3D Printing Industry reviews the Xioneer VXL line of dissolvable support materials and the Vortex EZ automated support removal station.

Founded in 2013, Xioneer began as a modest 3D printer manufacturer based in Vienna, Austria. The company made a name for itself with its FFF 3D printers and even won the Formnext Startup Challenge in 2016 for its Xioneer Desktop system, featuring a patented tool change device.

The company was eventually acquired by German chemical company BellandTechnologyAG in 2019, uniting under the current Xioneer brand soon after. The company now specializes in 3D printing support materials, as well as peripheral hardware such as support removal systems and filament storage boxes.

Xioneer’s unique ability is that they polymerize their materials directly in their factory – which means that Xioneer does not mix existing polymers but creates its own. According to Xioneer, this allows them to “invent plastics that have never existed before,” such as VXL support material.

The Vortex EZ is Xioneer’s flagship automated soluble media removal station. The desktop system aims to fill the accessibility niche, providing an easy and affordable method of post-processing FFF 3D printed parts. Suitable for indoor use, the machine can be used anywhere, from offices and schools to workshops and production halls.

Streamlined Soluble Carrier Removal

The Vortex EZ operates using two key media removal techniques: heat and continuous fluid agitation (kinetic energy). From the outside it looks like a fairly simple kit where most of the frame is a basic stainless steel tank with a matte finish. The body is double-walled for improved thermal insulation and durability, and it can hold up to 36 liters of liquid solution at a time.

On the front you will find a temperature control knob that controls the internal dissolving temperature up to 85°C. It does this via a high-powered 1200W internal heater, which is also equipped with an overheating protection feature for added safety. On the underside of the Vortex EZ there is a drain valve used to drain the cleaning solution from the tank in a consistent and controlled manner, meaning you won’t need to manually drain the solvent.

Inside the post-processing station there is a parts basket that can hold large 3D printed components up to 450 x 250 x 200 mm. The basket is in fact removable thanks to an easy-to-use clip system allowing parts to be loaded and unloaded without the user ever having to touch the solvent in the tank.

The Vortex EZ’s fluid agitation mechanism is powered by an internal brushless motor impeller. This is what provides the mechanical aspect of the carrier removal technology, helping to dissolve soluble carriers faster.

Due to the simplicity of the hardware, you’ll also find that the Vortex EZ’s media removal workflow is extremely streamlined. Unlike a 3D printer, there is no software for print preparation, so you can plug in the machine and start the motors in less than a minute.

To use the Xioneer, fill the reservoir with tap water and a few scoops of the company’s non-toxic VXL-EX washing powder. Place your 3D printed parts in the basket, set the temperature according to the support material and let the system do its magic. You may need to leave the parts in the solution for half an hour to a few hours, depending on the geometry of the parts. When finished, simply rinse off the remaining cleaning solution with tap water and the components are ready to use.

The VXL Materials Ecosystem

Xioneer offers four soluble support filaments: VXL 70 (1x 500g), VXL 90 (1x 500g), VXL 111 (1x 750g) and VXL 130 (1x 100g).

These acrylate-based support materials do not dissolve in pure water alone, meaning they will need to be used in conjunction with the company’s VXL EX washing powder. The company states that VXL EX is a safe product to use and similar to a household detergent, used for washing clothes for example.

Those who prefer to use their own third-party support materials are free to do so, as the system is also capable of handling regular filaments like PVA and BVOH.

VXL 70 is Xioneer’s entry-level offering, suitable for low-temperature model materials such as PETG and TPU. Next up is VXL 90, the all-purpose support filament for mid-temperature model materials like ABS. The VXL 111 is compatible with tougher engineered filaments like PA and PC, while the VXL 130 is the high-temperature beast built for the likes of PEEK and PEI.

Comparative analysis of the Xioneer Vortex EZ

To test the Vortex EZ, we ran a total of 13 3D-printed dissolvable support builds in the machine, spanning Xioneer’s four VXL support materials. We’ve found all four filaments to be extremely easy to print and unlike PVA they’re not that sensitive to humidity so it’s not a death sentence if left in a room without tight control of humidity (we always recommend drying all filaments before use).

The bond between the VXL supports and the model materials was also excellent in all cases. Xioneer’s filaments adhere well to BuildTak build plates and PEI printing surfaces, with no warping or delamination issues. Using company-recommended temperature settings, each post-processing cycle took between 1 and 1.5 hours to fully dissolve all media.

For our first batch job, we processed three VXL 70 parts: a Wolf Head Geometric Model (PLA), a Complex Volume Cell Design (PETG), and a Topologically Optimized Drone Frame (PETG).

Xioneer’s Vortex EZ certainly impressed when it came to the first set of VXL 70 components. The system successfully dissolved all soluble media without affecting PLA and PETG model geometries. The geometric wolf head and drone frame, in particular, came out extremely clean on the other side, with almost no trace of support structures.

Next, the VXL 90 bundle included a lion sculpture (ABS), a wine bottle holder (ABS), a cup holder (PETG), and a generatively designed RC car component (PETG).

The VXL 90 batch was even better than the first, with smooth, residue-free surfaces all around. Support interface areas on the 3D printed wine bottle holder are virtually invisible, while the RC car component appears to be hot on an unsupported build plate. There are some artifacts under the lion’s mane and wires in the cup holder geometry, but these can be attributed to sub-optimal 3D printing settings rather than the performance of the Xioneer VXL 90.

Then the VXL 111 parts included Hilbert Cube (ABS), MagSafe Phone Holder (ABS), Bevel Gear (PA) and Push Handle (PA12-CF).

Our penultimate batch of VXL 111 parts turned out to be excellent overall. The Hilbert cube and bevel gear are completely flawless, while the MagSafe charging stand is perfectly suited for the end use.

One thing to note about the PA12-CF black handle is the residue left behind from post-processing. We believe that the VXL-EX solution previously used in the tank could have seeped between the layers of the 3D printed part, so it may be a good idea to change the water between uses.

Finally, we post-processed an engineering support supported by the 3D printed VXL 130 on PC. We were able to manually remove most of the supports before immersing the part in the Vortex EZ, but the system made quick work of all the residue, leftover cordage, and hard-to-reach supports that filled in the little holes. of the room. It was a solid finish for the Vortex EZ, showing how useful automated media removal can be when dealing with tight cavities.

For comparison, we also printed this part on PC with PC supports a while ago. We had a lot more trouble manually removing the brackets from the PC than just letting the Xioneer do the heavy lifting. The PC-PC model also ended up with an abundance of support scars.

The verdict

By developing the Vortex EZ, Xioneer set out to create an easy and streamlined method of post-processing 3D printed parts. After extensive testing, we can safely say that the automated support removal system is as effective as advertised.

Featuring both heat and mechanical agitation mechanisms, this handy machine is ideal for those who don’t have the time, energy, or willpower to manually remove media. Equipped with a large basket and spacious water reservoir, the Vortex EZ also makes batch processing easy.

There is also something to be said for Xioneer’s VXL support filaments. In our experience they have shown excellent printability and are not as finicky as the widely used PVA support material. They’re also compatible with everything from PETG and ABS to PA and PC, and even PEEK, so there’s a VXL offering for just about every professional application.

For cost-conscious 3D printer users, there is also the option of 3D printing the bulk of the supports with the model material, while just printing the interface areas with VXL filaments. This way you can still avoid backing scars while your VXL coils last much longer.

Technical specifications

Buy the Xioneer Vortex EZ Media Removal Station here.

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The image shown shows the Xioneer Vortex EZ and the contents of the package. 3D printing industry photo.