A new affordable resin 3D printer just launched on Kickstarter last week and while the crowdfunding campaign might be a little rough around the edges, the printer seems to have a decent set of specs.
The Portobello 3D Printer from a new startup called Orchis Print Solutions has flipped the script on low cost DLP, literally. Rather than filling a working vat with resin and suspending the build platform over it upside down, the Portobello stores your resin in a large reservoir and simply lowers the build platform into it, 3D printing right-side up. According to Orchis this means that there is no wasted resin as it can simply be stored in the reservoir until you print again.
Any resin on the market should work with Portobello provided you can add Orchis’ special red dye to it. This, according to the developers, actually increases the resolution because it absorbs more light and causes the photo initiator in the resin to solidify faster with higher detail. While you can print without the dye, it may reduce the print resolution.
The red dye can be mixed with an opaque white or with a clear resin to create a different effect. The finished models will be able to hold paint, so if you aren’t happy with the colour red you can simply paint it whatever colour that you want. Additionally Orchis is testing a blue dye, so it is likely that more colours of resin may soon be an option.
Resolution on the X and Y axis is about 60 microns, and the Z axis can be configured to print from 25 microns up to 100 microns. Orchis suggests that you leave the Z axis in the middle at about 60 microns for the best results.The print size is 4.5inch x 2.5inch x 3.7inch (115mm x 64mm x 95mm) and depending on your layer thickness setting, the printing speed can go as quickly as 50mm per hour.
Here ‘s the Kickstarter video for the project:
The Kickstarter price for early backers is a little over $4000, however that includes the 3D printer, the HD projector, the red dye and 3 liters of MakerJuice resin. The production price for the same bundle will be about $4600, so early adopters will be saving a fair bit of money.
The Kickstarter video was, frankly, pretty poorly put together. How hard would it have been to just record yourself reading the specs and edit it over video of the printer working? The price is another factor that seems to give me pause. The shown models are certainly quite impressive in both resolution and detail, but you can buy a Form 1+ for almost a $1000 less and get a larger build platform with virtually the same resolutions.
Although an HD projector is certainly going to be a pricey part of the package, and the machine looks to be built with some extremely sturdy aluminum parts with a thick plexiglass case. So this may be a little more of an initial investment, it would most likely take a little more abuse than the Form 1+. Depending on the work environment, it may be worth the added cost in the long run.
