14 DAY TRIAL // Most consumer 3D printers operate on the same principle, that of fused deposition modeling, but some stand out through their high detail, their look, their size or even the speed of printing. Leapfrog has one very fast 3D printer in its collection, and it is that printer that is now available in Europe.
Called Creatr HS, the product has the ability to create 3D printed objects at a speed around five times faster than the norm.
It may be difficult to figure out what the “norm” is, but suffice it to say that even Leapfrog's other 3D printers are a fifth of the speed. The normal ones at least.
In any event, Creatr HS and Leapfrog's other 3D printers are now up for sale in Europe, through Ricoh stores, owing to a deal struck between the two.
The nature of the collaboration pact
Customers from the education sector will be the main targets first, but engineering workers and the manufacturing sectors will follow soon enough.
The educational sector will be easier, thanks to the 3D print packages and curriculum materials Leapfrog provides.
Add to that Ricoh's tailored print installation, management, training and support contracts, and all possible bases are followed.
The first countries where the agreement will start having an effect are Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands and the UK, but the rest will be reached by the end of the year (2015).
The Creatr HS 3D Printer
This product was launched back in June 2014, and has a build volume of 230 x 270 x 200 mm / 9.05 x 10.62 x 7.87 inches, as well as a full size of 300 x 280 x 180 mm / 11.81 x 11.02 x 7.08 inches.
Back then, it was the first time a consumer FDM 3D printer could create objects with a length of 300 mm, which made the extra speed (five times faster than the Creatr) even more impressive.
We can thank the dual extruder design for that one, which also brings the benefit of color and material mixing.
What this means for Ricoh
As far as additive manufacturing goes, until recently Ricoh was only making 3D print heads, but now it will act as OEM for 3D printer manufacturers, handling tasks like prototyping, molding and offering other technologies of its own.
Its main business, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, remains office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services in over 200 countries.
