The new MakerBot Method X – for real ABS and SR-30

The new MakerBot Method X is a desktop FDM 3D printer that has been developed for the additive manufacturing of components made from real ABS material (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). This 3D printer is equipped with a build chamber that can be heated up to 100°C. Furthermore, this dual-extruder 3D printer works with the soluble support material SR-30, which was previously used by Stratasys. This combination ensures the production of complex and durable components with very high dimensional accuracy.

What does the Method X ABS do?

Compared to other desktop 3D printers, the MakerBot Method X is capable of processing real ABS. This ABS can withstand up to 15°C higher temperatures, is up to 26% stiffer and up to 12% stronger than modified ABS formulations used on competing desktop 3D printers^.1 The real ABS parts you make with the MakerBot Method X will not warp or crack, as is typically the case with modified ABS on desktop 3D printers without heating chambers.

The Method X heats up to 100°C

Genuine ABS generally has a high shrinkage rate. This is why manufacturers of desktop 3D printers try to avoid the deformation of components by using heatable build plates and modified ABS formulations. Although these ABS formulations are easier to print, the mechanical and thermal properties of the material are impaired as a result. This is why MakerBot Precision ABS, for example, has an HDT up to 15°C higher than competitor ABS. The MakerBot Method X reduces deformation of the part with the build chamber that can be heated up to 100°C, which also improves the durability and surface finish of the part.

The MakerBot Method X combines the technologies of Stratasys® (the world leader in industrial 3D printing) with the ease of use of MakerBot to offer professional users an industrial 3D printer at an affordable price.

ABS 3D printers for manufacturing

The MakerBot ABS for the MakerBot Method X has excellent mechanical and thermal properties. These are very similar to the ABS materials used for injection molding. For this reason, you can use ABS components from the MakerBot Method X in a variety of ways – including for the production of consumer parts. You can also use it to produce production tools or functional prototypes. The heated build chamber not only creates a stable printing environment, but also ensures superior bonding between the layers in the Z-axis. This makes the components significantly stronger than those of the competition. In addition, the parts have a very high dimensional accuracy of ± 0.2mm and an excellent surface finish^.2 This allows engineers to design, test and produce parts or entire assemblies with durable ABS using the MakerBot Method X. Best of all, you can use this production-ready ABS to test parts for your manufacturing needs.

Stratasys SR-30 support material

The SR-30 support material is used on the MakerBot Method X for printing ABS. This high-quality support material from Stratasys enables the support structures to be removed quickly and easily. This makes the MakerBot Method X the only 3D printer in its price class to use SR-30. This combination of SR-30 and MakerBot ABS offers excellent surface quality and precision. Even large overhangs and cavities are produced with high precision. This means you enjoy maximum freedom in design or construction.

On the MakerBot Method X you can also process the Precision and Specialty materials of the MakerBot Method. These include the materials PLA, TOUGH, PETG and PVA. Further materials for the MakerBot Method X will follow.

MakerBot Method X – an industrial desktop 3D printer

The MakerBot Method X is an industrial 3D printing system that requires no tinkering. It has professional features such as sealed material chutes, high-quality dual extruders for soluble support material and an extra-rigid metal housing. For example, the MakerBot Method X has high-performance extruders whose thermal cores are up to 50% longer than standard hot-ends. This enables faster extrusion, which ultimately results in up to twice the printing speed compared to other desktop 3D printers^.3

In addition to high-quality hardware features, the MakerBot Method X is equipped with 21 sensors. These support you as the user and monitor the printing process. For example, the temperature is measured several times, the humidity is checked and the material is recognized. All in all, the MakerBot Method X is one of the most intelligent 3D printers on the market. The MakerBot Method platform enables a direct CAD-to-part workflow with Solidworks, Autodesk Fusion 360 and Inventor plug-ins. In addition, as with all MakerBot 3D printers, over 30 CAD file formats are supported by theMakerBot Print printer software. This means that you no longer need to export *.stl files in advance, but can open your CAD files directly in the slicing software and select the desired components for printing.

Delivery of the MakerBot Method X is expected to begin in September 2019.

^1Basedon internal testing of injection molded samples of Method X ABS compared to ABS from a leading desktop 3D printer manufacturer. The tensile strength test was performed according to ASTM D638 and the HDT B test according to ASTM D648.
²⁰.2 mm or ± 0.002 mm per mm of movement (whichever is greater). Based on internal tests of selected geometries.
^3Comparedto conventional desktop 3D printers with the same layer height and infill setting. The speed advantage depends on the object geometry and the material.