New Dry Cabinet for 3D Printing Filament

Large-format 3D printing specialist BigRep has introduced the new BigRep SHIELD, an industrial filament dry cabinet that the company says will ensure optimal storage conditions for 3D printing materials. Without proper storage in a humidity-controlled environment, 3D printing filaments  (particularly engineering-grade materials such as PA 6/66, TPU, PVA, BVOH, PET) will absorb airborne moisture and result in higher rates of printing error, nozzle clogging, and machine downtime.

According to the company, the BigRep SHIELD maintains 0.01% humidity by looping air through a controlled desiccant chamber without the use of heat, therefore avoiding the risk of over-drying filaments from long-term heat exposure. As part of an industrial workflow, the BigRep SHIELD reduces misprints and material waste by 20% and saves up to 50% on repair costs caused by clogging and extruder damage.

“Environmental conditions, normally outside of your control, play a huge factor in the printability of the filament. We want our customers to produce quality prints every time, which is why we saw it important to provide a solution and especially a big one that can hold a lot of material,” said Sven Thate, BigRep Managing Director. “To extend the life of your 3D printer and save time and money by preventing downtime and damages, the SHIELD is a must-have to avoid workflow disruptions.”

In developing SHIELD, BigRep collaborated with Amboss+Langbein, which develops drying systems for plastics manufacturing. The industrial-sized storage chamber holds up to 60 kg of filament, enough material for one month of continuous 24/7 printing.

Interior dimensions: W x D x H: 480 x 480 x 1200 mm, 276 liters

Storage capacity: Minimum of 12x 2.5 kg spools, 12x 4.5 kg spools, or 6x 8-10 kg spools

The SHIELD maintains constant overpressure for an airtight storage volume. According to the company, this prevents new moisture from entering its chamber during regular operation and ensures the system can quickly remove any and all airborne humidity with 100% air recirculation. 

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.

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