The model has a build volume of 8 x 8 x 8 inches / 200 x 200 x 200 mm

Aug 2, 2014 07:43 GMT  ·  By

Many consumer 3D printers, all types of 3D printers really, do not have a completely cubic build volume, even if their overall bodies do have that shape. However, the one invented by Matt Wahlers does, and it is a fair bit larger than many of its peers as well.

There are 3D printers on the market that sell for a fair bit less than $500 / €500, but they, unfortunately, have to make concessions. Usually not in terms of quality, but size. The smallest have a build volume below even 100 mm (3.93 - 4 inches, height-wise anyway).

Matt Wahlers wanted to make a 3D printer that had a much larger build volume but was still affordable to the common man, more or less.

He did end up with something priced at the same level as a decent, full-featured personal computer, but $699 / €520 - €699 is still within the range of anyone likely to even consider getting personally involved in 3D printing.

After all, 3D printing is either a hobby or a way to make one's job easier. In both cases, one can only assume that the one seeking to buy a printer has some money available and the willingness to spend it on one.

And compared to the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars / euro needed to get an SLA printer (which grows stuff out of resin via light exposure, instead of using a plastic filament to build it drop by drop), $699 / €520 - €699 is a pittance.

Matt Wahler named his printer Thingy Bot and worked on it for a year. The build volume is of 8 x 8 x 8 inches, or 200 x 200 x 200 mm.

Well, 203 x 203 x 203 mm if you want to be perfectly accurate, assuming that the build volume isn't really 200 x 200 x 200 mm and Wahler didn't just round it up to 8 inches for the sake of convenience. Either way, it's a good and large build volume.

The rest of the specs are the same as those of every other decent 3D printer out there: 1.75 mm filament support, layer height of 0.1 mm (resolution of 100 microns), nozzle diameter of 0.4 mm. PLS and ABS plastic is supported.

As for the design, it involves a lot of aluminum (making the Thingy Bot one of the toughest 3D printers yet) and a central frame that contains the X and Y axes. The frame moves up and down, forming the Z axis. You can choose between white, black and terra cotta colors (that last one is a limited offer). The funding goal is of $15,000 / €11,171.

Thingy Bot 3D Printer (3 Images)

The Thingy Bot 3D Printer
The Thingy Bot 3D Printer hot endThingy Bot terra cotta color option
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