Ultimaker Debuts Ultimaker 2 3D Printer With Open Source Cura Software

MojoKid writes "3D Printing start-up Ultimaker announced its second generation printer, the Ultimaker 2. The new printer features significant redesigns from the first iteration of the Ultimaker. The company says that the new machine is more accurate, more efficient, and it's even quieter at 49dB. Specifically, the Ultimaker 2 has a new CNC-milled case (that's all white with glowing sidewalls) with an OLED display, and its glass and aluminum build platform is designed to cool quickly so you can peel completed projects off more easily. The Ultimaker 2 can print with multiple materials, including PLA, ABS, and PVA, and is WiFi-compatible so you can print from a mobile device or computer. Ultimaker is also launching its Cura open source software, which the company claims can pre-process 3D files some 60 times faster than other open source applications and makes it easy to load and work with 3D files."

$2,500?

[drainbramage]

From TFA:
The Ultimaker 2 will retail for $2,500.

Re:Price?

[Anonymous Coward]

You are absolutely wrong.

It uses a standard filament on a spool. You can buy it from anyone. Invest in a filabot (http://www.filabot.com/) and you extrude your own filament for $10/kg.

There are printers where this is the case (IIRC the Cube), but this is not one of them.

Re:Amazing

[Anonymous Coward]

While you might be able to do some laser cutting stuff on a 3d printer by changing the head, CNC is a different ball game as it involves a lot higher forces on the head, and needs rigidity to do things with any precision. I've seen a lot of home built CNC machines fail to make the transition from wood to metal just because of such issues, and they were built much stronger than a 3d printer (not that it is impossible to make a home built CNC machine for metal, just takes some combination of experience, forethought, or luck). A 3D printer that was built strong enough to do such things would be over-engineered and likely increase the price beyond what many would pay if they are just looking for a 3D printer. A combination device would be nice for a particularly narrow market, although it would likely make sacrifices to do both (on the slow side for 3D printing, and lack of power and mass for CNC work).

Reporting from Ultimaker. So much mis-information!

[daid303]

Ok, there are a few major things WRONG in this article.

First of. Cura. Cura is my project, I started development 2 years ago. I started in my free time, and after a few months of development Ultimaker hired me to continue development. As every user was switching towards it. It has been open source, free, and released for 2 years now. (It is a perfect success story for Open Source and I think Slashdot totally missed the opportunity here to properly see this)
Thanks to Ultimaker Cura has seen a HUGE development boost and really became awesome for Ultimaker AND RepRap users.

Next, WiFi is not in the machine out of the box. It is an add-on.

The UM2 is a professional looking version of our already very successful Ultimaker-Original kit. It has great printing quality for a nice price tag. Yes, you can do cheaper, but not if you want the same print quality. If you want cheaper then the UM2, buy the UM-Original kit.