Ultimaker debuts its latest 3D printer ahead of World Maker Faire

Over the past few years, Maker Faire has transformed into something of a 3D printer fest, and there's no reason to expect that this weekend's event in Flushing, Queens will be any different. Ultimaker, for one, is launching a new printer, the simply named Ultimaker 2 (though the product itself displays the name as Ultimaker squared). The next-gen product doesn't seem to bring a ton of new features to the table, though the company promises that it's faster and more accurate than its predecessor. It also ships with Cura software, which should speed things up even more. Also, the launch coincides with the unveiling of the company's Thingiverse-esque YouMagine online collaboration site, which will help you find objects to, you know, print on the thing. Again, the Ultimaker 2 will be on display this weekend, and has an asking price of 1,895 euros ($2,563).

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Introducing Ultimaker 2 to create better, faster and simpler open-source 3D Printing

Ultimaker, a pioneering and award-winning 3D printer, today launches Ultimaker 2, an open-source 3D printer for more accurate and faster results with simpler processing. The latest printer is to make its first appearance at global conferences including Brooklyn Navy Yard's NewLab, Chamber of Commerce conference in Greater Manchester and Maker Faire in New York.

Ultimaker 2 comes with a customisable software called Cura. The introduction of the new printer also coincides with the launch of YouMagine, a collaborative online community to facilitate a creative and straightforward 3D printing experience for both professionals and enthusiasts.

Cura, Ultimaker 2's native software, has the ability to pre-process 3D files 60 times faster than the typical slicing engines which can take up to an hour. "Speed often has a big impact on the 3D printing experience, and we have spent a lot of time and effort to come up with the fastest technology*. Our machine is so fast that the engine finishes processing before you have the opportunity to press print," says Ultimaker Founder, Erik de Bruijn. The software also allows users to print even faster with a draft option for prototyping.

In keeping with its open-source DNA, Ultimaker also launches YouMagine, the first online 3D printing community that enables users not only to download files but also to build on each others' work, share designs, initiate sponsored challenges and collaborate on projects.

"We want to give people, for the first time in history, very precise control over how matter is organised with 3D printing," adds de Bruijn. "Instead of just sharing .stl files, YouMagine allows the community to share native files. Similar to Google Docs, YouMagine allows for synchronised, shared editing sessions to modify existing designs or team up on new ones. Users can download a file from our website, save to an SD file, print and see the results within minutes. Ultimaker is seeding YouMagine with open-source design apps so that users can customise the tools without any programming experience. It is our aim to create a brand new 3D printing experience that doesn't require any specialist skills. By making the process more intuitive, users don't need to know syntax anymore; they can simply take items from a drawer, make a print and see what happens."

The minimalist design of the Ultimaker 2 makes it pleasant for both modern home environment and creative workspace. Its advance technology also enables quiet printing, which produces only 49 decibels of sound (three times a whisper). When the print is completed, the output is released from the heated plate which means that no messy peeling is required.

At a retail price of €1895, the Ultimaker 2 supports printing on multiple materials and wi-fi connections. Its printing envelope is 22.5x22.5x20.5cm, and its body size is 35.8x33.8x38.8cm.

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