Independent Dual Extrusion System (IDEX)

Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of this 3D printer is CraftBot’s Independent Dual Extruder System (IDEX), which allows two extruders to move independently of one another in the Y-direction.

Using an IDEX system offers a range of modes stretching from multi-color prints to mirrored duplication. It’s also possible to run two prints at the same time, doubling production output. Furthermore, dual extrusion allows for the combination of different materials and the capability of printing complex geometries with the help of soluble support structures.

The two direct-drive all-metal hotends – capable of heating up to 300 °C – allow for various filaments to be used, including industrial-like materials such as Nylon and carbon-reinforced composites, allowing the printer to be used in a wide range of applications.

Large Print Volume

Well, when you brand your product XL, you should make sure that you put your money where your mouth is – and the CraftBot IDEX Flow XL does so. With a print volume of 450 x 250 x 500 mm, CraftBot opted to focus on model height providing the user with a total print volume of 56 liters – it is surely one of the biggest IDEX printers in its price category, especially when it comes to Z-axis height.

The sturdy extrusion profiles aligning the Z-axis thread should minimize potential Z-wobbling and ensure the cantilevered bed’s smooth movement.

Heated Bed

The bed on the CraftBot Flow IDEX XL can heat up to 110°C, increasing your chances of having better adhesion for materials such as ABS. A removable magnetic flex sheet is coated with Kapton, which again should make adhesion just that bit better, as well as making your prints easier to remove.

Although not included with the base model, CraftBot sells acrylic covers for the Flow IDEX XL separately. In case you plan on using temperature-sensitive materials, an enclosed printing chamber can provide ambient conditions that will greatly enhance the printer’s performance with said materials.

Assisted Leveling

Leveling the build plate can be a drag. The CraftBot Flow IDEX XL, however, gives the user a hand with its semi-automatic bed leveling system.

The included BLTouch V2 probe provides a mesh bed leveling function performed at three different temperatures (60 °C, 80 °C, and 100 °C) to hopefully provide you with the perfect level for different materials, as the build plate surface will expand very, very slightly depending on the temperature. The leveling itself is manual, with a three screw mechanism beneath the plate, but with the BLTouch sensor guiding the user.

For the pre-flight nozzle calibration, a possible nightmare on any dual extrusion printer, the printer provides a user-friendly wizard to help the user through the calibration steps and dial the printer in by leveling the nozzle Z-height.

User Interface

The printer is controlled via a 5-inch color touch display. The interface is run by a 32-bit control board, has 4GB internal storage, an LED status indicator, and an inbuilt camera to monitor the printing process remotely via the wireless network. Once connected, the web interface allows the user to upload files, preheat, start or stop prints, alter temperature settings, or generate a print timelapse video.

Slicer

The CratfBot Flow IDEX XL 3D printers come integrated with the proprietary slicing software, CraftWare. It works on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux operating systems. From its looks, the slicer looks as if it’ll be intuitive enough for inexperienced users to get a quick understanding of it while giving experienced users enough advanced settings to tinker with.

If you’d rather use your own slicer, though, you’ll be pleased to know that the printer is also compatible with several third-party slicers such as Cura or Simplify3D.

Further Features

Additional features on the CraftBot Flow IDEX XL include:

• Filament sensor – the integrated monitoring system ensures an even dispersion of filament and detecting possible jams or runouts.
• Resume print function – the print recovery mode goes neatly hand-in-hand with the filament sensor, providing the possibility to resume a print after a filament change or a power outage.