14 DAY TRIAL // 3D printers may have managed to strike very low prices, of under five hundred or even two hundred dollars / euro / pounds, but they did it by sacrificing build volume, and they definitely didn't even try to implement support for more than one material at a time.
This has now changed, and we suppose we shouldn't be surprised that the Chinese are the ones spearheading truly low-cost multi-color, multi-material 3D printers.
DreamMaker is a company based in Shanghai and has introduced the OverLord 3D printer, whose price of £99 / €123 / $155 probably doesn't inspire much confidence. Especially since the real price in the US and European countries will probably be closer to $100 / €100 unless inflation and importation taxes really kick in.
The DreamMaker OverLord 3D Printer
For something whose build volume is of 170 x 170 x 160 mm / 6.69.x 6.69 x 6.29 inches, that's a pretty fancy name.
On the other hand, you won't find a 3D printer of this size with the ability to print things from multiple materials and, thus, multiple colors. Not without getting a specially designed extruder anyway.
Even then, the price you'd have to pay for them will be much greater than for this one. DreamMaker is really not taking any chances here.
Sure, only the first ten backers of the upcoming Kickstarter campaign will actually enjoy that small price, but that's still a big deal.
The catch is that the next step is pretty steep in comparison, at £299 / €372 / $466 (probably €299 / $299 for real). Still, the price is lower than the five hundred to one thousand you'd expect from something like this.
The print speed is of 100 mm/s and the layer resolution can be of 100 to 200 microns, all made with 1.75 mm PLA or ABS filament. All in all, the product measures 370 x 320 x 725 mm / 14.76 x 12.58 x 28.54 inches.
Availability and pricing
The DreamMaker OverLord 3D printer will be available via retailers in March 2015 if the upcoming Kickstarter campaign pans out. Since the funding goal is of just ten grand, that should be easily enough accomplished.
The OverLord will have a heated glass bed and will support most CAD and even image files like JG+G and PNG. The OverLord Pro, with 170 x 170 x 260 mm build area / 6.69.x 6.69 x 10.23 inches) will be released as well, for £299 / €372 / $466 to £499 / €622 / $780.
Update November 26, 2014: The Kickstarter campaign has since gone up. Thanks to OverLord for the tip.
