Guangdong province, China-based Zhuhai CTC Electronic Co., Ltd. ("CTC") has become one of eye-catchers. The company launched China's first spot scan operation system in Beijing, following the release of a unique multifunctional desktop 3D printer via a crowdfunding platform.

ZHUHAI, China, Feb. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/-- 2015, a landmark year for the 3D printing industry, recently came to a close. Considering the fast growth of the 3D printing industry during the year, a number of research-oriented firms stood out with a variety of outstanding achievements. Guangdong province, China-based Zhuhai CTC Electronic Co., Ltd. ("CTC") has become one of eye-catchers. The company launched China's first spot scan operation system in Beijing, following the release of a unique multifunctional desktop 3D printer via a crowdfunding platform.

Just since the beginning of 2016, the ambitious Chinese 3D printer leader announced a foray into the industrial 3D printing market at its Zhuhai headquarters by launching Riverbase 500, its first industrial SLA 3D printer featuring laser galvanometer scanning technology.

Recent data from US-based market research, analysis and advisory firm IDC showed that sales of industrial equipment and applications contributed to 70 per cent of the sales in the 3D market, a trend that led to global leader 3D SYSTEM's retreat from the desktop printing market at the end of last year. Also, during the year, HP announced that the company will kick off an industrial inkjet 3D printer in the near future without involving itself in the desktop 3D printing market. As an industrial 3D printer outweighs a desktop peer in terms of technology requirements and market value, it was only a natural next step for desktop 3D printer leaders to expand into the industrial side of the market.

CTC's new square-shaped printer is 1.75 meters in length, 1.10 meters in width, and 1.95 meters in height. With the basic color a brown-green that blends easily with any office or production facility decor, a flexural inner panel sets the tone for the device's dynamic design. A box spanner allows for a higher level of customization. The printer also comes equipped with stereolithography 3D printing functionality.

Stereolithography 3D printing is one of the most wildly used materials deposition-based 3D printing technologies for industrial applications. According to preliminary statistics, over 50 percent of industrial 3D printers installed across the world are stereolithography ones. In China, stereolithography 3D printers account for 60 percent of those in use of in the process of installation for industrial applications, most of which are imported devices. Riverbase 500 is China's first Gcode-format 3D printer equipped with software operating on CTC's proprietary operation system RiverOS.

The Riverbase 500 laser stereolithography 3D printer is priced at RMB 530,000 in China and USD 86,000 in the US. Its advantages include:

stable operation and mobility of high precision-screw rails; negative pressure-and-adsorption-based system enabling reliable and uniform coatings;
automated optimization of software-designed scanning paths, which allows for faster processing;
online measurement of laser power; setting and optimization of technological parameters;
automated liquid level control, which ensures precision of product processing
unique solid design, which supports scanning design separation and convenient post-processing
high level of automation, which supports fully automated control and 24-hour unattended processing
CTC also released following technical specifications:

LASER & RESIN

Type of laser: Laser ND:YVO4
Wave length: 355nm
Power: 300MW-500MW
Materials: photosensitive resin
LASER SCAN SYSTEM

Valid spot diameter: 0.10-0.16mm
Scanning galvanometer: F-THETA-LEN system
Parts scanning speed: 6.0-12m/s
BUILDING VOLUME

Volume: 100.0L
XYZ: 500mm(X)×400mm(Y)x300mm(Z)
SOFTWARE

Operating system: Windows 7, Windows XP
3D software: Riverside OS
Date format: Gcode
CAD interface: 3D design software, STL file format