The home 3D printing revolution has picked up pace in recent times with printers such as the MakiBox and Buccaneer making 3D printing increasingly more affordable. Although not as cheap as the homemade LEGObot, the QU-BD One Up is claiming the title of the world's cheapest production-ready 3D printer with a price tag of under US$200.
Already manufacturing and supplying parts for more than 20 3D printer companies, such as DeltaMaker, the folks at QU-BD took the next obvious step and decided to produce their own 3D printers. Joining the company's existing Revolution, Revolution XL and RPM Rapid Prototyping Mill are the One Up and Two Up units that boast a build area of 100 x 100 x 125 mm and 175 x 175 x 125 mm, respectively.
Both come in kit form and are open source. Designed as no frills alternatives to the company's metal-framed offerings, the One Up and Two Up feature a laser cut Melamine coated MDF (medium density fiberboard) frame and Arduino-based electronics.
Both print 1.75 mm PLA filament with a minimum layer height of 50 microns at a maximum speed of 100 mm/s. QU-BD includes a small amount of PLA filament with both printers, and is also offering a heated bed upgrade to add support for ABS as an optional extra. Both printers are identical, save for 75 mm longer smooth rods on the X and Y axis of the Two Up that give it a slightly larger build area.
Both the One Up and Two Up are available for pre-order on the QU-BD website for $199 and $279, respectively, with deliveries are due to begin in March next year. The printers are also the subject of a Kickstarter campaign that still has a few days to run but has far exceeded the initial $9,000 goal, providing some indication of the continuing growth in popularity of desktop 3D printers.
The company's Kickstarter video pitch can be viewed below.
Source: QU-BD
