TRILAB DeltiQ - FDM 3D printer

The DeltiQ is a Delta FDM / FFF 3D printer that is a lesser-known printer structure type than the Cartesian type 3D printers, and which presents certain differences at the time of printing.

The operation of this type of 3D printer is based on a delta robot, moving the head by the circular printing base through an articulated arms that move vertically through the three pillars that form its triangular structure. Delta-type 3D printer have certain advantages over Cartesian printers such as: higher speed and acceleration of printing, greater definition, versatility of movement and static printing base, in exchange for a more complex construction and calibration and a greater volume of the printer itself.

The DeltiQ 3D printer manufactured by the Czech company TRILAB, was born with the purpose of manufacturing delta type 3D printers with high quality standards, capable of printing different types of filaments and at a high speed. DeltiQ, an incredible 3D printer, winner of the 3D Printer Challenge award for the 3D Expo 2017, comes out of its emphasis on improvement.

Image 1: DeltiQ XL in a machining center. Source: TRILAB

The DeltiQ is able to make fast and precise displacements by its printing area thanks to the robust profiles with linear guides, which together with the carbon fiber rods, results in a print head with excellent repeatability and also with great lightness. This lightness is also thanks to the head itself, which only has a HotEnd and a layer fan. The reduced weight of the head minimizes the inertia caused during the displacements, which benefits the quality of the piece, the speed of printing and a longer life of the components of the 3D printer itself. To finish optimizing the DeltiQ, TRILAB opts for a fixed printing base to the chassis of the 3D printer to eliminate unwanted inertias completely. The base consists of a strong aluminum sheet covered by a PEI sheet, which in combination with the group of resistors that heat the base, allows an infinite number of materials to be printed.

Video 1: TRILAB DeltiQ. Source: TRILAB

The DeltiQ has an advanced head movement accompanied by state-of-the-art electronics and software, a set of properties that allow for really complex printing with cantilevers of up to 60º inclination without supports, reducing material costs, time and in some cases avoiding the use of a 3D printer with double head and support material.

Image 2: Head of the TRILAB DeltiQ. Source: TRILAB

The DeltiQ also economizes prints with sensors filament that detect both jams as to filament collision sensor head, which stops printing if there is a protrusion in the lower layer and the sensor loss electricity, which allows to resume printing after this problem. It is also possible to stop printing when the user so wishes, perform some checking or introduce some element (magnet, nut, etc.) inside the piece and continue without deviations appear between layers.

Missing-filament Detection

An Automated Calibration Probe

Power-loss Protection

Printing-collision Detection

The advantages of the DeltiQ have already been exploited by production and industrial development companies, which demand the printing of high volume and surface quality products such as prototypes, gauges and calibration tools, templates and accessories without the need to adapt the piece to the printing area. This also favors other sectors, such as the production of plastic, to be able to make negative molds or complex positive pieces in a piece, reducing time and money.

The components that make up the DeltiQ 3D printer have been chosen and calculated to offer print quality and stability. The frame is made of quality metal profiles joined by pieces developed by TRILAB especially for this 3D printer, joints that give excellent stability in any condition.

Image 3: Linear guide. Source: TRILAB

E3D-Online is responsible for the part of the extruder and the HotEnd with its most known and powerful versions, the Titan Extruder and the HotEnd v6. For flexible materials, TPE and TPU, there is the possibility of acquiring the Zesty Nimble Extruder, an ultra compact direct extruder that easily attaches to the top of the HotEnd. In this case you could use either the Titan extruder or the Nimble extruder (never both at the same time).

Image 4: Titan extruder. Source: TRILAB

Accompanying this element is a powerful layer fan that helps to achieve fantastic finishes with filaments type PLA that need extra cooling. On the opposite side, the DeltiQ has a calibration sensor that ensures the leveling of the first layer in reference to the base, making 21 measurements on the base before starting each print, completely eliminating any manual leveling process. To move the printhead through the print head, this delta-type 3D printer has carbon fiber rods attached to a set of industrial-grade linear guides that ensure precise positioning at all times. The base consists of a 5 mm aluminum foil covered by a PEI surface, which allows printing almost any material without the need for an adhesive (3DLac, DimaFix, PrintaFix, Magigoo...). All this is harmonized by the quiet operation of the DeltiQ, ideal for use in offices or similar spaces, which will only be altered by the slight sound of the fans of the head.

TRILAB presents three sizes: DeltiQ M, DeltiQ L and DeltiQ XL, all presenting the same mechanical and functional properties. For the realization of common and generic models the DeltiQ M is recommended, for models up to 300 mm the DeltiQ L and for the models of greater volume, up to 500 mm, the DeltiQ XL.

Image 5: Range of sizes (M / XL / L). Source: TRILAB