Feb.7, 2015 | By Simon

Although 3D printing has been around for some time now, the option to print in full-color has been rather limited - or at least quite a bit more costly than single-color 3D printing options.  Companies such as botObjects (who have since been acquired by 3D Systems) created a whirlwind of attention a couple of years ago when they announced that their ProDesk3D desktop 3D printer would be able to print in full-color.  Sadly, the company was unable to deliver the printer to to those who believed in it enough to pre-order and while they have promised to make good with those early adopters, many were left flustered in the company’s wake. Other companies, such as Wisconsin-based startup Spectrom is also looking to lead the color revolution by introducing affordable, desktop full-color 3D printing.

More recently, Israel-based something3D has announced that they are offering a new full-color 3D printer option for those in need of a full-color Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing experience.

Something3D’s Chameleon 3D printer prints objects by combining Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black and White (CMYBWTM) filaments into any number of color combinations depending on a users’ color needs.

While other multi-color 3D printers we’ve seen in the past required multiple extruders to create full-color effects, the Chameleon is able to mix the filaments and keep the entire system contained with the use of a single extruder (patant pending) that can print at resolutions of .5mm per color change.  

3D model credit: Virtox

The Chameleon measures in at 520 x 520 x  600 mm and weighs a total of 20 Kg while the maximum printing size is 300 x 300 x 340 mm. According to something3D, the Chameleon is capable of printing in both ABS and PLA 1.75mm filament materials at a rate of 70-100 millimeters per second.  

Despite the excitement of being able to print in color however, the cost is likely to deter some would-be buyers.  At $7,350/€6,410, one could buy multiple MakerBot 3D printers or even one of Autodesk’s new Ember 3D printers which features amazing resolution for the price.  Unless you plan on using your final 3D prints as a finished product, having a higher resolution 3D print product is usually more important than having it be in color.  

Specifications:

  • Technology: Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)
  • Build envelope: 300 x 300 x 340 mm
  • Heated bed
  • Nozzle diameter: 0.4mm
  • Resolution: 50 micron layer thickness
  • Printing Material: 1.75 mm ABS, PLA
  • Printing Speed: 70-100 mm/s
  • Software: Cura, ColorIT
  • Supported File Types: OBJ, AMF
  • Connectivity: USB 2.0/3.0 to Mac/PC and SD Card Slot
  • Dimensions: W 520 x H 520 x D 600 mm
  • Weight: ± 20 Kg
  • Warranty: Year (with optional 2nd year upgrade for NIS 1499 + VAT)

Currently, the Chameleon is being shipped to customers within Israel however they plan to expand their shipments to other countries within the next few months.


Posted in 3D Printers

 

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DevWolf (Senior RepRap engineer) wrote at 1/12/2016 3:45:55 PM:

So basically it sucks at resolution, which means it has crap steppers and drivers, but since it does color (and not very well, mind you) that somehow justifies it to be more expensive than a new MakerBot..... Thats kind of a joke. They even made fancy marketing like "Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)" Which doesnt exist.... Its called FDM, or fused deposition modeling. Theres also SLS (selective laser sintering) and STL (stereolithography) printers, but there are only 3 types. Another company tried this in the past and sank, because they try to con users who dont know better. Be careful with this heap of crap. Its priced at a point that only a fool would buy it to begin with, then youll find that it cant print low resolution to save its life, and the prints themselves, even at high res, look like crap. It says it can do 50 micron, but as the senior RepRap engineer at TechNation, i can tell you first hand that it cant... It struggles to get below 0.15mm and even at 0.2, the prints are rough, and inaccurate on detail. It also uses non-standard parts, which means when you want to upgrade it, well.... you really cant unless they release parts, and since you already willingly paid 6-7 grand for their shitty color printer, guess how much its gonna cost you?........ And you cant use them in your next bot, which you will most certainly get after a year with this deceitful eye sore. It also uses its own flavor of Gcode, and if you know anything about printing, you know thats a big problem. It severely cripples a printer from the slicers that run it, which use established codes. And yes, some are better than others, like Marlin over Sailfish. This thing has neither.... Build dimensions are mid ranged and decent, but thats perhaps the ONLY plus to this model. Buyer beware. They will also try to get you ot pay to upgrade it after a year... Think about that for a minute and compare the other choices..... This is not your every day friendly printer, its a cash grab run by a greedy and deceitful company, which seemingly doesnt care about quality or PR as long as they make profit. Again BUYER BEWARE.



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