Recently, Carbon3D unveiled a new process for 3-D printing wowed observers by using Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP) technology to print print objects up to 100 times faster than the hours-long traditional 3-D printers available now.
Now another company called Gizmo 3D is showing off technology that uses a top-down process which is potentially even faster.
According to 3DPrint.com, the Gizmo 3D printer uses Direct Light Processing technology to create solid objects out of liquid resin, similar to Carbon3D. The main difference is that Gizmo 3D works from the top down to eliminate the suction problems.
Another reason Gizmo 3D stands out is that, instead of using the quick flash method of printing, it uses animation-like printing with no breaks between frames. The company’s founder, Kobus du Toit, calls it “continuous printing.”
du Toit claims that the Gizmo 3D is capable of printing a 150mm x 80mm x 26mm object with a 50 micron z-axis resolution in less than six minutes.
Gizmo 3D is planning to go to the public for crowd funding in September via Kickstarter. The goal is to offer three different sized printers, each with different printing capabilities for somewhere between $2,500 and $8,500.
The speed of a 3-D printer could be one factor that keeps the technology from being widely used by the general public. This type of technology will surely alleviate that obstacle. However, price is another factor.
At $2,500 minimum for the bottom-of-the-line version, we are still looking at a niche gadget that will mainly appeal to the well-off DIY fanatics.
Folks looking for cheaper (but slower) solutions might be better off with a $450 XYZprinting Da Vinci or a Printerbot model with prices starting as low as $349.
I think they might be well advised to show some results in something other than a glistening gooey looking orange candy material.
What’s up with the Peachy Printer? It was supposed to be a ~$100 laser-on-liquid-raisin printer.
https://www.peachyprinter.com/
When you mention the speed and cost of the printers as being factors keeping the technology from being widely used, you are thinking about the wrong business model. I believe Home Depot will soon begin offering 3D printing to it’s customer of non stock items. A company can afford the over head costs and ordering before pickup alleviates the instant gratification delay.
It’s called machine time and it costs money for whoever owns the printer. If you can buy 1 printer to serve where 4 or 6 or 8 were necessary with the older tech, that’s a pretty big win.