3NTR Sequoia - FDM 3D printer

Large scale industrial 3D printers offer what no other 3D printer can offer - big production volume and scope, as well as a certain degree of automation in the workflow. Nevertheless, achieving reliability and accuracy in systems this big can sometimes be challenging. Large scale additive manufacturing usually requires more control, more engineering, more precision and a more robust structure.

This is where 3NTR, the Italian manufacturer of industrial grade 3D printing systems, steps in with its 2022 release - the Sequoia industrial 3D printer designed and developed in Italy. The Sequoia is the first 3D printer from 3NTR’s V5 series. It is capable of maintaining the same high level of quality even in large format projects, offering reliability and versatility. The Sequoia 3D printer can operate 24/7 without interruption, ensuring fast and efficient continuous productivity.

Image 1: The build chamber of the Sequoia 3D printer. Source: 3NTR.

The Sequoia 3D printer offers the user impressive dimensional freedom with its build volume of 1200 x 1100 x 900 mm. This takes the capabilities of the Sequoia 3D printer beyond just prototyping and makes it possible to manufacture fully functional full–sized end use parts without the need for further assembly, as well as one-off or low-volume objects that otherwise would be too costly to make with traditional manufacturing methods. With the Sequoia 3D printer, large batches of identical objects with consistent parameters can be 3D printed in one session. This not only reduces production and procurement time but also energy consumption in the long run.

Image 2: Batch size comparison between the various 3D printers offered by 3NTR. Source: 3NTR.

The Sequoia large format 3D printer has an active hot chamber that can reach temperatures of up to 130 ºC fast with low energy consumption. A controlled (active) heated chamber significantly increases the success rate with materials sensitive to drafts and contraction, such as ASA, ABS, Nylon or PC. The maximum extrusion temperature of the Sequoia is 450 °C and the printing bed can be heated up to a maximum of 200 °C. The Sequoia comes with 6 Vento drying units (3 used simultaneously, 3 in reserve) to ensure that the filament used is devoid of moisture and ready to be extruded at all times. Each Vento drying unit can fit a 5 kg spool which gives 15 kg in total of material to work with before the spools have to be replaced. The Sequoia has brushless motors which not only makes them lighter but also prevents energy loss due to friction. The beltless system used in the Sequoia 3D printer is related to greater precision and speed, less friction, as well as easier maintenance. Another great feature of the Sequoia printer is the fact that the Z axis calibration, plate leveling and extruder leveling are all automatic, which eliminates the need for manual adjustments and reduces the risk of misleveling.

Image 3: The Sequoia industrial 3D printer compared with the 3NTR Spectral 30, A2v4 and A4v4 3D printers. Source: 3NTR.

The Sequoia 3D printer is equipped with 500 GB of internal storage for multiple profiles and projects, as well as a 19.5" touch screen with a friendly user interface that allows an advanced management of the 3D printing process. These two features are perfect for busy industrial production environments where an agile automated workflow is required. The robust frames guarantee reliability and durability in industrial conditions. The temperature-controlled nozzles and the active heated chamber ensure optimal temperatures for the 3D printing of any material, from commodity (PLA, ABS, PETG, PP, PS, etc) to engineering polymers (Nylon, TPU/TPE, ASA, PC, etc) on their own or coextruded with other materials to create complex structures thanks to the multiple nozzle extrusion system. The co-extruded polymers can even have different mechanical and aesthetic properties, like in the case of soft TPE and hard ABS combined in the same model. Another valuable trait of the Seqouia 3D printer is that, unlike many other industrial machines on the market, it is compatible with third-party materials, which means even greater freedom and versatility.

The Sequoia industrial 3D printer is mainly aimed at the automotive, electronics, sports equipment, general industrial, and machinery industries but its 3NTR sees its potential as way beyond those sectors in the future. As the industry needs to keep evolving, so will the 3NTR equipment.

The Sequoia 3D printer was introduced to the AM world with the slogan "look up, think biggest!", and those words are indeed very fitting not only due to the size of the Sequoia but also in terms of what it’s capable of. Once again, thanks to a continuous process of research and analysis, 3NTR has developed a precise and reliable industrial 3D printer that is capable of giving the user maximum production freedom even in the most complex and demanding markets.