14 DAY TRIAL // Robotic technology may not be as advanced as we would like, but we sure do have the means to make machines good looking, and 3D printing is rapidly becoming a favored technique.
In fact, a freelance artist by the name of David White has just revealed the Predanaut and the Mechanaut 3D printed action figures. They are priced at $65 / €65 and $70 / €70, respectively.
Measuring just 6 inches in height (150 mm or so), they are made of a whole bunch of smaller components.
They are partly based on the Micronauts from the 1970s and took around 13 hours to make, each. It's because each of the 42 pieces had to be made individually, which took a while.
Also, each component had to be put through an acetone vapor bath, to smooth out and strengthen the printed pieces.
That's pretty much it for the manufacturing technique really. Paint isn't needed, because the pieces were made from the right color filament to start with. Although White did have to use some to add the silver highlights.
Anyway, the new action figures have been displayed in galleries such as the FOE, but are not meant to simply be stared at. White hopes to actually sell them, and considering that there are only 16 of them (each) in existence, he'll probably manage it just fine.
Mass production is up in the air, since the 3D printing method used here isn't great for it. We'll see if it changes. In the meantime, David White will be designing new toys.
