AN affordable 3D printer has become a hit on crowd-funding site Kickstarter, having raised over US$375,000 with more than a week until the campaign ends.
The RoBo 3D Printer is touted as a low cost and open source printer, and is available as an unassembled kit starting from US$475 and an assembled unit starting from US$520.
According to the developers, the printer is “plug-and-play”, and has a build platform of 25.4 cm x 25.4 cm x 20.32 cm.
Printing is done by melting ABS or PLA filament and depositing it in layers. Layer resolution is up to 100 microns on high quality prints.
While this extrusion deposition method is widely used by lower cost printers, and earlier projects like the Filabot allow the recycling of plastic into filaments, the resolution of the final printed parts as yet do not approach the capabilities of selective laser sintering and stereolithography.