The list of personal 3D printers got bigger today with the successful launch of re:3D's Gigabot on Kickstarter, which raised more than US$40,000 in a couple of days. With so many options to choose from already flooding the market, re:3D decided to go big or go home, resulting in what it calls a "large format" 3D printer that can output more objects in a single batch and much larger individual pieces.
Priced at $2,750, the Gigabot is one of the more expensive fused filament fabrication printers to enter production. The company is betting that the Gigabot's 24 x 24 x 24-inch build envelope will entice consumers away from its competitors like the Makerbot Replicator 2 and Deltamaker, which have significantly smaller build volumes. And with 100 micron layer resolution capability, you won't have to sacrifice part detail.
Whereas most printers require that you break up large objects into smaller pieces (which then have to be assembled), the Gigabot's huge build envelope will likely save you the hassle. Besides printing jumbo-sized objects, the larger build envelope means you can set up more objects to print at once – though the added convenience could be something of a double-edged sword, since an unattended printer error would result in more wasted PLA or ABS filament.
The Gigabot itself measures 34 inches wide, 34 inches deep and 36 inches tall (86.4 x 86.4 x 91.4 cm), though re:3D says it's examining how to shave a couple inches here and there without sacrificing the build envelope. You can get an idea just how huge this thing is in the company's Kickstarter pitch video:
