Overview of the Raise3D E2 3D printer

Raise3D has earned a reputation as the premium brand among FDM 3D printers due to the excellent quality of their devices, their thoughtful architecture and their user-friendly, intuitive software. Having debuted internationally with the Raise3D N1 product line, the company is now firmly ensconced in the top ranks of all 3D printing ranking sites, and is still going strong. That’s why the arrival of a new product with Raise3D branding couldn’t go unnoticed. We are of course talking about the new product for 2020, the Raise3D E2 3D printer. What is good about this newcomer? What does it offer to 3D printers and why should you consider buying it? We will tell you about it in this article.

What is the Raise3D E2 3D printer?

 

The Raise 3D E2 is a product aimed at new, not yet closed or not completely closed niches for this manufacturer in the 3D printing market.

As a premium FDM 3d printer, it targets a league of market mastodons like Makerbot, Ultimaker and 3D Systems and feels quite confident in their surroundings.

The new E2 differs from its big brothers, the Pro2 line, primarily in appearance, kinematics, positioning and approach to development. It is safe to say that this printer continues and extends many of the findings and solutions of the company’s previous models. For example, the control system, the print control system and the slicer, the newcomer inherited exactly from its predecessors.

2_e2txt.jpg

Also, Raise3D makes a special bet on this model as it is planned to produce a large number of printers in different directions on its basis. Including devices to work with refractory and composite materials, as well as “transitional” models between the series of large printers Pro2 and more affordable segment, but this information is more of a rumor, nevertheless “there is no smoke without fire”.

 

Features, equipment and appearance.

Let’s start our review with the characteristics:

  • Printing technology: FDM/FFF
  • Filament diameter: 1.75mm
  • Build area size: 330*240*240 mm – when printing with 1 extruder 295x240x240 mm – when printing with 2 extruders
  • Material of the body: injection molded plastic.
  • Frame material: Aluminum
  • Printing table: flexible, steel with Buildtak surface
  • Number of extruders: 2 independent extruders
  • XY axis positioning accuracy: 0.78125 microns
  • Table temperature: up to 110 ℃
  • Z-axis positioning accuracy: 0.15625 microns
  • Nozzle Diameter (mm): 0.4mm (0.2/ 0.6/ 0.8/ 1.0mm optional)
  • Extruder working temperature: Up to 300 ℃
  • Noise level: < 50 dB
  • Travel speed of print head: 30-150mm/s
  • Connection interface: Wi-Fi, LAN, USB port
  • Video camera (built-in): Yes
  • Calibration: Auto Calibration
  • Software: IdeaMaker
  • User interface: 7 inch touch screen
  • Memory: 1GB, internal flash memory of 8GB
  • Kinematic Controller: ARM Cortex M7.400 MHz FPU
  • Logic controller: NXP ARM Cortex-A9 Quard 1GHz 1GB
  • Display resolution: 1024*600
  • Power supply: 100-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz 230 V @ 2 A
  • Dimensions (without packing): 607x596x465 mm

As can be seen from the characteristics, the printer is noticeably “thinner” compared to the past models of the company, got a molded plastic body and two independent printing units in the manner of our previously reviewed FlashForge Creator 3.

At first glance, the specifications meet the stated quality bar and are well within the 300-000 rubles. price, which at the moment the device is estimated in the Russian Federation.

3_e2txt.png

What is included in the package of Raise3D E2 for such an amount? In general, the package corresponds to the senior Pro2 line and contains everything you need, namely:

  • A set of power wires to meet the standards of different countries,
  • Two coils of Raise3D Premium plastic
  • Protective thermal gloves made of thick felt,
  • Two PTFE material coil guide tubes,
  • Four coil brackets with bearing,
  • Sharp spatula, for removing products from the platform,
  • USB flash drive,
  • Two flag fuses,
  • Breathers for PTFE guides,
  • Spare screw set,
  • Tweezers,
  • Original calibration plate,
  • Extruder cleaning needle.

 

4_e2txt.png

The printer still comes in a large cardboard box, strapped to a wooden pallet with zip ties. And though it’s obviously inferior in size to Raise3D Pro2, this kind of reliable packaging is an excellent protection against the vicissitudes of long-distance or international shipping.

By the way, you can watch the process of unpacking the device and the story about the first impression of it on our channel:

 

After unpacking, we can take the device out and take a closer look at it from all sides.

5_e2txt.jpg

The nice looking and touching molded plastic body has definitely improved compared to the Pro2 lineup.

Fewer solid viewing walls of clear plexiglass have been added, but the printer has changed markedly in design and gained some striking, distinctive features.

6_e2txt.jpg

For example, the front panel has a stylized “carbon” insert, and the handles of the coil compartments and the top cover are made of bright red aluminum alloy. In general, the work with color combinations was done quite well. Even without seeing the company logo, you can unmistakably guess what device is in front of us and who its manufacturer is.

7_e2txt.jpg In the front we can see the main door of the printer and on the right side on the top there is a tablet computer which is the main control and interface of the printer.

8_e2txt.png

Next to it, we see a small button which the manufacturer calls “Power Saving Button”. We will see what it does later on but let’s move on.

9_e2txt.jpg

On the left and on the right side of the printer, we see the compartments for the spools, and the handles for carrying the spools are also located there.

10_e2txt.jpg

On the top panel there are two slots for USB flash drives and a lifting cover for the work area.

11_e2txt.png

On the back we can find the network cable connector, the power button and the Ethernet connector.

There is also a work area ventilation grille with a HEPA filter.

Key features of the Raise3D E2 printer

Before moving on to a more detailed description of the technical nuances, let’s define what makes the Raise3D E2 advantageous over its counterparts and past manufacturer’s models and what these key features are.

12_e2txt.png

We have already mentioned that the printer has two printing units that are independent of each other. The system is called IDEX (Independent Dual Extruders) and allows for 3 different print modes:

13_e2txt.png

 

Mirror Mode. You can guess from the name, that on the desktop at the same time is printed the original model and its mirror copy. This mode is ideal, for example, for printing shoe models and insoles.

14_e2txt.png

Duplication Mode – Mode of copying (duplication). In this mode, the device prints the original model and its copy at the same time.

15_e2txt.png

Normal print mode with two and one printing units – Classic print modes with one plastic, or main material and support material.

This large selection of print modes makes it possible to select the work scenario that best fits your application. For educational institutions, it allows you to double the number of items printed per class, for production shops, it adds more flexibility to the same and complex orders, for 3D printing studios, it reduces batch production time, and for 3D printer farms, it allows you to increase the productivity of a single equipment cell without expanding its footprint.

16_e2txt.png

In addition, the Raise3D E2 has retained plastic feed control systems and the ability to resume printing after a sudden power outage.

17_e2txt.png.

Now, if you open the chamber door during the process itself, printing will pause. This is especially relevant for schools and educational institutions so that children can’t accidentally hurt themselves.

18_e2txt.jpg

Another major advantage is the presence of a smart table calibration system. The printing unit is equipped with an electromagnetic stylus sensor, similar to the well-known BL Touch. When you call the function of autocalibration, the printer sequentially “feels” the platform in several points and creates a virtual map of heights, an image of which is displayed at the end of the operation on the screen.

19_e2txt.png

 

You can select two types of calibration. Express and full, they differ in the speed of the process and the number of the measured points.

20_e2txt.jpg

The device is even more friendly for beginners. All the basic unpacking and setting up of the printer is shown on the touch screen as short pre-recorded video instructions.

21_e2txt.png

There is an interesting smart button whose action can be set through settings. When pressed, it puts the printer in economy mode and turns the backlight on or off. Raise3D themselves call it the “power saving button”, but this is probably not the only thing it can do in the future.

22_e2txt.png.

The adhesive surface of the heating table is a thin sheet of metal with BuildTak glued on top. It is held on the table by a large number of magnets and is quite simple and easy to use. And most importantly, it can bend, which makes it easier to remove models from the table after printing.

23_e2txt.png

Also, the printer has the support of the Raise Cloud system, and in the working area there is a webcam which allows to watch the printing process remotely and interfere if necessary.

 

Kinematics and electronics

The kinematics of the Raise3D E2 printer are the most controversial point of the device. Contrary to the tradition of using scissor kinematics in their products, the company suddenly decided to create a printer with a moving table and a Z lowering cross-member of the X-axis.

24_e2txt.jpg

On the whole, the solution is understandable. It was easier to make the IDEX system belts, which run parallel to the top and bottom of the X-axis rail, reduce the overall size of the device and make production cheaper.

25_e2txt.jpg

In summary, on the Y and Z axes we have cylindrical guides, double plus trapezoidal screws for the vertical axis and single screws for the table axis, a rail guide for the X axis and the well-known Prusa-Like system as a base.

26_e2txt.jpg

 

The working area of the table is 330x240x240mm.

 

27_e2txt.jpg

The table rests on heavy-duty bearing collars and is driven by a single motor through a closed drive belt, just like the X-axis.

28_e2txt.png

The strength and stiffness of the design is given by the aluminum frame of the printer whose thick top bar is clearly visible in our illustration.

 

Overall the design is much lighter than the classic or scissor type circuits and this has a positive effect on the dynamics of the printer. The stated operating speed of the printer when printing is from 30 to 150 mm/sec.

29_e2txt.jpg

The printing units have been completely redesigned to reduce weight. The temperature is distributed more efficiently by minimizing the plastic parts in the design, and the pressure mechanism has gained a more convenient adjustment of the pressure roller.

30_e2txt.jpg

The maximum heating temperature is now 300 degrees, and the range of materials supported includes many refractory materials.

The calibration of the extruders in relation to each other as well as the nozzle matching is accompanied by a special video guide and has become much more convenient than on the Pro2

31_e2txt.png

The heating table consists of a milled aluminum base with multiple magnets, a heating platform and an adhesive plate. The heating temperature is up to 110 degrees. Heating is fast and fairly even.

A small “lens effect” is present, but it’s leveled out by the most precise calibration we already told you about and the presence of BuilTak surface hiding flaws.

32_e2txt.png

The printer has two controllers. One, to control the kinematics, heaters and cooling, the other, is responsible for the touchscreen display. Both are from the ARM Cortex family, but the motion controller: the Atmel ARM Cortex-M4 120MHz FPU is noticeably weaker than its display counterpart.

33_e2txt.png.

To display beautiful pictures, video support and other features, the tablet is equipped with a NXP ARM Cortex-A9 Quad Gigahertz, a gigabyte of RAM and 8 gigabytes of flash memory on board. The system is controlled, as before, by a stripped-down version of Linux.

 

Interface and software.

34_e2txt.png.

Stylistically, the display interface has not changed. All the same animated icons, displaying the model itself on the screen and other familiar features.

The only thing that was added is the repeatedly mentioned video instructions, the extruder nozzle calibration assistant and the table calibrator.

35_e2txt.png

Also, there is a separate menu for configuring the “smart button”, otherwise the interface remains the same.

36_e2txt.png

The same can be said about the new build of proprietary slicer – IDEAMaker. It now has a settings panel for Raise3d E2, it got a reworked Raise Cloud system and fixed some bugs of previous versions.

37_e2txt.png

 

38_e2txt.png

The welcome screen is now also available when starting the program, which you can turn off if you want.

Summary

The Raise3D E2 3D printer is interesting if only because it has two independent extruders. This feature brings a real acceleration of the printing process and simplifies many production practices.

More beautifully the printer can be described as buying one and a half devices for the price of one.

And here we do not even take into account the eminent and well-known in wide circles brand.

The company itself, positioning the novelty as a printer for schools, educational institutions and recommends that this part of the market to look closer to the purchase. We can add that E2 will be worthy and useful assistant on any engineering table, among the workshops of 3D printing and 3D farms, thanks to the ability to combine the printers into a single network and remote control via webcam.

A wide choice of printing materials also expands the possibilities of the device and the audience that may be interested in it. And it logically continues the philosophy of the Pro2 line.

Time will tell if the printer will be a new hit. In our opinion, it has all the criteria for it.

 

 

Like this post? Please share to your friends:
3dprinter.net
Leave a Reply

;-) :| :x :twisted: :smile: :shock: :sad: :roll: :razz: :oops: :o :mrgreen: :lol: :idea: :grin: :evil: :cry: :cool: :arrow: :???: :?: :!: