The intensive development of 3D printing technology that has taken place over the last several years makes it sometimes difficult to imagine what else could be improved or added to existing additive manufacturing techniques. And yet - leading manufacturers of 3D printers from time to time surprise us with innovations implemented in the latest device models. This is exactly what happened with the latest series of K1 machines from the well-known Chinese brand Creality.
Creality 3D Printers - K1 Series
3D printer - Creality K2 Plus Combo
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K1 series - innovation chasing innovation
The Creality K1 series printers bring users an even higher print speed compared to the best performance of previous models - this time we have a working mode of up to 600 mm / s (60 cm / s!), which greatly affects the dynamics of work. The improved Z-axis ensures more stable operation, thanks to which the quality of prints reaches the limits offered by FDM technology. Interestingly, the manufacturer took care to reduce the "ringing" effect, manifested by delicate "waves" on the flat surfaces of the prints, and the way Creality engineers made this important correction is really impressive. The G-sensor built into the printer monitors the resonant frequencies of the structure and modifies the speed of the machine in such a way as to eliminate the effect of amplifying mechanical vibrations, which directly translates into the reduction of artifacts generated in printed details.
However, this is only the beginning of the innovations that Creality decided to introduce as part of the K1 series. The upgraded extruder with a two-speed extrusion function allows you to dispense the filament with a force of 50 Newtons, and the total weight of the print head is only 190 grams - this is one explanation for the phenomenal top speed, although of course other factors also influence it. The heater has also been replaced - in the K1 models, heating the ceramic element to the temperature of 200 oC requires only 40 seconds, which allows you to start working in a short time after turning on the printer's power.
Artificial intelligence, LIDAR and machine vision
Creality K1 Max series printers are equipped with a smart camera that monitors the progress of work. Interestingly, the task of the camera is not only to provide the user with a convenient view of the device status at any time of its operation - it is also a way to automatically monitor printouts and detect the most common errors, which has so far been unattainable in competitive FDM printing machine models. An additional element affecting the reliability and ease of use is the built-in laser distance sensor (LIDAR), which allows scanning the surface of the work table with an accuracy unattainable for conventional systems based, for example, on BLTouch or PINDA sensors.