Leapfrog Bolt Review
Adept has brought 3D Fused Filament Fabrication, (FFF) in-house and reviews the new Leapfrog BOLT 3D Printer.
The Additive Manufacturing sector is expanding rapidly. It would be difficult to find an industry not utilizing and considering how additive manufacturing could enter into their business model. Engineers have been using these technologies for decades, although they were reserved to the elite and advanced. Many of these technologies still are, especially when it comes to printing in metal. However, printing in plastic, especially by Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) has become quite affordable.
For years Adept had been considered bringing Additive Manufacturing in-house, but has resisted due to high cost, high maintenance, and poor reliability. Outsourcing these services had always suited our needs. With a greater and greater demand for prototypes, along with tighter schedules, it became an imperative to bring 3D printing in house.
Upon review of many of the available 3D printers on the market today, Adept chose the Leapfrog Bolt. What attracted Adept to the Leapfrog Bolt was several unique characteristics the Bolt offers that other printers presently on the market did not offer. Larger print volumes are becoming fairly standard, which the Bolt offers at 13 in x 12.6 in x 8.1 in, this was attractive, but really attracted us to the Bolt were the dual “independent” nozzles! There are also many printers on the market with dual print heads but what makes the Bolt unique is that their print heads are mounted on the same x axis although they have separate motors. What this feature permits is Synchronized printing, where the second print head prints an identical copy as the first. And, mirror printing, where the second print head prints a mirrored copy of the first!
The jury is still out regarding the capabilities and reliability of the Leapfrog Bolt, but initial impressions are favorable. Watch the video to learn more. Or contact Adept directly and we’ll be happy to share our experiences.
