The black and white of UltiMaker products

Since the merger of MakerBot and Ultimaker under the UltiMaker name was completed in September 2022, some of our customers have asked what this means for them. Here, we explain it in black and white.

?

By Richard Bolam, application specialist at Tri-Tech 3D.

?

3D printers previously available under the MakerBot and Ultimaker brands remain available as UltiMaker products. Customers will notice that MakerBot as a brand name has all but disappeared, but the products have retained the “Method series” name, and 3D printers previously under the Ultimaker name are now referred to as the “S series”.

?

There are some previous MakerBot products outside the Method series, and these remain available, such as the UltiMaker Sketch and new Sketch Large, which are ideal for educational environments. Plus, the New Method XL has been added to the lineup.

?

A quick and easy way to distinguish the origin of the products is that those previously under the MakerBot name are black, while those previously under the Ultimaker name are white.

?

How does this affect me?

For Tri-Tech 3D customers, there is no change in availability of the Method series of products. We supplied these before and continue to under the UltiMaker brand name. The big change is that we are now supplying the S series of printers and the associated 280+ materials. The new UltiMaker brand has an extensive range of desktop 3D printers and materials, and there is something available for everyone.

?

At a low investment cost, the UltiMaker printers often complement our high-end industrial grade systems from Stratasys, as customers in the education and engineering sectors work with both solutions at differing stages of their prototyping and production workflows.

?

What’s the difference between the S series and the Method series?

The S series is a popular product line with models suitable for prototyping and a range of production applications. These machines are incredibly easy to use and incredibly versatile, making them a great exploration and innovation tool. The newest entrant, the UltiMaker S7, boasts an integrated air manager, more accurate inductive probing and a PEI-coated flexible build plate.

?

The company has also recently announced improvements to the S series of printers that means users can double print speeds, while retaining a print success rate of 95 per cent or more.

?

The Method series is designed for the production of tools and end use parts. These printers feature a heated build chamber, direct drive and rigid metal frame, so users can print engineering-grade materials with high repeatability and accuracy.

?

The Method X is designed to bridge the gap between industrial and desktop 3D printing, enabling users to produce complex and durable ABS parts for end use assemblies and manufacturing tools. The Method X Carbon Fiber Edition enables users to print carbon fibre reinforced nylon and other composite parts with three-dimensional strength and accuracy.

?

We hope that cleared things up! If you have any questions about the desktop 3D printers, email [email protected]. For more information or to purchase an UltiMaker product, visit the Tri-Tech 3D website.

?

Enjoyed this article? Please like, comment and share it with your network.? To stay up to date with 3D printing applications and developments subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter, More than Machines.