Creality K1C 3D printer with carbon fibre filament support and air-purifier announced

With 3D printing becoming easier and more accessible, there’s an increased demand for a wider variety of printing materials to suit different applications. Popular 3D printer manufacturer, Creality, is certainly leaning into this trend, with the announcement of the upcoming K1C printer – an upgrade to the K1 that adds support for carbon fibre filaments such as PLA-CF, PA-CF and PET-CF. That isn’t all that’s new in the K1C, though.

Presumably to support the new filament types, the K1C will come equipped with a tri-metal nozzle (as against copper alloy in the K1 and hardened steel in the K1 Max), and a new all-metal direct drive extruder. It will also come with an AI-enabled camera as standard for remote monitoring (optional in the K1), as well as an integrated air-purifier and a new sleep-mode, both new for the K1 series. The air-purifier will surely be a welcome addition to those who print at home or in closed spaces.

Most other features and specifications match the K1, including the 300 mm/s standard print speed (maxing out at 600 mm/s) and 20,000 mm/s² acceleration. It also has a heated bed, a 4.3” colour touchscreen, a 220x220x250 mm (8.66x8.66x9.84 inches) build volume and an enclosed construction.

Creality recommends using the K1C with its optional Space Pi filament drying module, which “prevents filaments stringing, clogging and improves the quality of your print”. It also recommends its own Hyper PLA-CF carbon fibre filament, claimed to yield a more matte finish and “minimal layer texture”, apart from improved mechanical properties like stiffness and bending strength.

The K1C will be available for pre-order starting January 24 until February 7. All pre-orders placed on Creality’s site during this time will get a 5% discount. One pre-order will also receive a full-refund, and customers will also have a chance to win one free trip to Germany. Before January 24, interested customers can make a ‘reservation’ in advance of their pre-order. The price is yet to be revealed.

Creality is known for both its FDM printers, such as the original K1, the CR-5 Pro H and Ender-5 S1, and its SLA printers, like the Halot-Mage and Halot-Mage Pro.