Sep 28, 2014 | By Alec
The past year CTC Electronics, one of the largest manufacturers of 3D Printers in China, has been heavily investing in a factory for 3D printing technology. The factory has been built in Zhuhai, a coastal city near Hong Kong. The huge investment is expected to greatly improve the company's ability to produce affordable 3D printing technology.
The investment has been partly made possible by funds from the Zhuhai City Government Special Fund, which has allocated funds to a total of 15 companies in the region over 2014. Of these, CTC Electronics Co. is the only company to be working with 3D printing technology. The exact funds have not been disclosed.
The company's production capacity is set to greatly expand. When founded in 2010, CTC Electronics developed an initial production operation that produced about ten 3D printers per month. Now, this could expand up to 8000 printers, while their range of models and printing techniques are also set to grow. It has already built a dust-free room of some 400 square meters, designed for producing UV-curable printers.
Supposedly, a wide range of applications and specializations for 3D printing technology are being researched through a 15 million Yuan (close to 2.5 million dollars) investment.
The many investments have already resulted in one new product. A month ago, on the 22nd of August, CTC Electronics released their very first SLA UV 3D printer. Unlike the commonly-used FDM printers, SLA technology 'prints' through Stereolithography. This process relies on photosensitive resin, that is hardened using a UV laser. This technology is famous for its accuracy, which can supposedly be reached up to a size of 0.025 mm.
This particular SLA printer sports a very compact desktop design, and is intended for private consumers. It has a volume size of 30 x 28 x 45 cm and only weighs some 8 kg. Like most printers, it supports STL format printing projects, and can supposedly print objects up to a maximum size of 125 x 125 x 165 mm.
While we are purely speculating here, the released images suggest that this Zhuhai SLA 3D printer is heavily based on Formlab’s very successful Form1+ SLA printer. Formlabs has, however, informed us here at 3ders.org that this CTC version is nothing more than an unauthorized clone. However, also similar is the price with which it is marketed; where the Form1+ can be bought for about $3500, Zhuhai CTC Electronics will be marketing their SLA printer at 20,000 yuan (about $3300).
But perhaps their most unusual development scheme involves a 3D printer that extrudes food. Printing food has been a challenge across the 3D printing industry, but CTC Electronics hopes to be able to release this particular model in some nine months. 'This 3D printer is currently in the preliminary stage, and we are mainly aiming at the market of bakeries and western style restaurants. Then we will take the experiences and concepts of the chocolate printer to further explores an actual 3D food printer.'
Unsurprisingly, this wave of investment coincides with plans to expand into the overseas markets as well. CTC Electronics Co. Chairman Yang Yusheng said, 'at present, the company could achieve annual sales of 2000 units in overseas markets, while the domestic market only accounts 1-2 units per day.'
Furthermore, plans have been made to open exhibition halls in both Beijing and Shanghai, where potential customers can get acquainted with 3D printing technology. Alongside these halls, more domestic retailers will also be used to promote its 3D printing products.
However, while we are not applauding or encouraging blatant breaches of copyrights, this wave of investment could itself be great news for 3D printing enthusiasts in East Asia. Perhaps we we’ll see a lot of them in near future?
Images crediit: 163.com
Posted in 3D Printing Company
Maybe you also like:
- FABULONIA: 3D printing marketplaces with copyright solution
- Pick up books and a 3D copy of your design at Dalhousie Libraries
- Trinckle 3D printing service and marketplace beta launch
- First 3d Printing Store in Colorado
- China's first 3D Printing Experience Pavilion opened in Beijing
- Leaders of the 3D printing revolution - Shapeways (video)
- 3D scanning and 3D printing let the blind "see" their unborn child
- Inside Materialise's Headquarters
- First Dutch 3D printing shop just opened in Haarlem (video)
- The Early Life of Draft Print 3D
- UC Irvine's RapidTech offers low-cost 3D printing service for businesses
By the way, I also wrote emails to the company directly, and they ignored my problem as well. Don't waste your time and money with them.
Bin wrote at 3/11/2016 8:16:06 AM:
DO NOT BUY their products, especially not from "printchainstore" on Ebay". The printer was very bad, and the seller communicated with me (he asked me to try and fix the problem myself) until Ebay automatically closed the case and I couldn't leave a feedback or get a refund from Ebay anymore. After that, seller started to ignore me completely. There are numerous things not working correctly on the printer. Scam seller and very bad products.
fritz99 wrote at 11/7/2015 10:03:46 AM:
preform on payloadz is no more available. Can somebody post a new link for the software ?
Ali wrote at 7/4/2015 11:37:21 PM:
Preform 1.9.0 for CTC ---> Payloadz dot com
roger wrote at 7/4/2015 11:36:33 PM:
Preform 1.9.0 for CTC ---> Payloadz dot com
SHiRKa wrote at 7/4/2015 9:14:07 AM:
http://store.payloadz.com/details/2318860-software-design-preform-1-9-0-ctc-formlabs-zhuhai-3d-printer.html#
SHiRKa wrote at 7/4/2015 9:13:02 AM:
http://store.payloadz.com/details/2318860-software-design-preform-1-9-0-ctc-formlabs-zhuhai-3d-printer.html#
Nicko wrote at 6/11/2015 10:25:25 PM:
I bought a CTC SLA Printer few month ago from Alibaba It arrived like reconditionned, not clean. I opened it before use it, and some components near power coil from PSU was already slightly burned It works with Preform but not last version. Printer printed some parts... but low precision and tall parts failed. Finally I discovered that after a while, one galvo start reversing and no light coming under the tank It was due to bad voltage supply of Galvo drivers board +24/-19V instead of 24/24 So I added external +24/-24V Psu, and precision becomes fine. Btw, galvos drivers chips are LM3886, well know audio amplifier With G+ white resin small prints are pretty good, but large still fail. I need to try other resins like Madesolid ones. So about CTC Company, there is 3 problems : They can sell used printer without advert The don't use their own software They don't offer any kind of valuable support
Bob wrote at 1/28/2015 7:03:22 PM:
Reboots during printing, wires break. 240 hours in it and what do I do now. Is it the main board?
Tj bagginz wrote at 1/18/2015 6:00:06 AM:
Want a printer with ball screws any one ?
janos.toth@online.de wrote at 12/17/2014 11:11:29 AM:
Ich habe seit 08.2014 ein CTC 3D Printer. Jetzt suche ich verzweifelt Düsen für die Extruder. Düsenmasse: Ausgangsbohrung 0,4 mm Eingangsbohrung 3,00 mm Gesamtlänge 13mm Anschluss Gewinde M6, 5 mm lang In die Düsen wird ein Teflon Schlauch gesteckt, die düsen werde für Filament 1,75 mm Diameter eingesetzt. Kann man bei Ihnen Ersazteile, die Düsen auch bestellen ?? Wenn ja bitte Preis und Versandinformation. Mit beste Grüsse Janos Toth janos.toth@online.de I have been a CTC 08.2014 3D Printer. Now I am desperately looking for the extruder nozzle. Nozzle dimensions: 0.4 mm exit bore Entrance hole 3.00 mm Overall length 13mm Connecting thread M6, 5 mm long In the nozzle a Teflon tube is inserted, will nozzles used for filament diameter 1.75 mm. Can you at your spare parts Documentation, which also ordered jets ?? If so please price and shipping information. With best regards, Janos Toth janos.toth@online.de
3Dit.solutions wrote at 10/9/2014 5:42:23 PM:
DO NOT BUY A CTC PRINTER!!! CRAP EQUIPMENT! ink-top is a seller on ebay Hello???? Is any one going to do anything about all the problems I am having with the ctc printer I bought from you thru ebay??? I have been dealing with this for several months now since I bout the machine and am fed up- No help or phone calls to resolve the issues- very vague explanations to try and help first issues in first 2 emails--- and only the leveling of the extruder nozzles was successful. my machine it has a 1 year warranty according to your company description on ebay--- Do you have a parts diagram or Bill of Materials I can reference for Part numbers??? If so Please send one. Please send me replacement parts for: 1-Heated Printer Bed---It is warped on both sides can only get small 2-3 inch sq. parts to print correctly 2-Rear Spiral gear- The bar that moves the heated print bed up and down--It too is warped. 3-Right Stepper motor- This one is messed up-makes clicking sound , stop at times with out warning-and wont pull material thru on right extruder 4-Internal tubs (white tube you referenced) 5-and inner wheel that grabs the materiel and pulls it threw - it is totally stripped 6- (2) cooling fans- both are burn thru where wires are connected This company is ripping you off!! And stealing peoples hard earned money.... I have video to prove these items are damaged and pictures YOUR COMPANY IS A JOKE! Very disgraceful--- chevy123buyer
dave B Canada wrote at 10/7/2014 8:38:48 PM:
purchased this before christmas...first chance today to try it out setup went very well...no instructions with the unit may have been lost...not getting any product out the jets.. can you help is there something I should removed that was added during shipping
Kirk D wrote at 10/7/2014 2:56:33 AM:
I actually tried to buy one of these from " printchainstore " on eBay. They don't have them in stock even though they are listing them. They also will not refund my payment. Looks like CTC is having delays in manufacturing.
Neo wrote at 10/3/2014 6:00:01 AM:
As a Chinese, it is a shame to see these kind of company... 1 years ago when I was in the Shengzhen 3D Printing fair, there was a stupid guy asked me do I know whom he is, then proudly told me he is the CTC manager...
Ayush wrote at 9/29/2014 8:53:29 PM:
There's an error with the figure 20000 rmb is $3250 not 1600. I've been to auch Chinese factories, the product has a market and a consumption it's not for everyone though. They are not undercutting the market either this product is probably as good as form 1 and they acutely have done rnd to improve the product quality. I've been in this field for a few years now and I understand thier core technology
alidan wrote at 9/29/2014 6:16:37 PM:
im 100% ok with knock offs so long as they work and are cheap. if anything, they would give me a good foundation to mod on and make them better
tom wrote at 9/29/2014 11:32:16 AM:
As a Chinese, it is a shame to see these kind of products.
Steve P wrote at 9/29/2014 11:27:54 AM:
And it looks like they just glued the black part to the build platform for the first Form1 ripoff picture. No way that's a print on that machine.
Steve P wrote at 9/29/2014 11:25:50 AM:
Terrible...
Jr wrote at 9/29/2014 6:47:33 AM:
It is a shame that all their products are copy of other companies. The R&D investment is a joke right? Why need such amount of money for copy and paste?
PinkAsso wrote at 9/29/2014 3:49:57 AM:
China largest 3d printer knock off factory....
Jr wrote at 9/29/2014 3:15:53 AM:
It is a shame that all products are just copy from others such as Formlabs. I am wondering if they really need 2.5 million just for reverse engineering.
Egen wrote at 9/28/2014 8:30:33 PM:
Copies of copies.
Herman K - IP3D Indonesia wrote at 9/28/2014 11:45:36 AM:
This CTC company still owe me 26 outstanding spool pla filament be delivered. Yet they claim I was cheated by someone. How can i aas cheated if tge payment directly to ctc. Thia company is not recommendes to do business.
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.
