[DOCS] The (semi)Official Rapide LITE FAQ

[bolsoncerrado]

The (semi)Official
Rapide LITE
FAQ

(Built from the Comments section of the IndieGoGo campaign page)

PLEASE NOTE: We have intentionally skipped questions regarding shipping to specific locations as this is just a "tech" forum and not a plain Customer Support forum.



Q. Where can I buy one?
A. Here.


Q. What are the differences between the 200, 350 and 500 models?
A. Rapide Lite comes in 3 sizes to provide the ultimate in flexibility when selecting your new 3D Printer. We understand not everyone only wants to print Lego and Cookie Cutters. With Rapide Lite, the choice is yours: the printing area (and size, obviously) and amount of extruders being:

200: 20x20x20cm, 1 extruder
350: 35x35x35cm, 2 extruders
500: 50x50x50cm, 3 extruders


Q. Which one shall I choose despite size/extruders?
A. Make your choice:

Rapide Lite 200 will be able to print objects up to 200 x 200 x 200mm (8,000cm3) using a single extruder with accuracy of up to 50 microns. It is ideal for the first time user or business that wants to start to explore the opportunities 3D Printing can offer. It also eclipses the competition in performance, durability and price.

It is ideal for First Time Users, Hobbyists, Jewelers, Small Business


Rapide Lite 350 will be able to print objects up to 350 x 350 x 350mm (42,875cm3) using a dual extruder with accuracy of up to 50 microns. It is ideal for the people who currently have a small 3D Printer and want to move up to a larger print platform or business that wants to utilize 3D Printing more seriously. It sets a new standard in mid range affordable 3D Printer.

It is ideal for Users Upgrading, Hobbyists, Designers, Architects, Small Business


Rapide Lite 500 will be able to print objects up to 500 x 500 x 500mm (125,000cm3) using a triple extruder with accuracy of up to 50 microns. It is ideal for serious users of 3D Printers who require a larger print platform from which to print. It will become the bench market of entry level high quality large format 3D Printers.

It is ideal for Advanced Users, Designers, Architects, Small Business


Q. What is the printer made of?
A. Full 5026 Aircraft Grade Aluminum Frame and Chassis, laser cut for precision and strength. All other major parts precision milled in 5026 Aircraft Grade Aluminum.


Q. What's the printer resolution?
A. 50 micron.


Q. What about 25 micron?
A. Many home printers are suggesting they can print at 25 micron’s but as a manufacturer of high quality 3D Printers we can tell you to get that level of precision cannot be achieve in a $200 printer made from plastic or bent metal.
Rapide Lite is fully machined aircraft grade aluminum with a completely redesigned X Axis (X Wing Design Technology) and we are still only able to achieve 50 microns. A printer made of plastic parts would struggle to achieve this.
Rapide Lite delivers performance at the highest end of the scale, with up to 50 micron resolution and 150mm per second print speed, Rapide Lite is the future of affordable commercial quality 3D Printing.


Q. X Wing Technology?
A. Rapide Lite’s unique X Wing Design increases stability and precision by allowing the X Axis stepper motor to be rear mounted in the center of the machine increasing performance and stability.


Q. What type of extruder do they come with?
A. Rapide Lite utilizes Rapide 3D’s Q Extruder with dual cooling, smart feed and precision milled body to ensure no matter the material, your print will be smooth from start to finish. Rapid Lite 200 comes with 1 extruder, while 350 and 500 models come with 2.


Q. What materials does this printer print with?
A. We have tested PLA extensively with the Q Extruder and had no issues at all. We have also tested PVA, PVC, HIPPS, ABS, Nylon and work very well. Super soft we have not tested to date.


Q. Do they come with heated bed?
A. Yes, aluminium bed. You can add glass on top of it if you wish.


Q. Do they come with autoleveled bed?
A. Due to the design of Rapide Lite leveling the Heat Bed is a very simple process given the unique access provided by the structure. Auto leveling is really great if you can’t get to the heat bed but when you can it not really required.


Q. Is a computer required to stay on during all the printing process?
A. If you want to print with using the SD Card you still need to use your computer to start the print but then you can disconnect the computer from the printer and it will continue to print. If you are printing direct from the computer the computer must be connected the whole time. If you would have an LCD screen attached to the printer then you could use this to control the printer, start the print and manage the print process direct from the LCD without the need for a computer attached.



Q. How hard is to assemble the "kit" version of your printers? Do they come with step by step instructions?
A. We will be providing a fully instruction manual for assembly and a video guide. We are hoping other contributors will also do video’s of them assembling their kits as more get to the market.


Q. Will you be selling an LCD option for the Lite 200?
A. We will be offering the LCD for the 200 as an option later in the campaign. If we raise enough funding we will consider making the LCD a stretch goal. The logic board is already optimized for this and our test machines are running via the SD card and LCD screen at the moment.


Q. Is it an open source printer?
A. Rapide Lite will be future proof. Every time we upgrade or make an improvement you will be able to enhance your existing Rapide Lite to take advantage of these improvements. Rapide 3D has invested heavily in 3D Printer Technology and a facility from which to manufacture the best new 3D Printers. We don’t know that the future holds but we do know that its bright, exciting and Rapide Lite is going to be a big part of that.


Q. What software works best with Rapide Lite?
A. Rapide Lite, like all Rapide 3D Printers are designed to work with the latest and best open source software programs. We recommend Cura but Rapide Lite will work equally as well with any of the top software available. If you have software you would like us to test for you we will be happy to assist.


Q. Which files does it currently accept?
A. Rapide Lite uses the .stl file source to print designs from. Many design packages have the ability to convert files to .stl which are then optimized by slicing them. Most open source software has a built in slicer to make conversion straight forward.


Q. Which are its tech specs?
A.

Rapide Lite 200

Printer Dimensions: (W) 360mm, (L) 350mm, (H) 380mm
Build Size: 200mm x 200mm x 200mm
Build Volume : 8,000cm3
Printing Material: PLA, ABS, PVA, Nylon, HIPPS, Laywood
Filament Size: 1.75mm & 3.0mm from any source.
Nozzle Diameter: 0.3, 0.4, 0.5mm
Min Layer Height: 50 microns
Material Type: Non-Proprietary ($29/kg)
Total weight: 10kg
Operating Systems: Windows, Mac, or Linux based system.


Rapide Lite 350

Printer Dimensions: (W) 470mm, (L) 450mm, (H) 470mm (approx.)
Build Size: 350mm x 350mm x 350mm
Build Volume : 42,875cm3
Printing Material: PLA, ABS, PVA, Nylon, HIPPS, Laywood
Filament Size: 1.75mm & 3.0mm from any source.
Nozzle Diameter: 0.3, 0.4, 0.5mm
Min Layer Height: 50 microns
Material Type: Non-Proprietary ($29/kg)
Total weight: 21kg
Operating Systems: Windows, Mac, or Linux based system.


Rapide Lite 500

Printer Dimensions: (W) 620mm, (L) 650mm, (H) 650mm (approx)
Build Size: 500mm x 500mm x 500mm
Build Volume : 125,000cm3
Printing Material: PLA, ABS, PVA, Nylon, HIPPS, Laywood
Filament Size: 1.75mm & 3.0mm from any source.
Nozzle Diameter: 0.3, 0.4, 0.5mm
Min Layer Height: 50 microns
Material Type: Non-Proprietary ($29/kg)
Total weight: 44kg
Operating Systems: Windows, Mac, or Linux based system.



Q. I'm in! Where can I buy one?
A. Here. Thank you!






<last updated: sat 15th nov 2014>

[bolsoncerrado]

The Company OFFICIAL FAQ:

• Who is Rapide 3D?
  Rapide 3D is a dedicated team of Australian and Chinese designers and engineers who believe in bringing the best technology to the world sooner rather than later. We have offices in Perth, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou and design and development facilities in Shenzhen and Wuhu, China.

• What is Rapide Lite?
  Rapide Lite is the future of affordable commercial quality 3D Printing. It is as affordable as it is quite and sleek as it is functional. Rapide Lite brings together advanced design and technology that will put rapid prototyping in the hands of many faster and cheaper than possible before.

• How does Rapide Lite work?
  Rapide Lite is essentially a rapid prototyping commercial quality 3D Printer which uses FDM technology to produce 3D print designs from any .stl file. Rapide Lite can print using either a Mac or PC. We have even included an SD Slot so you can print straight from an SD Card.

• Where will Rapide Lite be produced?
  We currently have all our manufacturing and assembly operations based in Shenzhen, China in our own production facilities. All components will be produced in Shenzhen and assemble by our own factory staff.

• When will my Rapide Lite arrive?
  We our raw material supply chain already in place and our manufacturing operations are ready to get your Rapide Lite to you starting from the first week of November for early bird contributors.
  We feel comfortable targeting November 2014 for our first full-production shipments to our foundation contributors (Early Birds), and December 2014 for other contributors. At this stage we have a target production of 1000 units for the first month and 2500 units per month there after.

• How big is the Radipe Lite?
  Rapide Lite comes in 3 sizes, 200, 350 and 500mm3. This means that we have a size to suit almost everyone.

• What is the retail price of the Rapide Lite?
  We have set the following retail prices for Rapide Lite when it is introduced to the retail market:
  
  Rapide Lite 200 (Kit) $999
  Rapide Lite 350 Dual Extruder (Kit) $2499
  Rapide Lite 500 Dual Extruder (Kit) $7999
  
  Our Indiegogo supporters are definitely receiving special treatment for believing in what we do!

• How much will the print material (filament) cost?
  We estimate ongoing filament prices will be $29USD per kilo, but Indiegogo supporters who buy a Rapide Lite print package will be guaranteed 1 kg spools of either ABS or PLA at $25USD for the life of their printer. This is compared to high quality materials currently available through other manufacturers for around $100 per kilo.

• How many parts can I print with 1kg of Material?
  Depending on your printing output and part size, 1kg of material can go a long way. The Eiffel Tower, which is 300mm high, weighs approximately 150gms. You could theoretically print 6.5 Towers with 1kg of material!

• What are the material properties of the filament and how does it compare with other materials?
  Our materials are made from biomaterials, which is good for the environment and good for you. We have worked tireless to develop consistent quality with the key focus on strength and durability.

• Does our filament need to be carefully handled? Do you have an MSDS?
  Our filament is safe to handle and will not produce any dangerous fumes when printing. We will provide an MSDS before shipping the material.

• Can you use third party materials / filament with the Rapide Lite?
  We've engineered our material (filaments) to work with the Rapide Lite. It's a huge part of the technical work that has gone into this project to ensure your prints have a much higher success rate than with other printers.
  The filament properties are closely linked with the Rapide Lite’s design. However, we are happy to test other filaments for you to provide the best possible settings when used. You just need to supply us with a sample for testing.

• Can you explain the resolution metrics (feature size, layer thickness, X/Y resolution etc.)?
  3D print manufacturers often use layer thickness to define “resolution”, although any one metric provides an incomplete analysis of printer capabilities. Rapide Lite can create layers as thin as 50 microns, which is generally finer than other desktop machines.
  
  Another metric, the minimum feature size is 100 microns, which is limited by the diameter of the print head spot. Minimum feature size refers to the smallest possible bumps and ridges on a part.
  
  Rapide Lite’s Q Extruder print head, however, has extremely precise movement capabilities in the X/Y plane. For example, the spot is 100 microns, but it can be moved as little as a few microns at a time, allowing for the impressive surface finish.

• What is the build speed?
  Will the printer and parts last? Rapide Lite’s maximum build speed is 150mm per second which is comparable to other high resolution commercial printers. It varies depending on the type of print. A typical printing rate is around 30mm of height per hour. We are designing Rapide Lite to be a serious workhorse rather than a racehorse.
  
  Rapide Lite has less moving parts than most high resolution printers, and we have been running the prototypes in our office pretty much all day, every day during the 6 months of development.

• Will Rapide 3D offer a warranty or support?
  Rapide Lite will come with a 1 year limited warranty out of the box for all parts (other than consumables like nozzle’s etc). At this stage support will be a big priority and we hope with the help of our contributors to offer 24/7 online support with remote access capabilities.
  
  However, this will be dependent on reaching our stretch funding goal for this feature as it will be costly to offer this level of support. We know it’s very important and are working on it as a high priority. We’ll guarantee that your printer will impress from day one, and are planning to take extra special care of those of you who have supported us from the beginning.

• Does Rapide 3D have other models of printer in their range?
  Yes, we have a total of 7 models we are working on at present:
  
  Rapide Lite 200 (single head printer)
  Rapide Lite 350 (dual head printer)
  Rapide Lite 500 (triple head printer)
  Rapide One (fully enclosed single head printer)
  Rapide Pro (fully enclosed dual head printer)
  Rapide S (fully enclosed chocolate printer)
  
  Rapide 3D has a very exciting vision for the future, which will include a printers that enhance your life rather than control it.

• Why isn’t shipping included?
  Shipping prices vary by location and country. It’s simpler (and cheaper for you) to handle this separately. After the Indiegogo is over and we are ready to start shipping, you will receive link to our website and where you can enter your shipping details to pay the appropriate amount.
  
  Shipping costs vary by location and carrier selected, but if you live in the US (for example) it will probably be somewhere around $100USD.
  
  You will also have the option of hard shell box for your Rapide Lite if you intend to move it about regularly or store off the desk. Standard packing for shipping will be double boxing for delivery purposes.

• How much does international shipping cost?
  International shipping costs are based on the shipping provider selected and time to deliver. Prices vary by country and what taxes and other regulations your government has. If you order a Rapide Lite package through Indiegogo we ask that you assume responsibility for all these charges.
  After our Indiegogo project ends, you will be asked to log into our website select your shipping method and pay the appropriate shipping charges.

• I have more questions. Who do I ask?
  Email us at hello@rapide-3d.com

<last updated: sat 15th nov 2014>