Ecoflow: Uninterrupted Power Solutions for 3D Printing

February 13, 2024

 

At first, people thought it was strange that we added backup battery systems from Ecoflow to our Shop3D.ca lineup as a premium 3D Printing supplier. Once you think about it on a deeper level, it makes so much sense and begs the question of why we didn’t do it earlier.

Power outages during 3D printing are costly

We typically serve professional organizations, engineering firms, 3D Printing service bureaus, universities doing research, and even national defense organizations. When this is the sector you serve, you realize that delays, failures, and inflexibility become very costly, with the most costly problem being failed multi-day prints due to power failure. Unexpected, hard to prepare for, and catastrophic when the deadline is tight.

Many institutions already rely on uninterrupted power supply (UPS) and power resume modes on some printer models to mitigate this danger. While this works to bridge a quick power outage and sometimes save a print, the downside is that it is unreliable, and resumed prints usually have a visual defect on that resumed layer. This may or may not affect the strength of the final part or may be unacceptable to the client.

More efficient than UPS for 3D printers

"During a recent trade show, our Raise3D E2 ran off an Ecoflow Delta 2 Max, off-grid and exclusively on battery power for two days straight."

Ecoflow batteries improve upon the UPS experience and enhance it in different ways.  While some UPS can only keep 3D Printers going for 10 minutes after a power outage, an Ecoflow battery, depending on its capacity, can keep it going for hours to days and even weeks. It is so much more powerful when compared to a UPS that it can act as a primary power source.

During a recent trade show, our Raise3D E2 ran off an Ecoflow Delta 2 Max, off-grid and exclusively on battery power for two days straight. The draw was 100-200w/hour, and the Delta 2 Max with an extended battery had 4KWh of power available, translating to roughly 20-40 hours of runtime.

When plugged into the wall, the Ecoflow can charge from 0%-80% in an hour, and, at the same time, provide pass-through power to any number of printers plugged into it.  The super fast charge makes topping up and using it as a standalone battery extremely convenient. It’s also much safer than regular Lithium Ion Batteries, especially at these large capacities, because the cells of the Ecoflow have the safest chemistry known as LiFePO4. This can last 3000 cycles before dropping to 80% capacity. That’s a typical use of 10 years! This makes Ecoflow a perfect pairing for clients who want to take their printers mobile for outreach or power their powerful laptops and 3D scanners on site.

Our team’s experience with Ecoflow

"We’ve been keeping 3-4 printers with critical printing jobs plugged into the Deltas for backup power should the main grid go offline during the weekend. It has completely transformed how we think about powering our 3D Printers and devices."

The Shop3D team has been using the Ecoflow River 2 series, which are lighter and have lower capacity to power our mobile carts, which house a projector, scanning laptop, and Einscan HX.

We’ve been keeping 3-4 printers with critical printing jobs plugged into the Deltas for backup power should the main grid go offline during the weekend. It has completely transformed how we think about powering our 3D Printers and devices. If we don’t want to use extension cables across the room during presentations, we can simply plug our printers into an Ecoflow battery. Additionally, we’ve eliminated any electrical requirements when we attend trade shows, enabling us to save hundreds of dollars on renting power or extensions.

Finally, the most satisfying use comes when we are out for company outings: we can power our speakers and outdoor projectors, charge our cameras and drones during our company picnics, all while charging our Ecoflows from solar panels.  

Find out how a backup battery system can change how you power your 3D Printer fleet by contacting us today.

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