14 DAY TRIAL // Usually, fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers, otherwise known as fused filament fabrication machines (FFF), employ one extruder that heats plastic filament to the point of melting and forces it out through an even narrower nozzle.
This design principle is one that the X-truder follows well enough, but only to a point. Or perhaps we should say that it follows it twice over?
One of the biggest limitations of FDM printers is that they can process a single string of plastic filament at a time.
This severely limits your options, since you need to stick to a single material unless you change the filament spool mid-print. By extension, this means you can't program an object to be printed with more than one color.
Having an extruder that can process two filaments at once opens new doors. It's not near the dream of full-color printing of course, but it's a step in that direction.
The X-truder from Praxis3D
In truth, this isn't so much one extruder as a pair of them made from metal and built into a single object. The extruders have copper heatsinks, 60 watt cartridge heaters, and polished 316 SS tubing.
They also have very simple electrical connections, with 40 circuits on a single cable ribbon of 24 inches. Two LEDs brighten the print area, while a 6V regulator provides the power.
One of the things that stands out is the special filament drive system, which easily loads and unloads filament thanks to the high torque Nema 11 stepper. Most 3D printers' firmware should be simple to configure for it as well.
Finally, the extruder nozzle can retract and can withstand 100,000 retractions before starting to show signs of wear. A servo-driven mechanism allows for active nozzles to easily switch from one to the other or align if needed. ABS, PC, PVA, PLA, and TPU materials are supported by the way.
In layman terms, the X-truder from Praxis3D will give any regular 3D printer enhanced abilities and versatility. We wouldn't be surprised if the companies that actually make 3D printers install the X-truder to begin with, right in the factory.
Availability and pricing
The Praxis3D X-truder, a product that weighs just one pound / 0.45 kilos, will be available in a matter of months if the Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign works out. The minimum pledge is of $250 / €250, meaning that the retail price will probably be somewhat higher. It might end up being one of the few extruders that consumers will actually buy, rather than settling for whatever their printer has natively.