14 DAY TRIAL // Usually, the better a product is, the more expensive it becomes, but Old World Laboratories (OWL) wants to do away with that rule, or at least circumvent it for once. Their method? The Nano 3D printer.
Contrary to what some may believe, the word "nano" does not mean that the 3D printer is small. It is not, at least no smaller than any others in its price range.
Instead, the name Nano indicates the ability of the 3D printer to print layers that are 100 times thinner than other 3D printer in that range.
And we suppose we may as well mention what the price segment is: $2,000 / €2,000 to $5,000 / €5,000. Not all that high really, knowing that some high-end printers sell for tens of thousands.
Nano is a stereolithographic printer that, instead of bouncing a laser beam off mirrors before it reaches the object being printed, positions the laser source centimeters from the structure.
This minimizes beam distortion, hence the highly tuned, single strand laser's ability to focus on areas of just 100 nanometers.
"The OWL Nano offers the accuracy and reliability of significantly more expensive, larger machines," said OWL partner Nicholas Liverman.
"It's the ideal tool for anyone looking to create high-value, low-volume products or molds. If you can dream it, the OWL Nano can build it with incredible precision."
The Nano can make objects as large as 6 x 6 x 8 inches / 150 x 150 x 200 mm) out of acrylate or photopolymer resin, at a build temperature of 72 - 77 degrees F / 22 – 27 degrees C.
It weighs 45 pounds / 20 kilograms and works on 1.4 A, 120 V power. Mac, Windows and linux operating systems are supported, though the software actually running the Nano is Netfabb and Marlin Filmare (included). The exact price of the Owl Nano 3D Printer is $4,900 / €3,585.