Since we first wrote about the Glacier Summit 3D printer from inDimension3 last October, the company has completely rebranded itself. With new management and a new website, inDimension3, or ID3, has launched a new printer line to, it appears, replace the old one.
The iDeator 12 is a sleek new machine that is a bit more appealing to the eye then the Glacier series, but still maintains a large build area, reflective of the Glacier line. The new iDeator 12 is named for its 12” x 12” x 12” print volume. ID3 also boasts that the new machine can print at speeds of up to 300mm/s, one of the fastest on the market. With a heated build plate and dual all-metal extruders capable of reaching up to 450°C, the iDeator 12 can tackle large tasks in a wide array of materials, including ABS, PLA, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polystyrene, nylon and HIPS. For such a large print volume and dual extruders, $3,945 is a decent price.
The company still maintains the Glacier Summit on its site, so it’s still possible to purchase the 16” x 16” x 18” Glacier Summit machine, but the site also hints that there are more iDeators in the works, a 16 and a 24. My thinking is that they may be repackaging their older machines with sleek new boxes to fit the company’s new website and image after the founders of inDimension3, Jeff Christiana and Detlef Schlieper, sold the company to “an investment company specializing in helping startups grow into larger, well-managed businesses.”
Now, the site features happy ID3 clients demonstrating items they’ve made with their large-scale 3D printers, while the new management gets completely situated. The company’s new CEO, John Springrose, explains the direction for the company, “The new site is designed to present a comprehensive solutions platform — high-performance printers, state-of-the-art materials, innovative software and high-quality post-processing tools and services.” Nice, new look or not, the most important thing for any 3D printer manufacturer is a quality product. A fast machine with a large build volume, I hope that the iDeator series can truly deliver on its promises.
