Silhouette Alta® Plus 3D Printer

The Silhouette Alta® Plus is a 3D printer that is perfect for beginners and experts alike. This printer can create a variety of
3D models using PLA filament (1.75 mm) and is compatible with Silhouette’s standard filament and specialty filament.
Make everything from custom cookie cutters and keychains to cake toppers and jewelry pieces.
Product Details
• Printer Type: Delta style
• Fan: Built in
• Print Volume: 124 mm x 124 mm x 130 mm
• File Types: .STL, .OBJ, .studio (if applicable, .studio files may be imported into Silhouette 3D™ as one of six
different 3D extrusions)
• Filament Type: 1.75 mm nonproprietary PLA filament
• Interface: USB 2.0 high speed
• Unit Weight: 9.7 pounds
• Unit Dimensions: 9.875 inches x 9 inches x 18.75 inches
Box Contents
• Silhouette Alta® Plus 3D printer
• Power cable and USB cable
• Loose filament spool (color: white, approximately 60 grams)
• Filament spool holder
• Platform (with applied Platform Tape Sheet)
• Replacement Platform Tape Sheets (10)
• Two different sizes of hex keys (for machine adjustments)
• Nozzle cleaner tool

• Keys (to lock/unlock the case)
• Silhouette 3D™ software (download)
• 25 exclusive designs (download)
• 1-month Silhouette Design Store subscription ($25 credit value) (available after tool registration)

Silhouette Alta® Plus FAQs
What is the difference between the original Silhouette Alta®
and the new Silhouette Alta® Plus?
The Alta Plus has all of the same capabilities as the original Alta
model along with the following differences:
• The Alta Plus model is grey, whereas the original Alta
model is white. This helps to quickly identify the different
models from each other.
• The Alta Plus includes a built-in fan, which improves its
print quality over the original Alta.
• The Alta Plus has updated manual turn screws on the
Delta arms that hold the printer head. This allows the
machine to be calibrated by hand, making the calibration
process easier and more precise.
• The Alta Plus has an updated printer head providing an
easier method to remove and replace the heating element.

What is the benefit of using a fan while 3D printing?
When melted PLA filament is extruded from a 3D printer, it’s
better for the filament to be cooled before another layer is
printed on top of it. Using a fan while the machine extruding the
filament often results in a better 3D print with fewer gaps and
more stable layers.

How do I turn the fan on/off?
If you have a Silhouette Alta® Plus and Silhouette 3D™ version
1.2.164 or higher, the fan can be controlled from within the
Silhouette 3D™ software.
Open the software, click the 3D Print tab on the top right-hand
side, open the settings, and navigate to the “Filament and
Printer” options. Here you can check or uncheck the box that
says “Enable Fan Cooling” as well as change the minimum and
maximum fan speeds.

What is the printing speed of the Silhouette Alta® Plus?
The Alta Plus can print at a maximum speed of 80 millimeters
(mm) per second.

What is the print volume?
The Silhouette Alta® Plus can print 124 mm in diameter and
130 mm tall, which is about 5 inches around and 5 inches tall.

What is the layer height resolution?
The layer height can range from 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.

What is the minimum layer height the Silhouette Alta® Plus
will print?
The minimum layer height is 0.05 mm.

What colors can the Silhouette Alta® Plus print?
Silhouette will offer 11 colors of standard filament (sold
separately) that can be used with the Alta Plus: red, pink, orange,
yellow, green, sky blue, blue, white, black, and brown.
In addition, there will be 8 types of specialty filament (sold
separately): gold, silver, bronze, silk white, silk pink, wood,
marble, and glow-in-the-dark.
You can also use any other brand and color of PLA (polylactic
acid) filament as long as the filament size is compatible with the
Alta Plus (1.75 mm thickness).

How much is a spool of filament?
Silhouette’s standard filament spools (500 grams) and specialty
filament spools (250 grams) will be offered at $14.99 each.

Is the filament BPA free?
PLA plastics do not contain BPA.

Is the filament eco-friendly/recyclable?
PLA is a bioplastic that is potentially recyclable, but no separate
recycling system currently exists for it. However, PLA is
biodegradable.

What are the system requirements for Silhouette 3D™?
Processor: Intel or AMD Quad core at 2.5GHz
Ram: 4GB
Hard drive: 4GB of free space
OS: Windows 10 or Mac OS 10.8 +
Graphics: Any that supports OpenGL 1.2 (Any GPU since 2010)
Network: Any network controller (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)

Where can I get designs to print?
The Silhouette 3D™ software can import .STL and .OBJ files.
You can also use many of your existing Silhouette cut files. The
Silhouette 3D™ software currently offers 6 different extrusion
options (options to turn 2D files into 3D designs), including
basic extrusion, stencils, and box options. Special 3D designs
in the form of .S3D files are also offered through the Silhouette
Design Store.

Can I download Silhouette 3D™ if I don’t have an Alta
printing machine?
Yes! The Silhouette 3D™ software is currently free and available
to anyone who wishes to download it. You can play in the
software as much as you’d like, but you will not be able to print
anything without the Silhouette Alta® or Silhouette Alta® Plus.

What file types can be used in Silhouette 3D®?
The Silhouette 3D™ software allows you to import and use .STL,
.OBJ, and .S3D files. You can also access your Silhouette Library
and automatically turn a number of 2D files into 3D objects
within the Silhouette 3D™ software.

Can I use .STUDIO files?
Yes, the Silhouette 3D™ software will take 2D lines and convert
them into 3D objects. However, not all files are going to convert
into 3D objects well. Some files are set up for regular printing or
are more optimized for cutting, so you’ll want to experiment to
find the files that work best for a 3D environment.

Can I print text with any font on my computer?
The Silhouette 3D™ software will be able to access fonts you
have installed on your computer, turn them into 3D objects, and
print them. Just as with turning 2D cut files into 3D objects,
some fonts may work well as 3D objects while other fonts may
not.

The Silhouette Alta® Plus 3D Printer is unlike any Silhouette machine on the market. Instead of cutting 2D materials, the Alta uses additive manufacturing to print a 3D design from the bottom up, allowing a simple idea to grow into a custom 3D object. Using a technique that recursively prints layer upon layer, the Alta can use non-proprietary PLA filament to build your designs into reality.
Silhouette Alta® Plus Specification
Printer Type
Delta style
Print Volume
124 mm x 124 mm x 130 mm
Resolution
0.1mm
File Types
.STL, .OBJ, and allows applicable .studio files to be extruded and turned into 3D objects
Filament Type
1.75 mm non-proprietary PLA filament
Interface
USB 2.0 high speed
Unit Dimensions
9.875 in x 9 in x 18.75 in
Unit Weight
9.7 lbs
Shipping Dimensions
13 in x 13 in x 24 in
Shipping Weight
19.65 lbs
Warranty
One year parts and labor
Included Standard Accessories
Power Cable
100–240 volts AC adapter (power cables are available for the United States, Canada, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and other regions)
USB Cable
Hight speed 2.0
Cooling Fan
Built-in
Filament
White (~60g)
Tools
Print removal tool, nozzle tip cleaner, two hex keys, and two keys to lock/unlock the case
Silhouette 3D™ Software
Windows 7 and newer, MacOS X 10.8 and higher
Printable Designs
25 free
Build Plate Tape
10 Sheets