Printrbot Simple – GadgetyNews at The Gadget Show Live
If you’re looking around for 3D printers that are not way expensive and open source friendly then you should check out the Printrbot Simple Kit.
Whilst at The Gadget Show Live I found this Printrbot Simple kit selling for just £300.
Yes, it’s a kit and will need you to assemble the laser cut wooden sections and piece it all together but that only means you’ll get a deeper understanding of how the whole thing works.
You can, of course, spend some more money and get a ready-built one if you are so inclined – but more on that later.
The printer doesn’t have it’s own software but it will play nice with a bunch of open source goodies, such as:
- OpenSCAD to design objects (and save them in STL files)
- Slic3r to generate G-Code from the STL files (G-Codes define the path in space that the printer head should follow during the print out process)
- Repetier to load STL files, to interface to Slic3r, and to drive the printing process by connecting directly to the printer using the USB port
- ParaView to visualize STL models and to do small retouches.
If you fancy something more metal – then the good news is that there is a new model with an aluminium and steel frame.
It measures a little larger than the current laser-cut plywood Simple and is able to support prints up to 6″x 6″x 6″ – The wood Simple is capable of 4″x 4″x 4″ prints.
The increased print size is due in part to new Z-axis rods, grown from 8mm to 12mm.
The metal Simple has started shipping as of today (April 10th) and costs $699 in the limited edition Hot Red and $599 in Black, Silver or White.
