MakerBot Collaborates with Oryx Additive on Removal Solutions

U.S.-based MakerBot Industries, LLC is a creator, manufacturer, and supplier of 3D printers and printing software solutions. The company was founded in 2009 by Bre Pettis, Adam Mayer, and Zach "Hoeken" Smith.

Since the early days of MakerBot’s establishment, it endeavored to make 3D printing accessible and affordable and did so with the introduction of its Cupcake CNC 3D printer. Recently, the company entered into a collaboration with Oryx Additive to provide a more efficient cleaning solution for its customers. 

 

MakerBot’s next-generation desktop 3D printing platform, METHOD X. Image used courtesy of MakerBot.

 

Oryx Additive is a spin-off company of engineering product and services company PADT, Inc. Oryx took over providing the successful Support Cleaning Apparatus (SCA) 3D printing support removal equipment business. This product has been designed to help additive manufacturers reliably process 3D printed parts, reduce cycle time, and increase productivity. Oryx designs, develops, and manufactures finishing and post-processing equipment for the additive manufacturing industry. 

 

Enhancing Post-Processing and Support Removal

Together, Oryx and MakerBot will share their respective technologies to extend and enhance post-processing and removal of support structures leftover after 3D printing parts. 

The Oryx SCA-1200HT wash tank is now available to customers who have produced parts using the MakerBot METHOD X 3D printers. The Oryx SCA-1200HT wash tank can remove soluble support from ABS, PC, ASA, Nylon FDM/FFF, and soluble support from PolyJet 3D Printed parts. 

 

The Oryx SCA-1200HT wash tank. Image used courtesy of Oryx Additive. 

 

The wash tank comes with a "no-heat" option enabling it to be used with the heater turned off. This is a beneficial feature for PolyJet parts. To upgrade older units with this option, customers can contact Oryx Additive. 

 

The MakerBot and Oryx Collaboration Outcome

In a recent news release, Chief Executive Officer of Oryx Additive, Keith Jeffcoat, provided his comments on the collaboration. The company hopes to achieve additive manufacturing’s full potential by utilizing MakerBot’s METHOD X. 

Specifically, METHOD X’s industrial capabilities and advanced materials are designed to enable printing a range of applications on par with its traditional counterparts. With METHOD X and SCA-1200HT’s collaboration, users can expect post-processing and support removal at the industrial level.

One notable feature of the METHOD X is its circulated, heated chamber uses two heat exchanges with active blowers fully surrounding each print with hot air during the entire print operation. This results in consistent dimensional accuracy and optimal part strength. 

In the same news release, Vice President of Product Development at MakerBot, Johan-Till Broer, talks about how the company designed METHOD X as an industrial platform allowing users to print various advanced engineering materials.

MakerBot additionally offers their Stratasys SR-30, a soluble support materials platform. When used with METHOD X, users can create complex geometries, such as internal cavities or steep overhangs. 

Both companies state how thrilled they are to collaborate.