I believe I may have just spotted a Unicorn...

[Sean]

Just saw a story from ALL3DP reporting from Rapid+TCT on a 12 nozzle swapping printer that has a turret setup akin to a CNC mill. It's called the Pallet 300 from a company called Atomform. They say the printer has almost no purge waste because you're using a nozzle that's set.for each color or material. It's supposed to be faster then similar types of systems because it is doing the nozzle swapping and material retraction and threading simultaneously. Plus it's using an optical sensor system to both confirm successful tool change and measureing height references/offsets on the fly for every tool change.

They're introducing the printer as a deposit "funding" type scheme akin to Kickstarter, but it doesn't specify it is Kickstarter. If it functions as they say, the intro pricing seems pretty reasonable. 

I'll dump the links for the ALL3DP article, Atomform's site and the presale page below. 

What do y'all think?

https://all3dp.com/4/atomforms-palette-300-promises-12-nozzle-color-printing-without-the-purge-waste-closer-look/

https://atomform.tech/

https://atomform.tech/products/palette-300

[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

I saw this before. I think it was in my FaceBook news feed - or something like that. 

Honestly???

I think 12-nozzles are Overkill - Bordering on the Ludicrous!

Why???

Who seriously needs 12 nozzles/12 colors?!?!?!?!?!?

Sure - printing things in multiple colors is cool and all. But printing in so many colors just seems so Niche. The really wonderful part of multiple filaments is having multiple materials in the same print. Their Base unit - RFD-6 Combo is sufficient enough. 1 spool for supports, 1 for TPU for hinges - and then 4 colors - that's fine. I just think 12 nozzles is seriously overkill. 

Of course, sure - 12 filaments feeding in could also mean that you have slots for spare filament of the same spools - like, 5 main colors - and 5 backups of those colors - so it hits the backup when one of the colors runs out! And - will admit - this kind Backup policy may be one of the key highlights to the system.  

But - READ the All3DP article carefully - as there are a BUNCH of GOTCHA's that are mentioned...

Also, what's the whole RFD reference in the model names? I just quickly read the ENTIRE All3DP article - and there were NO References RFID - and NONE Either on the main printer webpage with pricing. 

Why am I making Stink about this??

There must be a REASON for this RFD reference - and maybe I am wrong with it seeming to be RFID. Cause - it could mean it's a Chipped Machine like StrataSys - locking you into THEIR Ecosystem and higher priced filament. The one pricing option - differs from the other by $200 - and seem the ONLY Difference was the inclusion of 6 spools. Break that down - and it's $33/spool! Yikes!!!

Of course, maybe the RFD just stands for "Real Filament Drying"! But, that would surely be a Silly Arse Acronym...

-K

[Bryan Eckert]

Kurt you probably saw it here as I posted about it end of March:
https://groups.google.com/g/3d-printing-tips--tricks/c/JtoRU0-xsPo/m/wfn0xRpeAQAJ

If Bambu can release a multi out AMS unit and do the filament staging, then they should keep with the Vortek as from the videos I've seen on the Atomform the nozzle swap is incredibly slow. Perhaps they can speed that up, but even with the filament staging it looks slower than the H2C.I also wonder how easy/convenient it is to swap the nozzles in the caddy. Swapping nozzles on the H2C rack is very easy, and re-reading all the nozzles in the rack takes less than a minute.

As I don't do tons of multicolor, and swapping between the 2 extruders is faster than a toolchanger already, I chose the H2C because of how easy it is to swap nozzles from a .2 to a .4 to a .6, etc. That, and the induction hotends print ABS better. Something for Andy to consider, as I heard him talking about getting a dual hotend on the last episode.

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[3D Printing Tips and Tricks]

Yeah… I’m thinking H2C.

And yeah… if you need that many colors imo, you should paint it. With twelve colors the time it takes to tool change will be too much.

While experimenting with colors and making simple things and color labeled things is great, most use cases for a working 3d printer can be met with a two material dual hotend machine.

[Bryan Eckert]

I will say when I got the H2C I didn't bother with the laser for two reasons: one you also need the extractor unless you can vent outside (which I cannot currently - $$$$) We have an H2S at work with the 10W laser and it's actually really useful for us.

But, I did get the cutter head and it's replaced my cricut machine. Works really well and it's only $60 I believe. I use it to cut stickers. Here's a display model I printed on the X1c then cut stickers out on the H2C:  REALLY easy to integrate stickers/vinyl into 3D prints with it. The Bambu Suite is surprisingly good for a first release.

I am however actually printing some multi-color at the moment. Working on a model of the Gunstar from the old movie "The Last Starfighter". While I'm printing 99% of it in grey ABS and painting/weathering, I'm actually doing multicolor (yep out of ABS) on the cockpit with the buttons/controls/seats. Talk about tiny tool paths...

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[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

Bryan - thanks SO Much for kick-starting my brain cells! Yup - shoulda figured it was a prior post - and done a Search! 

I guess that means - Sadly - that Sean was Late to the Party!!!

This Engineering of Nozzle Swapping Tech - it's VERY TRICK STUFF - as I was Deeply involved with the Development and Testing of the Essentium 240 printer - which has Dual nozzles in a single print head - and it worked VERY SIMILAR to the Video of the Bambu design! 

But, getting Basic functionality vs. a Proven Tech that seriously WORKS - yeah - it's a TOUGH One - Been there - Done that...

-K

[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

Wow Bryan - that's some EPIC STUFF! I wish - REALLY Wish I could have afforded the H2C or even just the H2D (I wanted that SO BAD) - but, when the U1 hit the market - I had NO Choice but to get it!!!! IT's definitely going to be a WILD Ride Indeed! 

As for the Last Starfighter model - WOW Again - VERY Cool stuff. Keep us posted - show us PICS - we WANT Pics - but, shoot it into a New Thread...

-K

[Bryan Murphy]

Oh I can't wait to see the finished print!  Is the model available somewhere?

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