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Cubify 3D Printers Aren't Just for Squares (Video)

Posted by Roblimo on from the plastic-goodies-for-the-whole-world dept.

There are other 3D printers out there, but Cubify claims theirs is easier to use, has easier cartridge changes, and is all-around nicer and cooler than their competition. And Timothy Lord found them at Google I/O 2012, which means Google thinks they're cool, too. Wow. At only $1300 for their basic model (plus $50 each for the plastic "print" cartridges), every home should have one of these. Or maybe two or three. Or maybe Hackerspaces will buy all of them, and that's where we'll go to satisfy our lust for 3D printing.

4 of 134 comments (clear)

  1. Hackerspace vrs Lowes Home Depot by ZombieBraintrust · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I don't see people going to a hackerspace to print something out. This tech will take off when it gets adopted by home improvement stores. Then you can get your printed plastic at the same place you get your cut glass and timber.

  2. Re:But can it print a Tux? by Space+cowboy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's a popular idea, but the materials science guys tell us that re-melted plastic has different properties than "fresh" plstic, and the more times you melt it, the worse it gets (more brittle, different melting temp. etc)

    If you want accurate prints, you're going to need fresh plstic. Sad but true.

    Simon

    --
    Physicists get Hadrons!
  3. Re:But can it print a Tux? by tmosley · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Seems to me that that is a function of the additives in the plastic. If you use all milk containers, the properties shouldn't change.

    Also, I never heard of the properties of plastic changing just from melting and re-extruding them. Maybe it is just a scale issue, where small scale reprocessing creates an inferior filament.

  4. Re:But can it print a Tux? by ortholattice · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Actually, I was wondering the opposite, which is how to recycle objects that you make. I would guess that typically there will be significant waste as prototypes are fine-tuned, as well as when whatever you make breaks or is no longer needed.

    I hope the design software will make it easy to incorporate the plastic's recycle number in a triangle embossed somewhere on the object, and even encourage it. My town's recycle service requires that all plastic objects have this number on them. In the past they have refused to pick up non-container plastic objects that don't have this number (when they notice it), such as a toy that stands out from the rest.