Personal 3D printers have a limitation: materials. Typically used with plastic, many people would like to 3D print in metal. Now there seems to be an option for personal metal 3D printing: the Newton3D, “built from the research of Esteban Schunemann, PhD student at Brunel University”. We don’t know very much about this mysterious… Continue reading The Newton3D Metal 3D Printer
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3D Systems Announcesā¦ Everything!
Yesterday as CES 2014 opened we had to drop by the 3D Systems booth as they had just that morning released information on multiple new products and services. Itās not the old days when one or perhaps two products appear; today they arrive in batches. We were toured through the new products by a very… Continue reading 3D Systems Announcesā¦ Everything!
MakerBotās Stunning Announcements
A very excited MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis took the stage at a Las Vegas hotel yesterday and presented what must have been MakerBot’s most profound – and certainly biggest – set of product announcements in its history. Not one, not two, but three new 3D printers were announced, along with a series of related software,… Continue reading MakerBotās Stunning Announcements
The Fusematic 3D Printer
Maker’s Tool Works has announced a new 3D printer kit, the Fusematic. It succeeds MTW’s previous model, the MendelMax 2 by being “smaller, faster, and more affordable”. MTW simplified assembly by including assembly guides on the case, using linear rails, preassembling and pre-loading the electronics and keying the connectors. After assembly, you’ll find… Continue reading The Fusematic 3D Printer
This 3D Printer is Truly a Monster
Ben Reytblat’s new venture, 3DMonstr, has attracted some attention on Kickstarter, where the pledges are flowing in rapidly for the new 3D printer. 3DMonstr is actually a family of fully assembled 3D printers, each of which entirely deserving of the “monster” label. Sure, it’s size that is the major factor. The “small” version, the… Continue reading This 3D Printer is Truly a Monster
3D Systems Steps Into Multi-Material 3D Printing
3D Systems offers a very large suite of 3D printers, from personal to industrial, but none offered before has the capability of their new ProJet 5500x. What’s so different about it? The ProJet 5500x can print in multiple materials. To put that in perspective, the only other manufacturer that’s offered such a capability… Continue reading 3D Systems Steps Into Multi-Material 3D Printing
The LulzBot TAZ 3 Personal 3D Printer
LulzBot has released a new version of their popular TAZ personal 3D printer: 3.0. The new version includes several evolutionary improvements, including additional metal parts and a quicker-to-print-ready heated bed. The TAZ is an open-air 3D printer, meaning the heated bed is more important to avoid warping if you’re printing ABS plastic. TAZ has… Continue reading The LulzBot TAZ 3 Personal 3D Printer
Miniature DMLS Prints Tiny Metal Parts
A joint venture between 3D-Micromac AG and EOS Gmbh has created a new micro-laser sintering technology (MLS) that can be used to create miniature metal components. While the two firms have been developing MLS technology since 2006 under the name of 3D MicroPrint, it was only last year that the technology was mature enough… Continue reading Miniature DMLS Prints Tiny Metal Parts
Three Delta 3D Printers: How To Tell Them Apart
Recently we’ve seen an increase in the number of “delta” 3D printers being produced. “Delta” refers to the rather unique extruder mechanical movement: arms attached to three towers intelligently coordinate “tipping motions” to smoothly move a level extruder platform through the build volume. These machines are easy to recognize: three tall posts with an… Continue reading Three Delta 3D Printers: How To Tell Them Apart
The Picaso Designer 3D Printer
Region manufacturers seem to exist in every area. That paradigm continues with the Russian-made Picaso Designer personal 3D printer. It’s a filament-based device, like many regional machines, capable of printing either PLA or ABS plastic, offering fairly typical specifications: Build volume of 200 x 200 x 200mm Layer size of 0.05mm Minimum wall… Continue reading The Picaso Designer 3D Printer
The Kevvox 3D Printer
We had a close look at the Kevvox 3D printer at EuroMold. It uses a resin-based process, as so many new 3D printers seem to these days, but the results are quite spectacular. Three years in development, the Kevvox uses long-lasting LED lighting to cure the several resins offered. They offer a wax resin… Continue reading The Kevvox 3D Printer
The Asiga Pico 3D Printer
We’re starting to observe a collision between the lowering prices of commercial 3D print gear with the rising prices of increasingly more capable personal 3D printers. Today only a few thousand dollars separate the two. One example of a commercial unit that’s priced very effectively is the Asiga Pico, a small volume resin-based 3D printer. … Continue reading The Asiga Pico 3D Printer
Leapfrog’s Xeed Now Available for Purchase
As promised, the folks at Leapfrog have launched their biggest 3D printer, the Xeed. It’s big for a desktop 3D printer, but that fits its target market: offices where the device would be shared by (presumably) professionals. The Xeed offers premium 3D printer features, such as standard dual extruders, automatic bed leveling before each… Continue reading Leapfrog’s Xeed Now Available for Purchase
Prodways’ Unique 3D Printing Process
It’s always interesting to examine a 3D printer with an entirely new process for producing objects. One may think there’s only a few processes, but in fact companies often invent new methods. Prodways is one of them. We spoke with Prodways President Raphaël Gorgé (seen above with the M350) and Head of Research… Continue reading Prodways’ Unique 3D Printing Process
The Fabmaker 3D Printer
We checked out the Fabmaker 3D printer, which originates in Germany. It’s a plastic filament-based device that is targeted for educators. We asked about the features that make the Fabmaker so appropriate for the education market and were told: Fabmaker provides specific consulting services to educators The Fabmaker’s exterior case is made from safety… Continue reading The Fabmaker 3D Printer
The Most Popular 3D Printers Are…
3D printer service 3D Hubs knows quite a bit about the state of personal 3D printers because it’s their business. They provide a service where folks with idle 3D printers can accept 3D print work for payment from the public. By tracking the changes in their population of 3D printer participants, 3D Hubs can… Continue reading The Most Popular 3D Printers Are…
The RepRap Industrial
RepRap 3D printers are for hobbyists, right? For tinkerers who like to build their own machines? Not always, if you were to ask the brothers Kühling & Kühling, who produce the RepRap Industrial 3D printer. This machine is a pre-assembled RepRap machine specifically designed for industrial use. What makes it so? We noticed multiple… Continue reading The RepRap Industrial
The Be3D DeeOrange 3D Printer
The Be3D DeeOrange is a small personal 3D printer assembled by a Czech company with 20 years of experience in engineering and technology. Available for two years, the device is a solid unit containing some solid features. Inside the attractive case is a heated plate the makes the machine capable of 3D printing ABS… Continue reading The Be3D DeeOrange 3D Printer
A Personal 3D Metal Printer: In Progress
We’re checking out a project that’s listed on the RepRap Wiki: MetalicaRap. The goal is to produce a: Open 3D metal & home solar cell printer, based on the principles of electron beam welding and vapor deposition. No, it isn’t ready yet – the project is still in the planning stages. While the… Continue reading A Personal 3D Metal Printer: In Progress
MCOR Doubles Their 3D Print Speed – At No Cost!
3D printer manufacturer MCOR, who produce the full-color Iris paper 3D printer, announced a pretty major new feature: double speed printing. Yes, TWICE as fast. Even better, the software upgrade that increases the speed is being made available for all existing machines. But how do they do it? It’s all in the motion.… Continue reading MCOR Doubles Their 3D Print Speed – At No Cost!
Bee The First – A Portable 3D Printer
We managed to get a first hand look at a very unique 3D printer, BeeTheFirst from Portugal-based BeeVeryCreative. While the device has mechanical characteristics similar to most 3D printers of its category, it has a very unique design that includes a handle for easy portage. BeeTheFirst is a 20 pound unit that prints… Continue reading Bee The First – A Portable 3D Printer
The Robox Personal 3D Printer
We’re looking at another Kickstarter campaign for yet another 3D printer. There have been so many recently it has become very difficult to distinguish one offering from another. So how does Robox do it? We were surprised to find it does have several very unique and interesting features. Aside from the now-industry-standard features… Continue reading The Robox Personal 3D Printer
3D Systems Explodes with Announcements
3D printing giant 3D Systems isn’t standing still. At the EuroMold exhibition today they announced not one, not two, but twelve products to bolster their already considerable portfolio of equipment, software and services. They not only announced the products, but showed them at their massive booth at the Frankfurt trade show, staffed by what… Continue reading 3D Systems Explodes with Announcements
Finland’s miniFactory 3D Printer
We managed to check out a 3D printer from Finland: the Mini Factory and found it has several interesting features that differentiate it from other 3D printers in its class. Like many inexpensive 3D printers, the miniFactory uses plastic filament. A problem sometimes observed is that filaments break or bend during printing. The miniFactory… Continue reading Finland’s miniFactory 3D Printer
The Delta Tower 3D Printer
Tall. That’s one way to describe the incredible Delta Tower 3D printer. It uses, obviously, the delta technique for rapidly and efficiently moving the single or dual extruders through each layer during printing. The statistic you’re looking for is this: it can print items up to 580mm tall, approximately twice that of the biggest… Continue reading The Delta Tower 3D Printer
The KentStrapper Volta 3D Printer
We examined the Italian KentStrapper Volta 3D printer and found a very solid design. The Volta uses a laser-cut wood frame, unlike other models that have shifted to metal frames, but does use linear bearings to provide smooth mechanical movements. The Volta offers a relatively large build area, as you can see in the… Continue reading The KentStrapper Volta 3D Printer
The WASP Project 3D Prints Clay
Need something 3D printed in clay? Something very large? If so you’ll want to check out the WASP project from Italy. WASP is actually an acronym, standing for World’s Advanced Saving Project. Their goal is to be able to build homes in third world countries with advanced technology like 3D printing, yet use… Continue reading The WASP Project 3D Prints Clay
The WitBox 3D Printer
There’s an explosion of extrusion-based personal 3D printers occurring now, with new entries emerging from all corners. One of them is the WitBox by Spanish company BQ. Unlike many new entrants, the WitBox comes from an already established company. BQ “is a Spanish company dedicated to the multimedia devices and 3D printers sale.” According… Continue reading The WitBox 3D Printer
Tasting the ChocEdge Chocolate 3D Printer
We had a chance to speak with Christina Zheng, Business Development Director for ChocEdge. It’s one of the very few personal 3D printers capable of extruding chocolate, and perhaps the only one you can easily buy yourself. The ChocEdge looks much like many other personal 3D printers, until you notice the extruder. It’s basically… Continue reading Tasting the ChocEdge Chocolate 3D Printer
A New Printrbot, the Plus
One of the first big-time winners in 3D printing Kickstarter campaigns was the Printrbot, which raised a then-record USD$830,827 (with an original goal of USD$25,000). We suspect it was Printrbot’s success that led to the explosion of subsequent 3D printer launches on the crowdfunding site. We chatted with Brook Drumm of Printrbot at the… Continue reading A New Printrbot, the Plus
Something Interesting is Inside the new Builder 3D Printer
At the 2013 3D Printshow we stopped by the Code-p west BV booth, who produce the Builder personal 3D printer. These folks produce a typical personal 3D printer, but as we talked with their spokesman, something very interesting was revealed. At first, their machine appears much like many other personal 3D printers: a cubic… Continue reading Something Interesting is Inside the new Builder 3D Printer
Open Source Metal 3D Printing
We ran across an interesting project that’s attempting to create a system for 3D printing metal at very low cost. The idea is to do for metal manufacturing what was done for plastic manufacturing with current open source 3D printers. The project, by Andreas Bastian, is entitled “An Open Source Selective Laser Sintering 3D… Continue reading Open Source Metal 3D Printing
The Helix 3D Printer
Created by Acuity Design of Montana, the Helix is a higher-grade personal 3D printer focusing on professional markets, unlike the countless other low-cost 3D printers appearing on Kickstarter that hope to address consumer needs. While professional offices currently have commercial 3D printer options that range from USD$10-20K, that price, although lower than industrial 3D… Continue reading The Helix 3D Printer
Can You Say, “Five Color 3D Printer”?
In the beginning, personal 3D printers had but a single extruder, meaning you could print only one color at a time. Finally, after years of research, some manufacturers brought out machines with two extruders – and BFB had an amazing three extruders. Now there’s a proposal from ORD Solutions of Canada to produce not… Continue reading Can You Say, “Five Color 3D Printer”?
The $200 Ready-To-Rock 3D Printer
We’ve heard about the USD$100 3D printer – but it’s an experimental resin-based 3D printer. What if you’re interested in acquiring a low-cost plastic filament 3D printer? You might want to consider the QU-BD One Up, billed as a sub-USD$200 “production ready” personal 3D printer. This no-frills device is in fact a kit, but… Continue reading The $200 Ready-To-Rock 3D Printer
New Tease From BotObjects
Remember BotObjects? They’re the company that’s producing a “Full Color” personal 3D printer, the ProDesk3D. They have been releasing very little information about their upcoming device, leading to much speculation whether it’s real or not. Now, thanks to a video recently posted on their site, we know a little bit more about this very mysterious… Continue reading New Tease From BotObjects
Order Type A Machines’ Series 1 3D Printer Today
Type A Machines’ new Series 1 personal 3D printer is now available for pre-order. This spiffy aluminum and acrylic design houses some interesting internal features, such as the rather large build volume: one cubic foot, or 305 x 305 x 305mm. Big. Some of the Series 1’s features are not particularly visible, yet they… Continue reading Order Type A Machines’ Series 1 3D Printer Today
Peachy Printer Campaign Ends – But Not Really
The world’s first USD$100 3D printer’s launch campaign has closed, with the Peachy Printer project raising over USD$650,000 on their Kickstarter page. This amount may be somewhat less than other notable crowdfunding launches, such as Formlab’s, which raised USD$3M, but there’s a difference: the Peachy Printer costs only USD$100, while previous printers were much… Continue reading Peachy Printer Campaign Ends – But Not Really
A Peachy 3D Printer Update
The makers of the revolutionary USD$100 resin-based Peachy 3D printer, which has raised a launch amount exceeding USD$600K, have issued a video update of their project’s progress. In the video, co-founder James Cooper explains some of the difficulties controlling the laser that they’ve recently overcome. It appears that their team is working through a… Continue reading A Peachy 3D Printer Update
A 3D Printer Made From Scrap
Normally when you embark on building a DIY 3D printer you’d search online shops for the best and least expensive components. Bring them together with the right plan and you’ll soon have an operating 3D printer. But that’s not exactly what Kodjo Afate Gnikou did. He went to the dump. Specifically, he searched through… Continue reading A 3D Printer Made From Scrap
The Dangers of Open Source 3D Printing
When MakerBot opened some years ago it used open source approaches to developing its products. While they produced 3D printers, they also made available the plans to make them, open source-style. That changed with the introduction of their Replicator 2 model, much to the consternation of their open source followers. Why did MakerBot make… Continue reading The Dangers of Open Source 3D Printing
Makibox A6: Shipping Soon?
You might recall the Makibox A6, billed as a “$300 3D Printer”? We wrote on it in February 2012, quite a long time ago, and evidently they have not shipped product yet, although you can see the progression of their project in great detail on their blog, from prototyping to production. But that may… Continue reading Makibox A6: Shipping Soon?
The LumiFold 3D Printer
Only days after the launch of the first USD$100 3D printer, another very similar, but not quite as inexpensive, resin-based 3D printer launched: the LumiFold. Like the Peachy, the LumiFold uses photo-curable resin as its printing process. Also unlike the Peachy, the LumiFold uses a DLP projector as the source for its photo-curing light,… Continue reading The LumiFold 3D Printer
The Deltaprintr
The Deltaprintr is about to launch on Kickstarter. It’s a personal 3D printer with a difference: the device uses a delta mechanism instead of the traditional cartesian XYZ axes. It’s easier to understand if you watch the video. The extruder is oriented by changes (or deltas) in the three vertical posts instead of… Continue reading The Deltaprintr
The Peachy 3D Printer is Looking Very Peachy
We wrote earlier this week on the launch Peachy, a new 3D printer with some very revolutionary features. It, like many new ventures, used crowdfunding to get started. With a Kickstarter goal of USD$50,000, it was inevitable that they’d hit it. They did the first day. But what happened next? So far they’ve… Continue reading The Peachy 3D Printer is Looking Very Peachy
Form 1 Shipping Update
The spectacular Kickstarter launch of Formlabs months ago was just the first part. A large number of orders merely indicates strong interest in a product. We reserved judgement until we saw that Formlabs was able to deliver the numerous Form 1 personal 3D printers. Now we have evidence of that success. Formlabs has posted… Continue reading Form 1 Shipping Update
The Ultimaker 2 3D Printer
Ultimaker has long been regarded as one of the fastest and most reliable personal 3D printers. But it’s been quite a while since it was released. Now the company has announced a new version: Ultimaker 2. The new unit is not simply more attractive with its shiny case: Every part has been redesigned… Continue reading The Ultimaker 2 3D Printer
The Peachy 3D Printer is Only $100!
There is so much to say about this incredible design we’re not quite sure where to start. Yes, this is, for real, a USD$100 3D printer. But how its price became so low is revolutionary. Made by Rylan Graston of Rinnovated Design based in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, the Peachy employs not just one but… Continue reading The Peachy 3D Printer is Only $100!
More ProDesk3D Details Revealed
You might recall the very mysterious ProDesk3D printer from botObjects that is said to be an inexpensive, full color personal 3D printer. A grand claim indeed, as no one can yet explain how an inexpensive 3D printer can manage multi-color printing. Many current 3D printers are multi-color in the sense of “switching” from one… Continue reading More ProDesk3D Details Revealed
The Zim 3D Personal Printer
It’s another week and obviously time for another new 3D printer launch on Kickstarter. This week the Zim 3D printer launched, hoping to raise funds for its first production run. With new 3D printers launch almost daily, it is very difficult for new entrants to distinguish themselves above the other offerings. What does Zim… Continue reading The Zim 3D Personal Printer
ZEUS: Another 3D Copy and Print Machine
It’s another week and another 3D print “all-in-one” device has emerged to join the likes of Radiant Fabrication’s Lionhead and the Mebotics Microfactory: the ZEUS by AIO Robotics of Los Angeles. This project delivers four functions: 3D Scan, 3D Print, 3D Copy and 3D Fax, simulating the existence of multiple devices in a single… Continue reading ZEUS: Another 3D Copy and Print Machine
DealExtreme Sells 3D Printers
Another major retailer sells 3D printers: Deal Extreme, one of the more popular online shops for electronics equipment, now sells the Heacent 3D printer kit. The Heacent 3DP02 kit is from a Chinese manufacturer and is based on the tried-and-true RepRap Prusa Mendel design. It’s specifications include a 200x200x100mm build volume equipped with a… Continue reading DealExtreme Sells 3D Printers
Radiant Fabrication’s Lionhead and Li
It could be trend: all-in-one 3D printer/scanner devices seem to pop up daily this week. We’re looking at Radiant Fabrication’s Lionhead device, which boasts 3D printing and scanning functionality. Radiant Fabrication’s strategy seems to be simplification. They believe more sales are possible if machine use is easy for use by general consumers, embodied by… Continue reading Radiant Fabrication’s Lionhead and Li
Print Bigger: The gMax 3D Printer
A Kickstarter project is launching the gMax personal 3D printer. It’s claim to fame is a whoppingly huge build volume, hence it’s name. gMax is designed by Architect Gordon LaPlante of Brooklyn, a hotbed of 3D printerness. His story: As much as I loved the RepRap, I found myself being limited by the… Continue reading Print Bigger: The gMax 3D Printer
The da Vinci Personal 3D Printer
There’s very few details available about the XYZPrinting da Vinci F1.0 3D printer, made by the team of Taiwan-based Kinpo Electronics and Cal-Comp Electronics, subsidiaries of the Kinpo Group. We do know that the device will sell for only USD$499, one the absolute lowest-priced filament-driven personal 3D printers available today. The new machine… Continue reading The da Vinci Personal 3D Printer
3D Printer History: The Festo iFab 3D Printer
We ran across an experimental 3D printer developed years ago by Festo, a German industrial conglomerate. The iFab was designed in 2009 by Festo’s Bionic Learning Network, but seems to have never been marketed publicly. The iFab is an early example of a non-cartesian 3D printer. “Cartesian” 3D printers use standard “X-Y-Z” movements as… Continue reading 3D Printer History: The Festo iFab 3D Printer
The Mebotics Microfactory
It’s billed as “the world’s first machine shop in a box”, and it very well might be. The Mebotics Microfactory is an enclosed unit that holds not only a CNC cutter but also four (yes, FOUR) extruders on its 3D printing head. The idea is to produce a portable, safe-for-the-office small manufacturing facility.… Continue reading The Mebotics Microfactory
It Does Everything: The FABotum
A new Indiegogo project hopes to develop the FABotum, a multidiscipline manufacturing device. Actually, it’s full name is the “FABtotum Multipurpose Desktop Personal Fabricator”. Wait, what kind of a machine is that? This machine is actually a combination of several manufacturing processes, including 3D printing. The FABotum also includes CNC (cutting) capability and 3D… Continue reading It Does Everything: The FABotum
The Flashforge Creator 3D Printer
If you think the Flashforge Creator looks quite a bit like MakerBot’s original replicator, you’d be correct. It seems that Flashforge has used the Rep’s open source design to produce their version, the Creator. But there are some differences as we’ll see. The Creator is sold in two models, the Creator, which includes two… Continue reading The Flashforge Creator 3D Printer
The Isis One 3D Printer
There’s quite a story behind the design of the Isis One personal 3D printer. The creators of this just-released device recognized the numerous problems inherent in current RepRap machine designs: first layer adhesion, bed leveling, Z-axis stability, noise, support structures, extrusion skipping and much more. Their engineering team methodically pursued each issue, gradually building… Continue reading The Isis One 3D Printer
NASA’s 3D Microdispenser
NASA often provides small amounts of funding to check out some pretty unusual ideas. One of the projects they’re currently funding is the feasibility of an advanced biocomposite microdispening system. Wait, what the heck is that? We told you this was an unusual idea! The proposition is to use micro-components already available in the… Continue reading NASA’s 3D Microdispenser
Freeform 3D Printing with an Undo Ability
The Suspended Deposition Project, Brian Harm’s new 3D printing concept, is built to change the way architects create and design structures. According to Harms, “This project aims to blur the line between processes of design and fabrication in the context of rapid prototyping by increasing the fluidity of the fabrication process through coordinated material and… Continue reading Freeform 3D Printing with an Undo Ability
The Kossel Clear Full Sized Delta 3D Printer
Looking to build an unusual 3D printer? You might consider Blue Eagle Labs’ Kossel Clear 3D printer kit. It’s a delta 3D printer, which employs a different mechanical approach than traditional linear X-Y-Z methods such as Cubify and MakerBot. The delta approach involves suspending the single extruder by three legs which are precisely moved along… Continue reading The Kossel Clear Full Sized Delta 3D Printer
WITbox, The Spanish 3D Printer
It doesn’t really speak Spanish, but it was made in Spain by the folks at Marcha Technology and distributed by Ultra-Lab of Madrid. The WITbox is a plastic extrusion personal 3D printer capable of printing ABS, PLA, NYLON or PVA 1.75mm plastic filament. The WITbox is built robustly with a steel frame and optionally… Continue reading WITbox, The Spanish 3D Printer
The Bukito Portable 3D Printer
A new “sturdy, fast and portable” 3D printer is available on Kickstarter. The Bukito Portable 3D Printer by Deezmaker has already raised USD$100K to launch their new machine, so it seems that people are interested in 3D printing portability. This is not the first 3D printer for Deezmaker; they previous released the Bukobot last… Continue reading The Bukito Portable 3D Printer
A Homebuilt Sugar 3D Printer
RepRap Blogger Jordan Miller reports on an experiment building a unique 3D printer capable of producing sweet sugar glass to aid his bioengineering research. The key problem revolved around being able to use Miller’s BariCUDA extruder, an air pressure-powered extruder. The BariCUDA weighs several pounds and would be difficult to move quickly or accurately with… Continue reading A Homebuilt Sugar 3D Printer
3D Printers too Pricey? Build a LEGO One
While the price of 3D printers continues to plummet, for some the cost is still too high. To help solve this problem, Instructables author Matthew Krueger, also known as Mastermind, created a 3D printer from LEGOs he found lying around his house. Krueger’s project started as a practical exercise. During college Matthew became interested… Continue reading 3D Printers too Pricey? Build a LEGO One
Leapfrog’s Startling 3D Printing Resolution Improvement
The quality of a 3D print is often measured by the layer size. That represents the size of the incremental layers put down by the extruder (or other mechanism) of the 3D printer. The smaller the layer, the finer and smoother the surface finish becomes. The first personal 3D printers that emerged… Continue reading Leapfrog’s Startling 3D Printing Resolution Improvement
The Velleman K8200 3D Printer
With the news that UK electronics retailer Maplin now sells the Velleman K8200 3D printer, we thought we’d better take a look at this new device. The K8200 is a plastic filament 3D printer, as most inexpensive 3D printers are. It accepts both ABS and PLA plastic from generic suppliers, avoiding the need for… Continue reading The Velleman K8200 3D Printer
The UP Plus 2
One of the very first personal 3D printer manufacturers was Delta Micro Factory / PP3DP, a division on China’s Tiertime, who produced the widely used Up! 3D printer. Now its successor, the venerable Up! Plus, is to be replaced by a new version, the UP Plus 2. The new 3D printer is styled similar… Continue reading The UP Plus 2
HYREL Achieves Multi-Part 3D Printing
In almost every 3D printer we’ve seen, even those with multiple heads, only one print head is actually used at a time. First you print the model material, then you print support material, layer by layer, one extruder at a time. But now that’s changed. HYREL, notable for 3D printing clay, Sugru and other… Continue reading HYREL Achieves Multi-Part 3D Printing
3Doodler: CLONED
You always hear about offshore product cloning, but it’s a shock to see them. We were directed to the “Good Luck Buy” site, where we saw what appears to be an almost perfect clone of the famous 3Doodler 3D printing pen: the 3D Printing Pen for 3D Prototype Modeling. 3Doodler, you may recall, recently… Continue reading 3Doodler: CLONED
Pirate3D’s Booty
Pirate3D’s crowdfunded launch of their inexpensive Buccaneer personal 3D printer was a success mere minutes after it opened, but how did it end? Their campaign ended as one of the most successful 3D print launches in history. They achieved USD$1,438,765 of their now-modest-seeming USD$100K goal. Formlabs still holds the record for the biggest crowdfunded… Continue reading Pirate3D’s Booty
Optomecās Mini Metal Printer
In the world of 3D printing, bigger really is better, but New Mexico-based Optomec plans to take things in a different direction. The company will bring selective laser sintering down to the micro scale with their new Laser Engineered Net Shaping printer. Originally created at Sandia National Labs for use by the military and… Continue reading Optomecās Mini Metal Printer
MendelMax 2 Now Available
Maker’s Tool Works now offers their new MendelMax 2 personal 3D printer. We wrote about this unit some time ago, but now you can actually buy them direct. Maker’s Tool Works successfully completed a beta test involving over 100 testers, who helped certify and refine the final product. Now this product is available in… Continue reading MendelMax 2 Now Available
MakerBot’s First Post-Stratasys 3D Printer?
What will be the next personal 3D printer from MakerBot, post acquisition by Stratasys? We believe MakerBot’s next 3D printer could be significantly different from previous Replicators. Why? Because there will be huge synergies between the two companies technologies, as both use plastic extrusion processes. Extruded plastic 3D printing was invented by Stratasys… Continue reading MakerBot’s First Post-Stratasys 3D Printer?
The Incredibly Inexpensive Nautilus 3D Printer
A fundraising campaign has launched for the Nautilus 3D printer. It’s a resin-based DLP printer, using a process similar to that used by Formlabs and 3D Systems. The Nautilus uses a DLP projection system to fuse each layer of photo-curable resin. The Nautilus was developed by a team of four from Beijing who were… Continue reading The Incredibly Inexpensive Nautilus 3D Printer
Worldās Largest 3D printer built in China
Dalian University of Technology has announced the development of the world’s largest 3D printer. The massive laser sintering 3D printer has a build volume of 1.8m3 and can reduce print processing time by some 35%. In addition, the printer’s “contour scanning” printing technique can also reduce manufacturing costs by 40% when compared to other… Continue reading Worldās Largest 3D printer built in China
Could the Buccaneer Raise USD$1M?
The launch of Pirate3D’s inexpensive and classy Buccaneer personal 3D printer on Kickstarter was explosive, raising their initial funding goal within mere minutes. Now, weeks later into the campaign, they’re approaching USD$900K in funding and seemingly within reach of the magic USD$1M mark. Will they make it? We think so. The… Continue reading Could the Buccaneer Raise USD$1M?
A 3D Printer From Togo
Yes, Togo. It’s the home of Afate Gnikou of WoeLab, a technology incubator in the small African country. Gnikou has launched a crowdfunding project on Ulule to raise funds to begin building a Togo-designed personal 3D printer. The goal of the project is to design a 3D printer that can be built from commonly… Continue reading A 3D Printer From Togo
Pirate3D’s Buccaneer Sets Sail
Pirate3D released their incredibly inexpensive personal 3D printer for pre-orders last week and it seems to have been a massive success. Their Kickstarter fundraising goal was USD$100,000 – and it was met within mere minutes of the launch. As of this writing, the project has raised well over USD$400,000, putting Pirate3D in the select… Continue reading Pirate3D’s Buccaneer Sets Sail
Get a Buccaneer 3D Printer for Only USD$247!
Pirate3D is launching their super-inexpensive 3D printer today through Kickstarter. The startup company’s first product, the Buccaneer, is a filament extrusion machine they bill as the “world’s most affordable 3D printer”. The list price of the Buc’ will be USD$347, but a “very limited number” of them will be available for only USD$247, which… Continue reading Get a Buccaneer 3D Printer for Only USD$247!
MakerBot – Autodesk Discount Available
If you happen to be interested in purchasing a MakerBot Replicator 2 personal 3D printer and a premium membership in Autodesk’s highly useful 123D apps, you’re in luck: there’s a discount available. If you upgrade from the free version of 123D to premium level, you’ll receive a USD$40 discount on purchase of a MakerBot… Continue reading MakerBot – Autodesk Discount Available
Mataerial Offers a New Way to 3D Print
Virtually all 3D printers today use a layered approach, where the object being printed is “sliced” into layers, or horizontal planes, which are printed using whichever technology is at hand. But a project by researchers from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia and Joris Laarman Lab proves there is another way. The Mataerial… Continue reading Mataerial Offers a New Way to 3D Print
BotObjects Tells More – But Not Enough
You may recall the mysterious launch of the ProDesk30 from BotObjects the other week? It was said to be an amazing Full Color personal 3D plastic extrusion printer. Many observers were highly skeptical of this claim, particularly because little evidence or even specifications had been released by BotObjects. Now that’s changed. A bit. … Continue reading BotObjects Tells More – But Not Enough
The Zortrax M200 3D Printer
Zortrax is launching their new M200 personal 3D printer on Kickstarter, with a focus on ease of use and aesthetics. They say they “want 3D printing to be a great experience.” Unlike typical filament-based 3D printers that use ABS and PLA plastic, the M200 is specifically designed to print ABS, PC-ABS and Nylon. … Continue reading The Zortrax M200 3D Printer
The Form 1 Ships!
Formlabs has now shipped its first actual production units of their breakthrough resin-based personal 3D printer, the Form 1. The USD$3,299 high-resolution device was launched on Kickstarter some months ago and raised close to USD$3M, a record amount for a technology item. Based on this alone, the Form 1 is a highly desired machine… Continue reading The Form 1 Ships!
The ProDesk3D From BotObjects – In Full Color?
New York City startup BotObjects announced what could be the first full-color plastic 3D printer, the ProDesk3D. While their stealthy launch and impressive claims have generated some buzz, they have also generated major controversy. First, what’s the ProDesk3D? It’s a desktop 3D printer, suitable for consumer or office use. It prints extruded PLA or… Continue reading The ProDesk3D From BotObjects – In Full Color?
Pirate3D Reveals Their Buccaneer
They may be called “Pirate3D”, but their new personal 3D printer, the Buccaneer, is no criminal. The Buccaneer’s design seems significantly different than other personal 3D printers. The most obvious difference is a very refined external look. The shiny case is masterfully simple – it doesn’t even have a single button. We believe in… Continue reading Pirate3D Reveals Their Buccaneer
D-Shape’s Plans
Enrico Dini is the founder of D-Shape, pioneers in large-scale 3D printing using concrete-like materials. They’ve developed a technique for solidifying sand into a kind of sandstone using a chlorine-based fluid. The 3D printer is truly massive and must be erected on the building site – or else you’d better hire trucks and cranes… Continue reading D-Shape’s Plans
Get Ready For Real Chocolate 3D Printing
At a recent conference 3D Systems President and CEO Avi Reichental spoke of his company’s efforts to produce a true chocolate 3D printer. While the project was classed as “Not Soon”, it does indicate significant interest in 3D food printing. We also understand that 3D Systems’ main competitor, Stratasys, has applied for a couple of… Continue reading Get Ready For Real Chocolate 3D Printing
3D Systems Rebrands Their Color 3D Printers
After 3D Systems’ acquisition of ZCorp, they found themselves owners of the Zprinter line of the only full-color 3D printers available. These machines continued to be improved and new variations added up until this week. What happened this week? 3D Systems has rebranded the entire Zprinter line into new ProJet models. No more Zprinters!… Continue reading 3D Systems Rebrands Their Color 3D Printers
The EZ3D Desktop Printer
Another 3D printer project is listed on Kickstarter: The EZ3D Desktop Printer. The project expires today and unfortunately it appears that it will not achieve its fundraising goal of USD$25,000, having raised only about half of that. Nevertheless this printer has some interesting features that we thought we’d point out. The EZ3D surprisingly… Continue reading The EZ3D Desktop Printer
The Gigabot
When the name of the product is “Gigabot”, it’s not hard to imagine their key feature: size. From Texas-based re:3D, the Gigabot has one of the largest print volumes we’ve seen in a personal 3D printer: a whopping 600x600x600mm (that’s two FEET cubed, for you Imperial measurers). The Gigabot is capable of layer sizes… Continue reading The Gigabot
The mUVe 1 3D Printer
With the expiration of key patents around photo-curable 3D printer techniques, we’ve seen several new resin-based personal 3D printer projects. Now another has emerged, the mUVe 1 from mUVe 3D, created as a part-time project by maker Michigan-based Dean Piper. The mUVe 1 is the first product from mUVe 3D, now seeking initial funding via… Continue reading The mUVe 1 3D Printer