German RepRap Joins the Big 3D Printer Club

German RepRap, up to now manufacturers of reasonably-sized personal 3D printers, announced the development of a massive new 3D printer. 

The new machine, which evidently does not have a name yet, other than that it’s a member of their “Professional Series”, offers a substantially larger build volume than its predecessor, the X400, which itself wasn’t exactly small with its 400 x 400 x 350mm build volume. The new machine can build objects up to a huge 1000 x 800 x 600mm. 

We don’t yet know much else about this mystery machine. Even the image provided is somewhat secretive. However, their press release indicates the machine will definitely not be based on their previous X400 machine, but will include brand-new designs and mechanicals. Clearly this machine is not intended for personal use, and thus it will include features directly addressing the needs of professionals and industry users, such as “intelligent filament management” and an “intuitive user interface”. 

The device is not yet available and in fact will be shown publicly only at the upcoming Euromold fair in Frankfurt this November. We’ll be onsite and be able to take a close look at the machine – and perhaps even climb inside it! 

German RepRap are not alone in this maneuver, as several other companies have announced larger-scale plastic extrusion 3D printers, or even jumped directly into that market. Clearly there is an attraction here, which we suspect has to do with attacking the huge pricing of existing expensive commercial machines. 3D printers such as the one announced here are not only less expensive to purchase, they also can use very inexpensive plastic filament, too. 

While the machines in this class might be considered expensive for individuals, they are easily affordable by industry – and the price level almost guarantees solid profits for the printer manufacturer. 

Expect more machines of this capability – and a price war afterwards. 

Via German RepRap