Earlier this month we reported how global supermarket chain Aldi was selling 3D printers online. Now iMakr has announced they will open a Christmas 3D printing store at “Europe’s largest urban shopping and leisure destination”, London’s Westfield Stratford City.
The world’s most affordable 3D printer
Last year, the London shopping mall received approximately 47 million and from 1st December, iMakr is hoping some of this group will be interested in their STARTT 3D printer. At £99, the STARTT 3D printer is one-third of the price of the Aldi machine that retails for £299.
Another difference is that you will be able to purchase the STARTT 3D printer in-store, rather than online. Visitors to the London mall can also see the progress of a 3D printed advent calendar, with daily 3D prints produced from some of the 6,000 MyMiniFactory designers.
Click and Print
MyMiniFactory is also behind the “Click and Print” feature that is now optimized for the STARTT. Arguably, desktop or home 3D printing has not become the soaring success forecast by some because of the relative user-unfriendliness of learning multiple software tools.
Click and Print is intended to overcome this by cutting out the slicing step. STARTT users can select the object with “click and print preview” on MyMiniFactory and the object will automatically sliced and a G-Code generated, ready to copy to an SD card.
3D scanning will be represented by the debut of Mini-You’s new egg-shaped scanning booth. Visitors can have a full body 3D scan taken and have 3D printed selfies made. 3D printed festive chocolates will be available to taste and take home. Visitors looking for a personalised chocolate gift can also request a 3D print.
The Christmas themed pop-up will form part of a Santa’s Grotto, put together by Wisher – who want both adults and kids to be inspired, “to make a wish list of the coolest things this Christmas through immersive experiences and demo’s.” Such experiences include a “magical, multi sensory wishing forest” and a glitter bath.
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