New KODAK Portrait 3D printer launches at Formnext 2018

Kodak has launched its KODAK Portrait 3D printer at Formnext 2018 in partnership with Smart International, Kodak’s global brand licensee for all things 3D printing. The new desktop 3D printer, targeted at the professional market, offers such features as dual extrusion, an enclosed all-steel structure and more.

With the launch of the anticipated 3D printer at Formnext, Kodak says its machine is now available to the North American and European markets. Those interested in seeing the printer in person can do so until the end of the day at booth J71, Hall 3.1. Yesterday, Kodak hosted a press conference about its new 3D printer at the Frankfurt event.

The KODAK Portrait Printer itself has a build volume of 200 x 200 x 235 mm, as well as a dual extrusion system with automatic nozzle lifting and interchangeable PTFE and all-metal hotends. These features, along with an enclosed all-steel structure, enable high-temperature builds and compatibility with a range of high-quality materials, including PLA, ABS, Flex 98, HIPS, PETG, two grades of Nylon and water-soluble PVA.

The materials, all offered by Kodak, are reportedly manufactured and packaged in such a way that ensures low moisture and high dimensional accuracy when printing. Kodak’s materials come in a range of hues, including its trademark yellow.

Other features of the newly launched Kodak 3D printer include automatic leveling and calibration, a user-friendly touchscreen display and preset print parameters for every material. The machine is equipped with a HEPA and activated carbon filter, making it safe to use in a wide variety of settings, such as the office, home or school.

The plug-and-play machine also comes with access to the KODAK 3D Cloud, an IT-compliant print management software that enables users to remotely manage multiple machines across various locations or in a single print farm. Kodak elaborates: “Users can access via Wi-Fi or LAN port and slice online, monitor their prints and receive over-the-air updates.”

Roberto Gawianski, CEO, Smart International, commented on the launch: “We are looking at the future of 3D printing and manufacturing, and our KODAK Portrait 3D Printer has been designed to be best-in-class, with capabilities that have the potential to disrupt the traditional manufacturing systems, leading to cost-effective solutions which can reduce environmental impact, with printers speaking to each other across the globe. We are very happy to have collaborated with Kodak and look forward to many future endeavours.”

Kodak first announced it was entering the consumer 3D printing market almost exactly a year ago. Since then, it has garnered significant interest from the industry. This past May, the company announced a collaboration with 3DPrinterOS to integrate its operating system into the KODAK Portrait machine.