Engineers from Vienna Institute of Technology claims that they have built the world’s smallest 3D printer that’s so light and inexpensive that it could make printing of 3D objects possible for people at home. Unlike existing 3D printers, this prototype is no bigger than a carton of milk, weighs just 1.5 kgs and will cost around €1,200 or $1,700 to make.
Klaus Stadlmann, one of printer’s developers said:
We will continue to reduce the size of the printer, and the price will definitely decrease too, if it is produced in large quantities.
The printer has been designed to print with a special kind of synthetic resin which hardens precisely when hit with an intense beam of light. When one layer hardens, the next layer can be attached to it, until the object is completed — which gives it the ability to print objects with complicated geometry. Therefore, the printer can be used for applications which require extraordinary precision.
This way, we can even produce complicated geometrical objects with an intricate inner structure, which could never be made using casting techniques.
Price & Availability:
No information has been released on pricing or worldwide availability as yet.
There is no word on whether the developers will attempt any sort of mass production but it will revolutionize the future for sure.
