Oct 10, 2016 | By Alec
It’s an urge all owners of desktop 3D printers have to deal with sooner or later. While FDM 3D printing technology can obviously achieve a lot, its 3D printing resolution pales in comparison to that of DLP and SLA 3D printers. Fortunately for our wallets, it’s a comparison that never leads to anything because those models are usually far out of the price range of home users. But that might not be the case any longer. Chinese startup MakeX, who created a lot of buzz back in 2014 with their competitively priced M-One 3D printer, are now back with the ultra-high precision M-Jewelry DLP 3D printer, which starts at just $1,999 USD and reaches resolution levels good enough for dental and jewelry applications.
It’s a 3D printer that also builds on a lot of experience, as startup MakeX (from Ningbo, China) previously dealt with all aspects of 3D printer manufacturing with the M-One. Back in 2014, they were able to gather a massive $180,000 USD in Kickstarter pledges for that 3D printer. The M-Jewelry builds on that experience, and is also a compact, sleek quiet and efficient 3D printer that stands out due to its very appealing price tag. It has also been under development since 2014, and every new lesson from their MakeX’s Kickstarter challenge was incorporated into this new machine.
But while the M-One was a one-model-fits-all type 3D printer with a decent resolution aimed at home users looking for some extra precision, MakeX is now targeting two very specific markets: jewelry developers and the dentistry industry. Their main weapon, unsurprisingly, is a resolution level that makes the M-One (and several other resin-based 3D printers) look like FDM quality in comparison. While the M-One featured a respectable 20-140 micron resolution, the M-Jewelry comes in two models that boast a 1-32 and 1-50 micron resolutions, respectively.
That resolution level is supported by a very conscious choice for DLP, rather than laser-based, systems. “The main advantage of DLP technology over laser is that each pixel can reach its accurate value,” MakeX’s Lynn Xu revealed. At the same time, their V-LED DLP system supports more than 20,000 hours of guaranteed 3D printing.
This huge resolution improvement should, the Chinese developers say, perfectly align the 3D printer with the demands of jewelry and dentistry. These are markets looking for the best possible quality results, and that already led to the very conscious decision to introduce two models with different precision levels. “In the case of jewelry, the MakeX team focused on the lost wax process in order to meet the high demands of the finished product for jewelry users. M-Jewelry 3D prints high-precision jewelry models with high-quality lost wax resin, saving a lot of man hours and costs when compared to traditional jewelry wax casting production. At the same time, it brings digital modeling opportunities to maverick jewelry,” they add.
But at the same time, the Chinese developers seem to have brought all of those other desired features to the table as well. That means Wi-Fi control, a 3.5 in touchscreen, a fantastic, clean look and an accessible software platform that ensures efficient production and model optimization. What’s more, the M-Jewelry 3D printer features an automatic leveling system and options for controlling extensive print ques. “The hardware guarantees an almost 100 percent success rate”, they say. The 3D printer’s compact 270x250x380mm footprint also makes it fit on any desktop, while its 64x40x140mm build volume isn’t bad at all.
Yet the 3D printer’s price tag will doubtlessly become its most appealing feature, as the M-Jewelry is easily several hundred dollars (or even more) cheaper than competing models with similar capabilities. The super early bird on Kickstarter will be set at just $1,999 USD, with the campaign starting on Oct 17th. The M-Jewelry DLP 3D printer is expected to ship to Kickstarter backers in March/April, 2017.
Posted in 3D Printer
Maybe you also like:
- Review: Layer One Atom 2.0 Delta 3D printer with swappable laser engraver is worth checking out
- Robo C2 and Robo R2 Smart 3D Printers launch on Kickstarter
- MakerBot gets an upgrade: New Replicator+ 3D printer promises bigger and faster 3D prints
- Zhuhai CTC Electronic launches Walnut 18 SLM metal 3D printer and Riverbase 500 industrial SLA 3D printer
- Create Orthotics and Prosthetics launches first ever all-in-one medical-grade 3D printer for prosthetics
- Lightning 3D double-exposure UV DLP 3D printer on Kickstarter for $1,900
- 12 high-end 3D printers shaping the future of additive manufacturing
- Pennsylvania startup Pingo3D to launch $399 Pingo desktop 3D printer via Kickstarter
- Researchers hack a 3D printer with a smartphone
- Minimalist and high resolution Cetus3D printer hits Kickstarter, starting at an incredible $199
Dear Sir/Madam Good day! I have an inquiry for 3D printer but after-sales service is greatly momentous for me, therefore please inform me if you have any agent in Iran. Likewise intent to the fact that we own a jewelry factory and have been worked in this field for more than 40 years, thus, we are willing to afford your agentship in Iran. I would appreciate your offer about above mentioned conditions. Thank you in advance for your kind attention and sincere cooperation. Best Regards Shohreh Rahimi Contact No. +989126838005 Email: shohreh.rahimi58@gmail.com
Shandor wrote at 11/11/2016 3:52:53 PM:
this is really a game changer, especially when you consider it'll surely make jewelry waxes in batches of a dozen or fifty at a time on the platform, right? And if supports could be made with a water soluble material, the waxes would release cleanly. I want one to free my inner Jeweler!
3Ders.org provides the latest news about 3D printing technology and 3D printers. We are now seven years old and have around 1.5 million unique visitors per month.
