This stylish new multi material 3D printer promises to deliver better performance with a Pellet Additive Manufacturing system. Meet Pam, see what you think and prepare to be a little shocked by the price.
Made by Pollen, this printer is aimed at the professional user looking to create bespoke products, such as designers and even surfboard manufacturers according to the promotional video. Not only does it come with the pellet system that is supported by the likes of colorFabb, it also offers multi material printing. So you can raise your game and combine four different materials, or colors if that’s your thing, in a single product.
Pam can use silicone, composites or filled materials and should also be able to cope with certain metals, as it can heat up to 660 degrees Farenheit. It can produce transparent materials, too and can combine the different base elements to create a gradient material with different properties. This could seal the deal on its own as the chance to truly experiment with material gradients is the stuff of dreams for some designers.
Not for the average hobbyist
Pam, then, is aimed well beyond the average hobbyist and is really for the top end home maker or businesses that need a perfect finish on their limited runs of products or prototypes. It is the end result of five years of solid research and development by the French firm and the prospect of multi material printing in such an elegant package could be all it takes to make this one a winner.
There’s no doubting, too, it’s one of the prettiest delta-style printers we’ve seen in a long time. We can’t help thinking this will form a large part of its appeal and this is really is the epitome of art meeting design.
A steampunk art installation, as well as a printer
This is a printer that a workshop could have on constant display. It’s an art installation as much as a 3D printer and the trick combination of wood and high tech gives the whole thing a Steampunk feel that we think will go down well with the buyers. The pellet pods even come with little brass and leather-look bucket handles and the attention to detail throughout looks near perfect.
There are other neat touches. It comes with WiFi, so you don’t even need to hook it up to a computer and you can control the printer with any web browser. That means remote printing is a snap and the printer comes with its own proprietary software system: Honeyprint. A quick-start guide should mean that you can get up to speed in a hurry, too, even with the added complexity of multi material printing.
Pollen didn’t forget the basics
Of course it covers the basics well and prints with a resolution of 40 μm. At maximum attack the printer can manage speeds of 400mm/s and the print bed that allows for 30x30cm prints, it outperforms a good number of desktop printers despite its additional features.
There’s always a catch, of course, and here it’s the price. The early bird price is €8000 ($8900)and the company has targeted a retail price of €16,000 ($17,800) when it goes on general release next year. That’s a serious amount of money and it pretty much puts the Pam into the Ferrari bracket of desktop printers, but it does look like it packs some serious performance.
It’s a beautiful thing and like you, we looking forward to a closer look at the Pollen Pam and taking her for a test drive.
