Sep 17, 2015 | By Kira
Last month we wrote about the LumiPocket LT, an all-in-one resin-based 3D printer, laser engraver and PCB etching machine. Their campaign surpassed its €39,000 fundraising goal after just two weeks, and with 20 days to go, is well on its way to hitting the €50,000 mark and beyond. To reward their supporters, the Italian engineering team has introduced several new features and upgrades, proving that when it comes to intelligent design, an engineer’s job is never truly finished.
While we have seen multi-functional 3D printers in the past, what impressed us about the Italian-designed LumiPocket is its use of SLA 3D printing rather than FDM, and its unique Selective Compliance Articulared Robot Arm (SCARA), which allows it to extend into confined areas and cover the entire printing area with good quality and speed. But just what exactly can you do with a resin 3D printer, laser engraver, and etching machine? Lumi Industries has got you covered. They recently published a project on both Thingiverse and Instructables that highlights how to use each of the different functions of the LumiPocket LT in a single concept. The project in question is a Japanese-style lamp with an LED that simulates a flickering candle. The body was 3D printed, the lampshades were laser etched from a vector image, and the controlling PCB was UV laser etched—all with just one machine.
The final result
The Lumi team has promised that they have several more of these creative and useful product designs on hand, and if their first stretch goal of €50,000 is reached, each backer will receive an eBook with a series of 10 projects to complete. An eBook of 20 designs has been promised if they reach €75,000. For the stretch goal of €100,000, the LumiPocket LT will feature interchangeable heads. A set of three heads is already in prototyping stage: a milling head, a probe/scanner for surface geometry acquisition, and an open-source head that can be customized by users. Finally, if the incredible sum of €120,000 is raised, the machine will come with an integrated WIFI module.
In addition to these impressive stretch goal rewards, the company has announced two other updates. First, the LumiPocket Pro, a professional version with FullHD projector, has received a major software update and larger tray, both of which will be available by the end of the year. It is also expected to be available through Italian (and hopefully other European) distributors soon. Second, the company has launched a new line of resins that will be available in tranlsucent and fuscia.
As of this writing, the project is at €46, 179 and, having made it to the Kickstarter Staff Picks page, is likely to continue garnering attention from interested makers. It’s not very often that such an innovative and useful design comes along, and what makes it even better is that rather than sit back and watch the money pour in, the designers have taken it upon themselves to consistently continue improving their offer in order to give their generous supports the best possible product. When it comes to the maker community, particularly open source projects, there is almost always something that can be improved or tinkered with depending on users’ individual needs. We’re happy to see the LumiPocket LT respond to those needs in creative and useful ways.
Posted in 3D Printers
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