11 October 2022 – Plasmics, a start-up company specialising in developing cutting-edge 3D printing solutions, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to be able to promote the company’s new product, INo Trident, as soon as possible. It is the world’s first commercially available induction heating nozzle for 3D printers.
Konrad Schreiner, CEO of Plasmics, said: “As with nozzles, the hot end is the most influential factor in 3D printers in terms of print quality. Due to the slow heat transfer, conventional resistance heated nozzles usually do not maintain a constant temperature during the extrusion process. This in turn can lead to speed limitations and bleed-through. This is why we developed the Plasmics INo Trident, which effectively solves these aforementioned problems.”
Instead of using traditional resistance heating cartridge technology, Plasmics uses a modulated magnetic field to convert energy into heat, similar to the principle of induction ovens or wireless chargers, which results in the INo Trident being able to heat and cool faster than conventional nozzles. Another advantage of this induction heating nozzle is its smaller mass, which has the benefit of allowing the temperature to travel faster through the system, thus reducing response times. In turn, this produces a more consistent extrusion capability, which significantly improves print quality. All these features will be particularly valuable when printing with multiple materials, or with temperature-demanding filaments such as Varioshore.
More information about the INo Trident, including measurement data and news about product updates (portal), is available via the Kickstarter campaign, which runs until 23 October. So far, the crowdfunding campaign is 89% of the way to its stated goal
As a reward for participants, they will receive a complete Plasmics INo Trident Hotend set including an early bird price of €319, compared to the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of €479. An enhanced version with a black anodised case and red anodised cooler (INo Trident Carbon Black Edition) is also available for €419. The company plans to deliver the induction heating nozzle by the end of March 2023 at the latest.
Plasmics was founded in 2018 and is dedicated to revolutionising professional desktop 3D printing worldwide. The company is focused on developing the world’s most complex and easy-to-use 3D printing solutions, and the INo Trident is the company’s first publicly available product. The company is also developing the next generation, future-proof SAM multi-material 3D printing machine, which the company claims is capable of being applied to a wide range of medical devices where manufacturing is possible, such as orthoses, prostheses, casts and corsets. This integrated system will help people enjoy a better quality of life by creating the perfect prosthesis in a matter of hours, rather than weeks.
Material extrusion mode is the most common 3D printing technique, and because of the ease of use and increasing material compatibility, the process has been used for high-strength automotive moulds, non-critical aircraft parts and even vehicle components, among others. In addition to basic polymers such as PLA and ABS, this technology can also be used with engineering grade thermoplastic materials such as PEEK and even fibre reinforced composites such as carbon nylon.