A-Team Ventures has produced desktop 3D printers for some years, but now they have a Waggle, too.
The Seoul-based company has produced the Creatable D3 delta-style desktop 3D printer as well as a 3D model sharing service called “ShapeEngine”.
The Creatable D3D is a capable unit, including its easy-swap nozzles to adjust print speed and quality, heated BuildTak-equipped print surface, as well as its magnetic-connect delta rods. The €990 (USD$1,030) unit is designed with a “shortest possible distance” feed tube for its Bowden-style extruder. This should dramatically reduce filament retraction problems that so often plague delta-style desktop 3D printers. They even have a patent on the belt tension lift blocks.
The market for the machine is schools, small product designers, makers and some hospitals that use the machine for prototypes.
But now they’re working on something new called the “Waggle”.
It’s a set-top box that implements remote control for your 3D printer. A-Team Ventures Manager Joseph Choi explains:
We are building a 3D printer remote controller which allows for a true plug-and-play remote control and monitoring, and control sharing experience. The remote controller (affectionately named the Waggle) will support most 3D printers running open source firmware right out of the box, and a smaller number with a simple driver upgrade (which we can provide on demand). Users will be set up in only a few minutes and controlling their 3D printers from their mobile device without the need for router port forwarding or other headaches that previously attempted remote controllers left for their users to solve. The integrated camera module provides live video so that you’re always in the loop as to how your print is going. Set alarms at every stage of your print job to optimize your own work process, and share control of your printer with whomever you choose for easy collaboration.
The device is interesting in that it’s set up with a proper stand unlike many other options that end up causing you to develop your own mounting solution, most of which don’t work very well.
The image provided by the Waggle is excellent as you can see here in a shot of the mobile app screen.
The USB-powered Waggle includes: wireless control; detailed monitoring including a continuous video stream; live printing statistics; plug and play; and the ability to share your 3D printer with anyone.
I’m told the company intends on launching the Waggle via crowdfunding in early 2017 with a price of less than USD$100. That’s a pretty good price for such a specialized unit that’s essentially ready to go.
I’m very positive on this type of 3D printing accessory, as an unfortunate number of machines seem to ignore the importance of remote control and monitoring. If you’ve ever wasted half a spool of filament because you didn’t know your machine was printing spaghetti until it was finished, you’ll know exactly what I mean.
Via A-Team Ventures
