14 DAY TRIAL // We've seen many cheap 3D printers, some of which have prices of under $100 / €100, though they are pretty rare. However, CraftUnique did not want to throw away potential quality, aesthetics and functionality just for a low price tag.
Yet, it still wanted its product to be the sort of thing that general consumers will at least consider acquiring when they decide to try out the newest fad in technology.
That is why it is offering the CraftBot 3D Printer for as little as $399 / €293 through the crowd-funding campaign now up on Indiegogo.
Sure, it's an offer available only to a limited number of contributors (first 100 backers), and the retail price will probably be 30% higher, or thereabouts. But considering that 3D printers started out at several thousand dollars, and it wasn't so long ago that $2,000 / €1470 was considered a low price, the sum is still quite low.
CraftBot measures 410 x 360 x 380 mm / 16.14 x 14.17 x 14.96 inches but has a build volume of 250 x 200 x 200 mm / 10 x 8 x 8 inches.
Not nearly on the same level as the Cobblebot, which might be the cheapest large volume 3D printer ever, but still more than enough for duplicating many of the 3D printing projects we've covered so far.
PLA, ABS and Nylon filaments are supported, as long as they come in size of 1.75 mm. Pretty standard really. On that note, the nozzle diameter is of 0.4 mm, while the maximum layer height is of 50 microns
The layer thickness ultimately determines how smooth a 3D printed object is, and how many surface details can be rendered properly. 50 microns is a pretty high resolution (100-150 is considered average, bordering on substandard).
Moving on, the CrafBot 3D printer boasts a QVGA resolution LCD touchscreen (160 x 120 pixels) with a size of 2.8-inch diagonal. All in all, the new 3D printer from CraftUnique weighs 13 kilos / 28 pounds.
CraftUnique will ship the CraftBot 3D printer fully assembled, unlike other companies and inventors that also provide a cheaper option through which you'll only get a kit of parts, which you need to assemble yourself at home.
If the Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign pans out, shipments will begin this August, for early backers, with the rest expected over the following 4 months. The videos below show the printer and the unique CraftWare software that the CraftBot is accompanied by.
