker has been building machines that push the envelope of print quality for desktop 3D printers. The + in the Ultimaker 2+ at MIDAS Lab is all about one thing: a brand new extrusion system, and it makes all the difference! Most printers have that default layer height at about .2mm, but Ultimaker printers halve that at .1mm, which gives each print fine details. Come see our sample prints for yourself.

We have two of these amazing 3d printers at MIDAS Lab.

MIDAS Lab Ultimaker 2 Specs
Build Volume: 223mm×223mm×205mm
Bed Style: Heated glass
Filament Size: 3mm
Temperature Control?: Yes, tool head (180-260°C), bed (50-100°C)
Print Untethered?: Yes, SD card
Three different quality settings of fast (0.25mm layer height), medium (0.15mm layer height) and high (0.1mm layer height).
Host/Slicer Software: Cura
OS: Linux, Mac, Windows
Firmware: Open Marlin
Open Software?: Yes, both software and firmware

User Manual

Download the PDF User Manual

Certification Required

Specs and Output Limits

Layer Resolution

0.25 mm nozzle: 150 to 60 micron
0.40 mm nozzle: 200 to 20 micron
0.60 mm nozzle: 400 to 20 micron
0.80 mm nozzle: 600 to 20 micron

A micron is the measurement used to define the thickness of a 3D printed layer. 20 microns is 0.02 mm thick. 600 microns is 0.60 mm. Thinner layers are used for high detailed prints, thicker layers are great for fast prototypes.

Build plate: 50˚ to 100˚ C heated glass build plate
Due to the 50˚ to 100˚ C heated glass build plate you’re able to use a much larger selection of filaments for your prints. To clean the plate simply open the clamps and remove it.

Build plate leveling: Assisted leveling process
It’s really easy to level the build plate using the printer’s assisted leveling process. The print head automatically moves to the back of the build plate, after which the user turns the matching knob and uses the Ultimaker calibration card to set the right height. The print head will continue to the front left side, and then the front right side. This process is repeated once, after that you’ll have a perfectly leveled bed which will stay leveled for a really long time thanks to the sturdy build of the build plate.

Print technology : Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)
This is the process of depositing layers of filament, one on top of the other, to build up shapes and models. Also known as additive manufacturing technology, it’s the process used by all Ultimaker 3D printers.

Print head : Swappable nozzle
Thanks to the swappable nozzle, you can quickly switch between different nozzles. The standard is 0.4 mm, but you also have the option to use a 0.25 mm nozzle for detailed prints or a 0.6 mm/0.8 mm for faster prints. The new fancaps ensure the airflow is aimed perfectly below the nozzle and equally from both sides and the new Sunon fans are more silent than ever. The heater cartridge is now 35W which improves heat up times and print speeds. The PTFE isolator is made from TFM, which has a longer life span. We’ve removed the spring and implemented a spacer, this puts less pressure on the PTFE isolator which also expands its life span. We’re using a new sensitive PT-100 temperature sensor, it provides accurate readings so you can tweak the settings with precision.

Build speed

0.25 nozzle: up to 8 mm3/s
0.40 nozzle: up to 16 mm3/s
0.60 nozzle: up to 23 mm3/s
0.80 nozzle: up to 24 mm3/s

The build speed relates to how fast the filament can be extruded through the hot end of the printer. The higher the mm3/s the greater the achievable print speed. Up to 24 mm3/s is industry-leading for a desktop 3D printer.

Print head travel speed: 30 to 300 mm/s

Travel speed relates to how quickly the print head can move. A higher speed means faster prints – at up to 300 mm/s the Ultimaker 2+ has one of the fastest printer heads around.

Feeder type: Geared feeder
The innovative feeder allows you to easily swap filament and choose the correct pressure for your filament. For example with a softer filament you’ll need to choose a lower pressure. Such control increases the success rate of your prints. It also features a lever, when raised, you can manually insert or remove filament.

XYZ accuracy: 12.5, 12.5, 5 micron
The more accurate the stepper motors within the printer, the greater degree of accuracy can be achieved with each print. Our motors are engineered and tested to achieve the very highest accuracy.

Nozzle diameter: Included are 0.25, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mm nozzles
You’re able to choose from a 0.25mm, 0.4mm, 0.6mm and 0.8mm nozzle diameter – this is the size of the hole that the filament comes through. A smaller nozzle is best for high detailed prints, whereas a 0.8mm nozzle is used for fast prototypes as more filament can flow through the hole faster.

Nozzle temperature: 180˚ to 260˚ C
With such a large a temperature range from 180˚ to 260˚ C, you have greater flexibility as to which filaments you can print with.
Nozzle heat up time~ 1 minute

With an even more powerful 35W heater cartridge the Ultimaker 2+ nozzle heats up really fast allowing you to start printing in no time. It also means that prints can be completed much faster as it can melt the plastic faster.
Build plate heat up time< 4 minutes The innovative heated print bed takes less than 4 minutes to reach print ready temperature. Once the print is complete and the bed has cooled, it’s really easy to remove your print. It also creates a smooth finish underneath each model. Operating sound50 dBA At just 50 dBA, the sound your Ultimaker 2+ makes when printing is barely audible. This makes it perfect for desktop printing in businesses, schools or in the home.

MATERIALS

System: Open filament system
The Ultimaker 2+ has an open filament system, this means you’re able to use any kind of filament to get precisely the finish you’re after. When you combine different materials with different nozzles – the possibilities are endless.

Filament diameter: 2.85 mm

Supported materials: PLA, ABS, CPE

The Ultimaker 2+ is a highly flexible 3D printer and gives you the freedom to choose whatever type of filament that suits your project. The Ultimaker 2+ is optimized for Ultimaker PLA, ABS and CPE.
Ultimaker filamentA spool of Ultimaker filament is 750 g
Optimized perfectly for the Ultimaker 2+, we offer a range of 750 g filaments that are 2.85mm in diameter and approximately 90 meters long.

REQUIREMENTS

SoftwareCura, our free print preparation software
Cura is our industry-leading slicing and preparation software that turns your 3D model into a file your printer can use. You can download Cura for free here.
Supported OSFree on Mac OS X, Windows and Linux
Cura works seamlessly on Mac OS X, Windows and Linux.

Supported file types: STL, OBJ and AMF
An STL file is the most used file type for 3D printing. Nearly any 3D modeling software program is able to create these files.

File transfer: Standalone 3D printing from SD card (included)
Simply copy the .gcode file that Cura created for you onto the supplied SD card and insert it into your Ultimaker 2+. No computer connection required during printing.

Tutorial video