May 29, 2016 | By Benedict
INPRO FIRST has unveiled its first open-source DLP 3D printer, the INCUBE3D Start. The printer, which has a build volume of 140mm x 80mm x 170mm, is available both as a kit (€899 - €1,499) and a finished unit (€1,899, starting August).
Slowly but surely, resin-based 3D printers are becoming more affordable for the average consumer. For many makers, beloved desktop SLA machines such as the Formlabs Form 2 ($3,499) remain just out of financial reach, but there are now a handful of companies providing reasonably priced resin printing alternatives—perfect for those who want to try something a little sleeker than FDM, without spending too much USD. One of those companies is German startup INPRO FIRST, which has just launched its first open-source DLP 3D printer, the INCUBE3D Start.
For INPRO, the philosophy behind the INCUBE3D Start is simple: flexibility, simplicity, and extensibility. The 3D printer has been designed for maximum usability, regardless of project or skill level, and will be upgraded frequently at no extra cost to the customer. Each tweak or modification will be sent out as a KIT or CAD package, so that for €899, users will always have a “new” DLP 3D printer on their desktop.
Like many 3D printers of its kind, the INCUBE3D Start utilizes a standard off-the-shelf 1920 x 1080p DLP projector to beam images onto a pool of methacrylate photopolymer resin where the 3D printed object is formed. The company’s own FlexVat technology is used to manipulate the resin bath, while the projector sits upon a movable carriage so it can be easily and accurately positioned. Additionally, and in true RepRap style, the plastic components of the printer have been 3D printed using an FDM printer.
Although the 3D printer promises flexibility across a number of applications, one demonstrably suitable use for the machine is scale models. Thingiverse user Arian Croft, who goes by the handle “dutchmogul”, has already had a chance to test the INCUBE 3D printer on these 3D printed miniature figurines, which were “as easy to paint as a Games Workshop or Reaper model.” Although some model-makers remain skeptical of 3D printed models, highly detailed resin prints surely present the best arguments in favor of the growing technology.
INCUBE3D Start technical specs:
- X/Y resolution: 50-100 microns
- Z resolution: 50-200 microns
- Build volume (WxDxH): 140mm x 80mm x 170mm
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 380mm x 835mm x 255mm
- Weight: 9.5kg
What’s in the box:
- INCUBE3D main components
- Electronic components
- Basin
- Build platform
- 500ml resin
- ACER H6510BD Beamer (optional)
The INCUBE3D Start is currently available as a kit for either €899 (no projector) or €1,499 (with projector). INPRO has stated that a readymade version will become available in August, at a price of €1,899. The kit is described by the company as “suitable for ambitious tinkerers who want to experience the assembly” of the the 3D printer, while the readymade machine is purportedly “ideal for anyone who wants to hit the ground running.” Delivery time is 2-3 weeks.
Posted in 3D Printer
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Looks very similar to Muve3D's DLP printer.
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