14 DAY TRIAL // We've extolled the wonders of 3D printing again and again, but there's one thing that hasn't been spoken of all that much, namely the likelihood of you getting the urge to smash something every couple of prints. Fortunately, GeckoTek has a solution.
3D printing technology comes in several forms, but the most common type is FDM, which is short for fused deposition modeling. You know, when the object is built from superheated plastic by means of a moving extruder nozzle.
There's one thing that everyone needs to do before actually starting a printing process though: make sure the object being printed can't slide on the print bed.
In layman terms, this means that you need to apply tape or glue to the print bed, and replace it after ever second print or so, because it loses the adhesive properties.
Also, the adhesion strength can cause the objects to break or warp during printing if you're really unlucky.
GeckoTek says that its invention can remove the problem. They've made a 3D printer build plate that has a permanent coating specifically designed to hold the 3D printed object in place.
The build plate measures 12 x 12 inches / 304 x 304 mm and can work with ABS, HIPS and nylon filaments, among others.
Not all 3D printers on the market are supported, but the GeckoTek coating does ship with specialized magnetic bases. The coating does everything, but the plate determines what print chamber size is supported.
Here's the list of 3D printers that GeckoTek can currently satisfy: RepRaps (any printer that uses a MK1 or MK2 214 x 214mm heated bed), Makerbot Replicator 2 and 2X, PrinterBot simple, Solidoodle 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Gen, plus the Ultimaker 1 and 2.
For now, you can only get the GeckoTek build plate through Kickstarter, for the sum of $39 / €28 - €39, but since the crowd-funding campaign has already pulled through, we can expect mass production later this year. You might not want to miss this chance to get it early, however, because the retail price is always a fair bit higher than the bid price during the crowd-sourcing.
Besides, the more the funding goal is exceeded, the more goodies GeckoTeck will be able to create down the line. Right now, they're thinking about rolls of cheap but high-quality filament, but with 31 days left to go, they might be persuaded to update their campaign with some extra stuff.
