Photos: 3D printing with the Ultimaker 2

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The Ultimaker 2

The Ultimaker 2 3D printer has a build volume of 9.1 x 8.9 x 8.1 inches.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
Spool holder

Putting this plastic part in the back of the printer proved to be the most difficult part of the process. My colleague Erin Carson and I had to shave down the end of one side with scissors to fit it in the hole.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
Heating up

The Ultimaker 2 takes a few minutes to heat up, but the LCD screen does keep users updated on its progress.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
Testing filament

Before each print, the Ultimaker heats up the filament and then tests some of it on the corner of the build plate. It's a waste of plastic, which is one of the biggest problems with 3D printers.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
Top view

From the top, you can look directly down into the printer. The printer itself is very quiet.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
Extruder

The extruder had to be calibrated at first, but that didn't take long. The entire set up for the printer (besides the shaving of the plastic spool) only took about 30 minutes.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
The print

This robot took about 30 minutes to print.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
Time out

We didn't use the glue the first time around (which ended up being a good thing, because it messed up the prints) so the robot was stuck to the glass. A quick Google search showed that this is a common problem, and a few minutes in the freezer helps objects pop right off. It worked.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
Finished robot

After some time in the freezer, the Ultimaker robot popped right off. He now has a home on my desk.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
A mess of plastic

One of the problems with the printer is that when the extruder was knocked off course, or the plastic didn't stick to the glass plate well enough, it continued to print. That problem could be fixed by some sort of sensor in the nozzle head.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
Starting the print

We decided to try to print some phone cases for the TechRepublic team. This is a design I chose from Thingiverse.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
Printing the iPhone 5S case

This print took about two hours to complete.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
Finished product

This phone case lasted me a while. Until I dropped it and it cracked. But, it was a great conversation starter while it lasted.
SEE: Ultimaker 2 3D printer: What the professionals need to know

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic