May 15, 2015 | By Simon
Despite the many advancements we’ve seen with 3D printers - including the addition of colors, increased print resolution and quicker production times - one attribute of 3D printing that has changed very little for consumer 3d printers is the print size.
While it makes sense for many to want to be able to have a compact desktop fabrication machine that takes up as little space as possible, the decreased size is not without its consequences and many are left having to 3D print a variety of projects in multiple pieces that end up having to be assembled into a much larger object - a process that is more often than not avoided rather than encouraged.
Among others who have been focusing on creating a large-scale 3D printer to use for the fabrication of large 3d printed objects is Brook Drumm, the founder and CEO of Northern California-based Printrbot. Drumm, an American Maker who started Printrbot out of his garage, launched the brand with a successful Kickstarter campaign back in 2011. Since, he has built Printrbot into a brand known for simple and low-cost 3D printer options for entry-level consumers.
The latest Printrbot offering comes in the form of the Printrbot Pro - a $4,999 3D printer that features a build volume of approximately two cubic feet. While the new 3D printer is aimed at those who want a very large build volume but don’t want to pay the big bucks for similar offerings, it is still the most expensive 3D printer that Drumm and Printrbot have built to date.
“I have wrestled with this monster for over a year,” said Drumm on his Google Plus page.
“ I built 5 prototypes from scratch and hated them all. The last one was too ambitious with servos and ballscrews... That last one printed beautifully after, oh, SO much work, but I tore it down the next day and went back to the drawing board... Hacking together a totally new design in a couple days from spare parts lying around-- #6. That served as the model for this fine specimen - #7.”
The final iteration of the Printrbot Pro will certainly please many fans of the company who have been in the market for a larger 3D printer but might not be willing to fork over the thousands of dollars necessary to purchase one of the existing large-scale 3D printers on the market - such as the MakerBot Z18.
According to Drumm, the specifications of the new Printrbot Pro include:
- A build volume of approximately 2 cubic feet
- A heated print bed
- A dual extruder (all metal Ubis hotends, v2 Alu extruder, Alu gear head extruder in the works)
- Multi-material print capabilities
- An optional enclosed build chamber
- LCD panel
- SD card slot
- Dedicated heatbed controls
- LED lights
While it might not garner as much attention as his Kickstarter campaign did back in 2011, the latest 3D printer offering is surely a step in the right direction for Drumm and Printrbot - once he returns from the Bay Area Maker Faire of course:
“We will sell this bot a bit differently... Doing a waiting list and making them one at a time,” adds Drumm.
“I may actually interview the potential buyers to be sure of a good fit. We hope to keep a slow steady pace with this one since the market is presumably small. I have a handful of clients already lining up... Really interesting to hear what people plan to do with them … The shop is a buzz about what we all want to print on this thing. The next one we build is for me!”
Posted in 3D Printers
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