Desktop Factory

Desktop Factory is a company offering a low-cost rapid prototyping appliance. The device, anticipated for release in 2008 will uses a halogen lamp rather than costly selective laser sintering to print objects from a mixture of nylon,aluminum and glass. While selective laser sintering devices use the same mixture of materials, printers of that type cost well over $100,000 in most cases; the Desktop Factory has a planned price of only $5,000 USD.

The Desktop Factory prints a solid object layer by layer, 0.01 inches (0.25 millimeters) at a time. A layer of granular substrate is deposited, then melted and fixed by a halogen lamp. Only the nylon component of the substrate melts; the aluminum and glass (silica) exist as strengthening agents to enhance stability of the finished product. The maximum build volume of the initial product is 5 x 5 x 5 inches (127 x 127 x 127mm).

The estimated cost of an object printed by the Desktop Factory is roughly $1 per cubic inch. A rubber duck used as a demonstration object cost approximately $5 to produce and took between five and six hours to print.

While the printer can produce complex geometric shapes, some finishing work is required in some cases. If an overhang exists on the designed shape, supporting material deposited by the printer must be removed following the printing process. The Desktop Printer cannot currently print in color; all objects are created with the same gray substrate material, and so are, at time of production, gray. However, the finished products can be painted with relative ease. The printed material is rather strong, and can be drilled, tapped, or machined following printing.

The Desktop Factory printer uses standard United States house voltage (110vAC), and can be plugged into an ordinary wall socket.

Desktop Factory is currently taking reservation orders for the Desktop Factory rapid prototyper through their website, with shipment anticipated for 2008. The reserve cost is just under 10%, at $495 USD, with the unit costing $5,000.

External links

* [http://www.desktopfactory.com Desktop Factory: 3D Printers] official site
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfOHFAtt0S8 Desktop Manufacturing A Reality Now] a Youtube video