Thursday October the second will see the crowdfunding launch of a highly customisable multi-functional 3D printer on Kickstarter that will offer a broad range of tools and extrude a broad range of materials in one unit for a comparatively low price. Mexico based Makermex are to release their MM1 Modular 3D Printing System with a competition that will result in one lucky winner owning the multifunctional printer before anyone else.
For many of us, shopping around for the best deals for the majority of products we look to purchase, we usually seek to strike a balance between quality and cost effectiveness. In terms of a machine such as a 3D printer, breadth of functionality may be a measure of cost effectiveness for many potential customers. Functionality in a 3D printer is often measured by factors such as its output print volume, print resolution and speed. There are a growing number of 3D printing machines that print in a variety of materials by using paste extruders and other more exotic print heads, and others offering a variety of inter-changable tools, enhancing cost effectiveness.
The interchangeable extrusion heads are complemented by additional accessories that allow a range of upgrades to be added to the machine in a modular way, offering the opportunity to update technologies as advances are made. The modular system already includes a range of purchasable add-ons including Wi-Fi connectivity, an auto-leveling bed for increased ease of use, and what Makemex have listed as ‘acrylic enclosed walls,’ which sound like they are aesthetic enhancements rather than a sealed heat enclosure, which is still under patent by Stratasys.
Sam Weatherly, Owner of MakerMex expanded: “We’re modeling this printer after the Automotive Industry, or even like IKEA, in the sense that we’re providing a unique, customizable experience for those interested in 3D printing. Because it prints with multiple extrusion options in many different materials, the MM1 really is the perfect printer for just about anyone. You can print with chocolate one minute and PLA plastic the next – the possibilities are inspiring.”
The MM1 comes with an extrusion system for printing a range of now fairly standard materials such as ABS, standard PLA, and flexible PLA, wood-based filament and so forth. Further specifications include:
- A dual extrusion system for bicolor and support material
- Multiple interchangeable extruders to fit any 3D printing need
- Print with variety of materials: clay, resin, chocolate and more
- Print Area: 20 x 20 x 20 cm
- Overall Printer Size: 49 x 37.5 x 49 cm
- Fast Print Speed: 300 mm/s
- Resolution: 30 micron (.03 mm layer height)
The Makermex website itself is well worth a visit with it’s range of features from a web based CAD tool to filament sales. If you back the project at its Kickstarter debut next month this multifunctional machine can be pre-ordered for USD$999. You can sign up for the competition to win your own MM1 3D printer here.
The Zmorph3D offering can do most of that already, saw it at the London 3D print show. Usual print head, had a dremel head for carving out wood, had a chocolate/cake head and they were working on a 3D scanner head too. Good to see another multifunctional printer though! Might be interesting to have a straight comparison of the 2?
It is way more expensive though and looks kind of crappy, the Zmorph that is.
Without getting too deep into the Zmorph, it is a good bit more expensive to what these guys are advertising, and when I saw it first at the show I thought it was a rep-rap, but I liked the different heads and liked the see through body that allowed you to see exactly what was going on in there. Maybe the competition from MakerMex & Tribot will push their price down too.
Just looking at kickstarter and see a ‘Tribot’ which does printing, milling and molding. Sounds like an article on multifunctional printers could be done!
The Zmorph3D offering can do most of that already, saw it at the London 3D print show. Usual print head, had a dremel head for carving out wood
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