14 DAY TRIAL // There weren't all that many 3D printers on display at the IFA 2014 trade show back in September, but one of the companies with such products on site was XYZPrinting, whose most important invention is now up for sale, finally.
You may or may not disagree with us on whether or not the device we're about to show is truly the most important one to debut with the company's logo on it.
However, we're pretty sure there's a fair cause to consider it as such. After all, there aren't any other 3D printers with integrated scanners in the world. Although that's not the best way to put it. More like the printer doubles as a scanner, so to speak.
The XYZPrinting da Vinci 1.0 AiO
The build plate is one of the most important things here, because it's round instead of rectangular or square. That way, it can spin around its own axis when you initiate a scanning procedure. All you need to do is place an object in the middle of the platform and hit a button.
The dual scan engine has a quality of 2 megapixels and uses a software developed by the company itself to not only perform the scan with a single button click, but also to preview and allow its editing.
You can even print a copy of the scan if you want. A special scanning algorithm had to be developed to streamline the printing process and fill the voids in the model, if any, but that was to be expected.
The technical specs of the da Vinci 1.0 AiO
The build size is of 200 x 200 x 190 mm / 7.87 x 7.87 x 7.48 inches while the full printer size is quite a bit larger, at 468 x 510 x 558 mm / 18.42 x 20 x 22 inches.
Objects to be scanned have to be smaller than the build size though, limited to 150 x 150 x 150 mm / 5.90 x 5.90 x 5.90 inches. The printer also has a 2.6-inch FSTN LCM display.
As for printing layers, they can be of 100, 200, 300 or 400 microns in thickness, leading to significantly different object qualities.
Availability and pricing
Technically speaking, the XYZPrinting da Vinci 1.0 AiO was formally revealed back in June, but shipments were restricted to only some parts of the world. Now, sales are open in the United States of America.
The price is of $799 / €799, a very low price considering that 3D scanners tend to cost thousands of dollars all on their own. That this printer integrates this functionality while sticking to the affordable consumer range is remarkable.