Uniz IBEE 3D Printer Review

Hi everyone! Top 3D Blog here with a review covering the Uniz IBEE — a new resin 3D printer that employs the 4th generation SLA technology and collimated light source to ensure high-quality results. Designed to bring the combination of 4K LCD screen, high accuracy, and a huge size of the screen to the world of sub-$1000 SLA 3D printers, the IBEE offers incredible results at an affordable price. 

In this article, we are going to briefly talk about the company’s history, analyze the main specs of the machine, talk about its strong and weak points and learn more about the advantages of the new tech that powers the printer.

 

Video Review

 

About Uniz

Source: uniz.com

Uniz is a 3D printer manufacturer with headquarters located in San Diego, California, and a factory in China. They specialize in developing resin 3D printers that are available at various price segments. The company rose to success after the release of an affordable desktop resin 3D printer called SLASH. The machine played a role in making the prices of consumer SLA/LCD 3D printers plummet. The SLASH was manufactured using crowdfunded money from Kickstarter (Uniz managed to raise $572,000 with the initial goal being only $50,000).

The company also holds various patents and has a proprietary UDP (Uni-Directional Peel) technology licensing that allows them to produce some of the fastest resin 3D printers in the world. 

 

Uniz IBEE Overview

Source: kickstarter.com

The Uniz IBEE is a desktop LCD 3D printer designed to be a versatile machine for various applications, that is also easy to use. The IBEE offers a mid-sized build volume of 192 x 120 x 200 mm and utilizes a high-resolution 4K (8.9“) monochrome LCD masking screen that is rarely seen among the machines of this price segment. Its new optical system employs a collimated light source, making the 1000:1 contrast ratio possible.

The machine features rich connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, and comes with powerful software that makes working with the IBEE a breeze. The resin vat and polymer film are designed to be durable, long-lasting, and thus quite economical. The IBEE is controlled using a 4.3-inch touch screen. 

 

Design

Source: uniz.com

The Uniz IBEE comes fully assembled, as is the case with the vast majority of resin 3D printers. This is a mid-sized machine with outer dimensions of 325 x 325 x 510 mm (12.8 x 12.8 x 20 in) and a weight of 15.8 kg (34.8 lbs) that can be easily moved without additional help and doesn’t have a large footprint. 

The design of the device is rather minimalistic. It seems that it was inspired by industrial-grade machines that prioritize function over form. The shapes feature rough edges and there are no elements that don’t serve any functional purpose. The lid cover is easily removable.

 

Applications

The 4K LCD screen of the IBEE, as well as its XY-resolution of just 49.8 microns and a minimum layer height of 10 microns allow the machine to produce incredibly accurate prints with fine detail. 

The example below shows 0.2 mm diameter needles being inserted into 0.2 diameter holes of a 3D printer model. 

Source: kickstarter.com

The machine was designed as a multi-purpose 3D printer for various fields. It can be a great first resin printer for beginners since it’s easy to use and affordable. It can be used by designers thanks to its advanced capabilities. Reliability and affordability make it a great choice for small businesses. 

 

Printable Materials

Uniz designed the zMUD resin specifically for the IBEE. It is made to be both economical and rigid. This resin delivers a smooth matte finish and makes use of the IBEE’s accuracy. zMud will also work with the majority of Uniz other 3D printers.

The machine also supports a wide range of other 405nm resins. 

 

Tech Breakdown: 4th Generation SLA and Collimated Light

Uniz developed their first large-scale monochrome LCD in 2018, and their implementation continued to improve. The new light source structure delivers the light at small angles compared to a more common dot-matrix approach. It also provides an impressive level of uniformity (over 90%) across the print area.

Source: kickstarter.com

 

Specs

• Technology: SLA/LCD
• Optical system: Collimated light source 
• Build volume: 192 x 120 x 200mm (7.5 x 4.7 x 7.8 in)
• XY-resolution: 49.8 microns
• Accuracy: ±10 microns
• Minimum layer height: 10 microns
• Separation mechanism: Polymer film natural peel 
• Maximum printing speed; 80 mm/h
• Supported materials: 405 nm resin
• Connectivity: Wifi, Ethernet, USB flash disk 
• Supported file formats: STL, OBJ, AMF, 3MF,SLC 
• Dimensions: 325 x 325 x 510 mm (12.8 x 12.8 x 20 in)
• Weight: 15.8 kgs/34.8 lbs
• Suggested operating temperature: 18-28 °C (64-82 °F)
• Price: $799.00

 

What’s in the Box?

The contents of the package include: 

• Uniz IBEE 3D Printer
• Build plate
• Protective equipment
• Power cord
• Resin vat
• Spare nFEP film
• Resin filters
• Scraper
• Toolbox
• User manual

For some items, package content may change. In case of any questions, please get in touch.

 

Software

Uniz Maker is a proprietary program that makes slicing and printing impressively easy. The ‘One Click Print’ feature requires clicking a button, after which the software will choose the best orientation and automatically add supports, after which the model will be sent for printing. 

Source: youtube.com

Uniz Cloud is a model shop with remote monitoring and printing functionality. There’s also an option to control several 3D printers simultaneously. It’s a core of the Uniz ecosystem. 

 

Use Cases

Below you can see some of the models printed with the Uniz IBEE. The level of accuracy and fine details are impressive, as well as smooth surface finishes. 

Here’s a model that has an incredible level of detail: 

Source: kickstarter.com

And this is another example of a small model (there’s a coin for scale next to it) with a smooth surface finish and accurately captured details. 

Source: youtube.com

And this model is even more complex but came out with perfect quality. 

Source: youtube.com

Source: youtube.com

 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Affordable 
• Versatile
• Easy to use: convenient controls, intuitive software, can be a good choice even for beginners
• High resolution of LCD light source 
• Employing collimated light and other latest tech provides provide great quality of printing
• Decently-sized build volume

 

Bottom Line

The Uniz IBEE is a mid-sized desktop resin 3D printer offered at the price segment below $1000. Designed to bring high accuracy and resolution to the machines of this price range, the device produces prints of incredible quality that feature both a high level of fine detail and smooth surface finishes. The IBEE can be used for various purposes in different fields, the machine is aimed at beginners, designers, startup owners, and experienced 3D printing enthusiasts alike. Its versatility and convenience make it a great solution for various problems and a useful machine for producing quality results. The machine is easy to use and comes with software that is designed to be user-friendly as possible. The ‘One Click Print’ feature prepares and sends the models for printing without requiring additional steps.