BigRep 3D printer can print whole pieces of furniture
A brand new 3D printer has arrived on the scene with the biggest print bed of any consumer model -- large enough to print small pieces of furniture.
The problem with many 3D printers designed for consumer use is that the print bed is usually quite small. This is fine for small objects, such as, say, utensils, ornaments, toys, and parts, but anything a little bigger is going to require multiple prints and assembly.
But we're about to see the entry of a new kind of printer. The open-source BigRep One allows for a build volume of 1,147 by 1,000 by 1,188 millimeters (45x39x47 inches) -- large enough to print full-scale objects.
The printer itself, constructed with an aluminum frame, has a print resolution of 100 microns (0.1 millimeters). It can print in a variety of materials, including the usual plastics and nylons, as well as Laywood, a mix of wood fibers and polymers for a wood finish, and Laybrick, a sandstone-like filament, using the fused-deposition modeling (FDM) technique.
The printer can also have CNC components built in for milling, if you so require.
The BigRep One was developed by Berlin-based artist Lukas Oehmigen and Marcel Tasler, and has just seen its debut at the 3D PrintShow in New York. It will start shipping to customers in March/April with a suggested price of $39,000, but you can contact BigRep through its Web site to get a quote.
(Source: CNET Australia)