Those amazing guys making the sub-$5,000 3D printer are still working hard to make their product perfect. Recently they issued an update on their progress, and here are the highlights as we saw them:
- They are “printing parts consistently and reliably”
- “We have not encountered any new or significant problems”
- “We have improved part quality with sharper edges, clearer detail and a smoother finish.” – but they add that their output is still not quite as good as from the more expensive 3D printers
- “We have dramatically improved support removal from even the most complex part, cleaning and readying them for use in 20 minutes or less”, and they further state they will improve on this soon
- Their build speed has improved to the point where they are now at their design targets, and they may even exceed it in the future
- There have been no new reliability issues detected
This looks very promising, as we are practically drooling here in anticipation of the release of this device in 2009.
Via Desktop Factory
For a third-party account of Desktop Factory’s progress, see http://ambermancto.blogspot.com/2008/09/desktop-factory-field-trip-shows-huge.html