Automated calibration for FDM printers

Calibrate your printer in seconds
and move beyond "input shaping."

Ulendo Calibration-as-a-ServiceTM  (CaaS) is a “first of its kind” hosted software solution that automatically calibrates an extrusion-based (FDM) 3D printer to improve its speed and quality. When paired with compatible firmware, Ulendo’s software allows the printer to be operated at more than twice the speed of stock firmware without sacrificing quality. It replaces the current time-consuming, manual and error-prone processes that involve printing and measuring parts or manually entering numbers into equations.

The benefits of CaaS for a 3D printing service bureau includes DOUBLING the throughout of the company's existing investment in extrusion-based machines as well as improving turnaround time and operating margins. Manufacturers of FDM printers can include a CaaS subscription as a feature to their printers and potentially add an additional revenue stream to their business.

Increase the ROI of your print farm investment

For print farms, CaaS allows you to squeeze even more productivity out of your additive manufacturing machine investment by DOUBLING the output of your existing printers without sacrificing quality.

Improve turnaround times and margins

Improve the key metrics in your
print farm operation:

• Print job margin
• Capacity utilization
• Customer satisfaction
• Print job turnaround time

Control quality with the CaaS dashboard

The intuitive CaaS dashboard displays operations and quality statistics highlighting areas for improvement including indicators for predictive maintenance in your print farm operation.

Increase revenue and brand loyalty

For manufacturers of FDM printers, CaaS is a fast and cost effective way to improve the  speed and quality of your machines. And, you can add a subscription revenue stream to your business. CaaS provides you an opportunity to enhance your brand loyalty by providing an alternative to the time-consuming, manual and error-prone processes that involve printing and measuring parts  or manually entering numbers into equations.

FAQs

Find answers to common questions about our product and its benefits.

How does Calibration-as-a-Service TM (CaaS) work?

Ulendo’s Calibration-as-a-ServiceTM (CaaS) is offered as a Cloud Service provided by Ulendo which works with any print management system. It is currently accessible through the CaaS OctoPrint plugin.       

The plugin offers a simple push button solution which gathers data from an accelerometer attached to the printer. (The accelerometer is only needed during the calibration process and can be removed for normal printing operations.) Using the data collected from the accelerometer, CaaS then runs thousands of simulations and generates the ideal parameters for your machine which are downloaded to the machine’s controller. The service then automatically verifies the performance of the loaded solution to validate that the targeted vibration behavior is being effectively addressed.

How long does the calibration process take?

With CaaS, a user can complete the calibration process within seconds.  The CaaS one button calibration process replaces the current time-consuming, manual and error-prone processes that involve printing and measuring parts or manually entering numbers into equations.

How much printer operation improvement should I expect?

In most cases, the CaaS calibration process enables a printer to operate at more than DOUBLE the speed of its stock firmware without sacrificing quality.  That means you can more than DOUBLE the throughput of your existing FDM printers. For print farm operators, this provides faster turnaround times and reduced printing costs as well as:

●       Improved capacity utilization

●       Increased print job margins

●       Faster print job turnaround time

●       Improved customer satisfaction

●       Increased revenue given faster turnaround times and lower cost per printed part

How does CaaS provide value to a manufacturer of FDM printers?

When an FDM printer manufacturer provides a CaaS subscription with a specific printer model, that manufacturer can sell more printers vis a vis competitors given the significantly improved performance of the printer model and the ultimate ROI to the end customer. The printer manufacturer can choose to charge the end customer for the subscription, thereby providing an additional revenue stream.

Which 3D printer designs are supported?

Ulendo CaaS supports both industrial and desktop FDM printers with common designs (e.g., Cartesian, bed slinger, CoreXY)

Which accelerometers are compatible with CaaS?

The Ulendo CaaS currently supports the ADXL345 accelerometer, support for the ADXL356 and LIS3DH accelerometers (coming Q3 2024). Additionally, Ulendo will be offering a USB-enabled accelerometer for “plug and play” use, enabling easy setup and switching between machines (coming Q3 2024).

What firmware is CaaS compatible with?

The Ulendo CaaS currently supports Marlin firmware versions bugfix-2.1.X and higher. Our product road map includes future support for Duet. Ulendo is open to implementation with other firmware platforms, including older versions of Marlin. Please Get in Touch to explore these possibilities.

How much does CaaS cost?

Ulendo Calibration-as-a-ServiceTM is offered as an annual subscription that is tied to a specific individual printer. The annual per printer subscription is based on the number of subscriptions purchased and starts as low as $275. Use the Get CaaS Now button at the top of the page to help us determine your specific pricing.

Is a CaaS subscription tied to a specific printer?

Yes, each CaaS subscription is assigned to a specific printer, for which you can perform an unlimited number of calibrations.

How many calibrations can I do with an annual subscription of CaaS?

As a user, you can perform an unlimited number of calibrations for the printer assigned to the subscription.

What does the implementation of CaaS entail?

The current OctoPrint plug does not require any implementation—after securing a subscription, sign in using your user ID and password, attach an accelerometer to your printer and you are on your way! Ulendo provides instructions for the most effective placement of the accelerometer to provide optimal results. Ulendo is open to implementation with other internet-enabled print management systems; please Get in Touch to explore these possibilities.

Are there future enhancements planned for CaaS?

Yes, beyond the current vibration compensation features, Ulendo plans to include other valuable features such as extrusion control and predictive maintenance….all of which will be included automatically for existing subscribers.

Still have questions?

Contact us for more information or assistance.

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