3D?
April 5, 2012 7:43 PM Subscribe
Looking to buy a 3D printer for a small college library.
I want to buy my library a 3D printer. It will not get a whole lot of use. I don't want make-yourself-a-printer kit. It should be a known brand printer with easy to get supplies. It should be relatively easy to use. I can spend about $5000. What do you recommend?
I want to buy my library a 3D printer. It will not get a whole lot of use. I don't want make-yourself-a-printer kit. It should be a known brand printer with easy to get supplies. It should be relatively easy to use. I can spend about $5000. What do you recommend?
Best answer: Makerbot Replicator comes fully assembled, has the largest and most active community. They have excellent support and the printer uses standard 1.75mm filament. Starts at $1800.00. It's been through enough revisions by no that most of the kinks are worked out of the system.
You'll find very few options around $5K. Most are either less than $3K or $10K or more.
(FWIW I know several libraries who are/have purchased a 3D printer. All have found them more useful and more heavily used than they would have guessed.)
posted by Ookseer at 8:19 PM on April 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
You'll find very few options around $5K. Most are either less than $3K or $10K or more.
(FWIW I know several libraries who are/have purchased a 3D printer. All have found them more useful and more heavily used than they would have guessed.)
posted by Ookseer at 8:19 PM on April 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Hey! I know something about this! I just wrote an issue of Library Technology Reports for ALA Techsource that has a whole chapter about 3d printers in it..it will be out in 2-3 weeks, and will be CC licensed, if you want to wait and grab that chapter when it's released. I definitely think this is the sort of tech that libraries of all sorts should be playing with.
My suggestion? Do what Ookseer says, and buy the Makerbot Replicator. If your budget is $5000, splurge and get the dual-extruder model for $2000, and use some of the extra money to buy some different materials to play with.
I interviewed Bre Pettis (makerbot ceo) at CES this year on the subject of 3D printers and libraries. He was thrilled with the idea. When you order, tell them you're a library and that I said to give you cool stuff (and email me if you want more info).
posted by griffey at 8:37 PM on April 5, 2012 [4 favorites]
My suggestion? Do what Ookseer says, and buy the Makerbot Replicator. If your budget is $5000, splurge and get the dual-extruder model for $2000, and use some of the extra money to buy some different materials to play with.
I interviewed Bre Pettis (makerbot ceo) at CES this year on the subject of 3D printers and libraries. He was thrilled with the idea. When you order, tell them you're a library and that I said to give you cool stuff (and email me if you want more info).
posted by griffey at 8:37 PM on April 5, 2012 [4 favorites]
Junior Veloso's homemade 3D resin printer is going up for sale in a Kickstarter-type project (indieagogo?). His design uses a DLP projector and liquid resin combined with some closed software of his own design.
It might be a little too DIY for your requirements, but if his project makes the funding goal you can get an entire ready-to-go kit including resin for $3,999 here
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:52 AM on April 6, 2012
It might be a little too DIY for your requirements, but if his project makes the funding goal you can get an entire ready-to-go kit including resin for $3,999 here
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:52 AM on April 6, 2012
Sorry, indieagogo link is here. The other link is to the Hackaday article.
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:56 AM on April 6, 2012
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:56 AM on April 6, 2012
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