FormNext 2024: My Highlight of the Day – The H2V2X from BIQU (Patreon)

One of the standout moments from my day at FormNext happened at the BIQU booth. You might be wondering, Why BIQU? They haven’t announced anything new.

That’s the beauty of attending a trade show—you get to take a closer look at products, and sometimes you notice details that don’t make it to the website or marketing slides. Case in point: the H2V2X.

At first glance, the H2V2X might seem like just another all-metal extruder that acts as a heatsink for the hotend. But upon closer inspection, BIQU has made some interesting design decisions that aren't immediately obvious.

For example, the drive gear on the H2V2X is unconventional—it doesn’t follow the standard modulus of 0.5 that most extruder gears use. So, what’s the advantage?

Primarily, a smaller modulus reduces backlash between the motor and the extruder. This is particularly beneficial for rapid transitions between extrusion and retraction over a short period of time. However, this approach comes with its drawbacks: specialized gears create a closed ecosystem. If you wanted to swap out the 800mA motor for a more powerful one, finding a compatible one could prove challenging.

That said, this might be more of a theoretical issue. After all, someone prioritizing flexibility probably wouldn’t opt for an all-in-one extruder like this in the first place.

Even though I’m not the target audience for the H2V2X, it’s my personal discovery of the day. It’s a refreshing reminder that manufacturers are still willing to innovate and trying something new rather than releasing yet another BMG clone.

Thank you for your support, and stay tuned for more discoveries!