Third-gen Solidoodle 3D printer pumps up the volume

Over the past couple of years, the number of consumer 3D printers hitting the market has multiplied like … well, like plastic chess pieces churned out by a 3D printer. For its latest unit, Solidoodle has upped the build area to 8 x 8 x 8 inches (20 x 20 x 20 cm), which is two extra inches over the printable dimensions of the Solidoodle 2. This more than doubles the build volume from 216 in³ (3,540 cm³) for the Solidoodle 2 to 512 in³ (8,390 cm³) for the new Solidoodle 3.

Apart from the size, the Solidoodle 3 is pretty much identical to the second generation Solidoodle. It uses 1.75 mm plastic filament and prints at a layer height of 0.3 mm as standard, with the ability to decrease the layer height to 0.1 mm for printing of high-resolution parts. Its heated build platform allows the creation of large objects without bottom warping and it accepts 3D files in STL format.

Naturally, the extra build area does equate to a larger footprint for the printer, which measures 13.5 inches long x 14 inches wide x 14 inches deep (34 x 36 x 36 cm) and weighs 20 lbs (9 kg).

It’s also a bigger hit on the hip pocket nerve, retailing at US$799. The Solidoodle 3 is currently available for pre-order, with shipping commencing in January.

Source: Solidoodle