http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/ Engadget Comments for Desktop Factory's cheapo 3D printer is coming http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 1:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/
Bradley:

Thank you for your inquiry and interest in Desktop Factory. We are still a little ways from launch – we plan for first quarter of 2008. International launch will be 8 - 10 months later

We are putting together a spec sheet over the next few weeks so until that is ready I will just give you a few particulars. In terms of sending you a part – we are in the process of extensive integration testing and we log and retain every part built for our records. It will be a few more months before we can fulfill our very long list of parts requests.

The Desktop Factory 125 ci will be $4995.00 US – there will be few, if any additional expense items besides consumables.

The form factor you see on the web site is the actual look/feel.

The build envelope is 125 cubic inches at 5X5X5, you may build multiple parts in the envelope.

The layers are 10 mils, and finest detail would be 40 - measured as 0.01 and 0.04 inches respectively.

The build speed is 1 cubic inch in 1 – 3 hours.

The material is a nylon composite and will be the only material that can be used – our target price will be $1.00 per ci. We are still playing with package sizes.

The final part is quite robust, we have dropped many without breakage; various tests will be run prior to formal launch.

The software we support is almost any CAD 3D Solid Object Modeling package as long as it outputs an STL file. This includes SolidWorks, Catia, AutoDesk, Rhino, Alibre, etc. etc. We provide the software that accepts the STL file, rotates it and sizes it with final preparation for printing. The file can be submitted thru email, downloaded from the web and/or sent via FTP. The system this software will need to reside on is a Windows PC.

We will have a 90 day warranty and annual service contract – the cost should be industry standard at about 15% of purchase price.

The product will become commercially available late this year / early 2008. Shipments outside the US are planned for late 2008. If you would like to continue to receive information – please sign up for our Desktop Factory newsletter!

Regards,

Desktop Factory, Inc.]]>Oct 25th 2007 6:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 1:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 1:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 1:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 4:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 2:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 1:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/
but yes, the basic idea is the same, only on a very different scale...]]>Sep 14th 2007 3:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 1:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/that can be sanded and painted when desired."]]>Sep 14th 2007 1:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 1:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 3:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 1:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Most 3D Printers have high material cost, as you can only get if from the vendor.
]]>Sep 14th 2007 2:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 2:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/
Lowest priced material on the market
The cost of the build material is expected to be about $1 per cubic inch.
]]>Sep 14th 2007 2:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/]]>Sep 14th 2007 2:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/
Remember just a few years ago when we were paying $5000 just for color laser printing?

Now that much money buys you a replicator.

Wow.
]]>Sep 14th 2007 5:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 3:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.fabathome.org]]>Sep 14th 2007 2:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/]]>Sep 14th 2007 2:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/
if fab@home cost like $300 and worked much better than sure.... but not right now.]]>Sep 14th 2007 2:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.reprap.org/bin/view/Main/WebHome
£300.]]>Sep 14th 2007 4:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 2:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 2:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 3:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 3:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 4:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 7:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/OK for 5k maybe. They say .01 build layers and every RP machine I’ve seen lies about this so it is probably double that.
The part surface quality seems poor.
There are better machines for under 20k today.
There are way better machines for 100k-200k. both type of machines have bigger build envelops too.

They have a Xerox and a 3D systems guy on board so that’s good.
I guess you have to start somewhere.
]]>Sep 14th 2007 3:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/]]>Sep 14th 2007 3:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 4:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Also the resulting surface is important for coating /plating and accuracy/desired output of the part.
In general I would say they are competing against $20k machines and the cost of buying parts made on %60k-$250k machines. maybe $300-$1500 per part.
Jewelry or toy's would probably be the market for now as they don't need very tight tolerances.
At some point price is not the problem it's the quality of the parts. For instance, some other methods can be used for making tooling. I doubt this is acceptable for that.
They show a rubber duck as an example which is fine for conceptual work but they imply you will be printing these at home for use as a toy. As I'm sure the part is rock hard it unlikely to be very child friendly.]]>Sep 14th 2007 5:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 3:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 7:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 10:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/
=:o}
]]>Sep 18th 2007 3:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 3:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 5:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 5:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 5:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 14th 2007 8:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/
before the prices come down i doubt people will be using this thing to make everyday objects. i know my friend would love making warhammer (ummmm...figurines?) out of it, despite my disapproval (and his wife's) of him spending so much money and time on a silly tabletop game, lol.]]>Sep 15th 2007 3:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Actually, duke, it would not cost $40 for the coffee cup because even though your coffee cup is bounded by a 3in x 3in x 4in box it is not a solid 3in x 3in x 4in box so less than (MUCH less than) 36 cubic inches of material would be used in its manufacture.]]>Sep 22nd 2007 6:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 22nd 2007 7:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Sep 15th 2007 4:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/14/desktop-factorys-cheapo-3d-printer-is-coming/Those rubber ducks look truly marginal -- one writer is right, its the Apple II of a new medium....
so keep your expectations in check.
This has been going on for a while in the vinyl toys world, with much cleaner results.

I got an estimate from a RP outfit today of $USD 1550 for a 8x8x8 "part", though it is just a model.
Thats waay high for my interests, but "its jus' fine" because the resolution IS there!!!!
]]>Oct 16th 2007 11:18AM