Category Archives: Printer

New 3D Printers from XYZprinting, including a 3D Copier?

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Extending their da Vinci range, XYZprinting have announced two new 3D printers at IFA this year, along with 3D project curriculum packs to help teachers and educators.

The first new model is in the mini series which is aimed at families and the home market. The da Vinci Color Mini is a fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer with an improved air fan for increased print quality and an auto load filament to ensure the filaments are loaded easily and correctly, which is great for family use. The autolevelling removable print bed helps objects stay straight, stick well for a good model and then be removed easily once printed. The internal volume is 13 x 13 x 13 cm which allows reasonably size models to be printed and the printer also features a 5 inch colour touch panel for user friendly and intuitive experience. List price is GB£1599, which isn’t cheap but is affordable for the keen and enthusiastic family. I imagine it would be good choice for smaller schools too.

The second model is the da Vinci AiO (All in One) and it’s decidedly more advanced. A bit bigger, with a 20 x 20 x 15 cm volume, the AiO is able to print in full-colour using colour texture inkjet printing 3D structure, which combines inkjet printing with FFF 3D printing. That’s great but in addition to full colour printing the AiO has a built in engraver and a 3D scanner. The press release doesn’t go into detail into how this works, or the limitations of the 3D scanner but it sounds like we’ve almost got a 3D copier here. That’s pretty cool. List price is GB£2699.

Finally, XYZprinting have a selection of 3D projects to support the STEAM curriculum. That’s STEAM as in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths rather than a popular software delivery platform. These packs help teachers engage with there students using 3D technology to effectively explore the topic areas. The packages will be divided into age brackets for ages 5-11, 11-14 and 14-18 and the content in each age category will be relevant across different subjects. Price to be confirmed.

Full Colour 3D Printer at IFA

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With 3D printing, the colour of the substrate determines the colour of the model and as most 3D printers only hold one or two reels of material, it’s held back the visual appeal of the models. Anything detailed needs to be painted in post-production.

That’s all changing now as XYZprinting have announced the da Vinci Color 3D Printer which combines an inkjet and 3D printer, colouring the material as it goes. Because the colour is injected into the substrate, there’s no need to pause to change spools. The da Vinci Color uses fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing and can take advantage of 16 million of shades using its CMYK palette. The print bed is 20 cm x 20 cm x 15 cm in build volume and there’s complementary software to tweak models for colour.

The printer has 4 ink cartridges (20 ml) which are easily replaced by the owner with a recommended price of €65. A new PLA (a polyester for 3D printing) was exclusively developed for the new da Vinci Color. This 600 g transparent coil is also certified DEHP-free & heavy metal-free at a recommended price of €39.

The da Vinci Color will be available throughout the network of XYZprinting partner resellers at a recommended price of €3 599. It’s pricey for home use, but I think that’ll be snapped up by small businesses and education.

If you happen to be at IFA, call into their stand at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, Hall 13 Booth 102, Messedamm, Berlin.

3DPhotoWorks Helps the Visually Impaired thru 3D Printing

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3dPhotoWorks logo“Blind people see with their hands” is kind of a cliched notion. Overall, everyone “sees” with all of the senses they have available. Visually impaired people just rely on their non-visual senses a bit more than others, depending on the situation. And while visually impaired people can usually comprehend much about the world around them, items that are flat, two-dimensional, or simply out of reach can be elusive. A company called 3DPhotoWorks is hoping to change that using 3D printers.

3DPhotoWorks has spent the last seven years developing a now-patented process that converts any conventional painting, drawing, collage or photograph into a “3D Tactile Fine Art Print.” The end result is a three-dimensional creation that can be touched and held, greatly increasing a visually impaired person’s ability to “see” the original item:

Using their fingertips, the blind experience 3D Tactile Fine Art Prints through tactile feedback. This feedback creates a mental picture that allows them to ‘see’ the art, often for the first time. To further assist in creating a ‘mental picture,; sensors are embedded throughout the prints that when touched, activate custom audio that describes what is transpiring at that exact coordinate.

The ultimate goal of 3DPhotoWorks is to make its 3D Tactile Fine Art Prints available to museums and other public institutions. The company is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the project.

Robox 3D Printer at Gadget Show Live

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Cel RoboxThe Cel Robox is a “desktop micro manufacturing platform” – that’s a small 3D printer to you and me – and while I’m still a little dubious about a 3D printer in every home, this  was one of the first that I’d seen (in real life) that might fit the bill. It’s also quite hypnotic to watch…

Robox

Measuring only 37 x 34 x 24 cm, the Robox is designed to be easy to use with features like auto-loading and unloading of material, dual material printing and print head quick change, with a wide range of material colours and compatibility with Windows, MacOS and Linux. For less that £1000, I think it’s incredible.

The Robox stand at the Gadget Show Live had plenty of example models printed on the device and they looked good. If you want to know more about the Robox, listen to my interview with Dan from Robox.

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New Matter MOD-t 3D Printer

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New Matter logoPersonally I’m not convinced by the vision of a 3D printer in every home though I’m constantly reminded of IBM’s Thomas Watson and his alleged statement regarding the need for only five computers in the world. New Matter don’t have my doubts and are working hard to produce an affordable 3D printer for the home. Steve Schell brings in some printed objects for Don to admire.

New Matter are building an ecosystem around their new 3D printer, the MOD-t, to make life as easier as possible for owners. No experience of 3D modelling is required, with pre-made models in their online store. Some are free of charge, others cost a fee; it’s up to the designer. All the major 3D model formats are supported so keen owners can create their own designs if desired. It’s a single head printer so only one colour of plastic polymer can be used at a time, though the material can be changed during a print run. If I’m wrong and you want one in your home, the New Matter’s MOD-t 3D printer will be available in the summer for less than $400.

Interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor.

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Lantronix Prints From Android and Chrome at CES

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Lantronix LogoThere are times when only hard copy will do but anyone who has tried to print from a tablet will know that it’s not always easy. The main ecosystems from Apple and Google have their own printer strategies with AirPrint and Cloud Print respectively but support is spotty at best. Several printer manufacturers have gone so far as to create their own printer app which really is a pretty poor state of affairs.

Into this gap steps Lantronix with their xPrintServer Cloud Print Edition, the first Google-certified Cloud Print server which lets Android and ChromeOS devices print wirelessly to network and USB printers. Sweet.

xPrintServer

The unit is about the size of a smartphone and requires no additional software downloads or printer drivers. It’s simply a case of connecting the device to the network and it automatically finds the printers on the network, making them available to users. The xPrintServer Cloud Print Edition supports any device running Google’s Chrome browser, whether it’s a smartphone, tablet, PC or laptop. Apparently there are over 310 million active users of Chrome, so that’s quite a few people who might want to print. Business users of Google Apps are supported too. Details of the printers supported are available from Lantronix’s website.

This new xPrintServer joins the existing Home and Office Editions which provide print services for iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad.

The Cloud Print Edition sells for an MSRP of US$149.95 and will ship at the end of February 2014. Pre-orders are being taken now and potential customers can sign up at lantronix.com for more information and availability. Of course, if you are at CES, you can pop round to their stand for a quick demo.

Staples Will Sell 3D Printers Soon

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Staples LogoStaples announced that it has become the first major retailer in the United States to sell 3D printers. Those of you who have become interested in getting your very own 3D printer won’t have to wait too much longer to purchase one from Staples.

Staples will begin offering a limited number of The Cube 3D Printer from 3D Systems by the end of June of this year. The Staples website has the price set at $1,299.99. It comes in five different colors: magenta, blue, green, silver, and white. The announcement includes the following details about the 3D printer:

The Cube 3D Printer, ready to use right out of the box, features Wi-Fi, is compatible with Mac or Windows, and comes with 25 free 3D templates designed by professional artists, with additional templates available online.

…The Cube 3D Printer can print items up to 5.5” x 5.5” x 5.5”, using material cartridges in 16 different colors including metallic silver, glow in the dark, and vibrant and neutral colors. Users can either print from a template or create a design using Cube’s own software, Cubify Invent, sold separately. Staples makes printing with the Cube easy, by offering all of the essential accessories, including recyclable ABS and compostable PLA plastic cartridge refills, replenishment Cube Sticks, which are used to stabilize the object being printed, and replacement Cube Print Pads.