One of the appeals of UV printing is that it can build up quite a strong texture. I think some firms have referred to the process as 2.5D printing, as it can output artwork that has up to 5mm of relief – that's a deep textural quality. This kind of work can use up a lot of the base white ink, but one of the makers told me xTool's ink was about a third the cost of that sold for the EufyMake UV printing device . This could be a serious draw for makers if it stays relatively affordable. Moreover, xTool asserts that its UV inks/curing don't smell so bad. On the day, I didn't notice the presence of any bad ink smells.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) There were expert artists and makers at the event, showcasing a variety of projects pre- and post-show. I received a nicely printed cup and a candle from some of the kind makers in attendance. The cup was branded with some Berlin artwork as a memento, and the candle an xTool Studio (AI) generated floral motif. Both of these were produced using a rotary tool that the 01 Omni Printer can load.
Outputting each of these projects takes around 15 minutes, with the current firmware/software. For both these jobs, a few minutes were taken up by the machine scanning the 3D shape of the item on the rotary tool ahead of the print process. Then several white coats were required to build a good foundation for the final color layers. I'm not sure if these had a varnish applied. So, as well as CMY and K inks, the 01 Omni had tanks for white and varnish. Yes, it’s a CMYKWV process. The cup should be dishwasher safe, but we will see.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) The makers in the demo hall were still pretty inexperienced with the xTool 01 Omni, of course. I’d say there were still teething troubles with the fresh hardware and its software integration. For example, I noticed a few false starts getting some jobs to output, and I heard that there had been a few issues with the print head and work colliding.
Both makers and xTool seem well aware of early wrinkles, so it's likely that the early kinks will get worked out. When asked about output times, some makers said that updates were coming to the 01 Omni Printer, which are expected to give it an extra shot of speed. Such considerations are very important for folks who are buying hardware like this to propel a business. With the considerable investment needed for this hardware, we recommend reading or watching a good third-party review. Review updates can also be important to make sure any early issues in day-zero coverage are tackled.
Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason. ","collapsible":{"enabled":true,"maxHeight":250,"readMoreText":"Read more","readLessText":"Read less"}}), "https://slice.vanilla.futurecdn.net/13-4-24/js/authorBio.js"); } else { console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); } Mark Tyson Social Links Navigation News Editor Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.
Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/maker-stem/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/maker-stem/xtool-says-its-01-omni-printer-can-print-it-all-firm-steps-into-the-world-of-uv-printing-for-output-on-all-surfaces-at-up-to-5mm-thick#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com/membership
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