An interesting press release came across my desk about the third version of 3D Systems Cube 3D printer.

-A sub-$1000 consumer, plug & play 3D printer for everyday use

-Faster speed with simultaneous multi-material and dual-color printing

-Beautiful, high-definition 75-micron layer thinness for finer-res prints

-Print on the go with new Cubify mobile app for iOS, Android, & Windows

-Instant material loading that is easier than changing an ink cartridge

-Certified kid-safe and easy for everyone – at home, school and work

The latest version of the Cube 3D printer, by 3D Systems, offers some interesting features for the home market (and even for the engineer who wants to use one at home for non-critical projects). This plug and play consumer 3D printer is priced under $1,000 for everyday use. Equipped with 3DS’ simultaneous multi-material and dual-color printing capability, the company claims it prints at speeds that are up to 2X faster than other alternatives, with finer resolution print modes and a greater materials selection.

It meets all IEC 60950 Printer Safety Requirements making it safe for ‘at home’ use by adults and children alike. The company designers have made this printer simpler to use with advanced mobile printing capabilities through seamless integration with a new Cubify® mobile app along with higher speed WIFI and Bluetooth connectivity. A nice feature here is the auto-leveling printpad, along with automated support generation. The supports remove from the printed part easily, claims the company.

“Cube 3 makes home 3D printing real and easy. For the first time it’s affordable and simple to print what you use and wear, print for your home and for those you love, all with over 20 colors in synchronous multi-materials and color combinations, in three dimensions,” said Cathy Lewis, Chief Marketing Officer, 3DS.

Cube 3 Features:

Print Experience – Up to 2X faster print speed and accuracy than competitors for printed parts up to 6 in. cubed. (Layer thickness is 75 microns. Speeds depend on part complexity and fill density.)

Simultaneous Dual Color + Multi-Material – It prints in two materials and up to two colors, simultaneously using compostable PLA and recyclable ABS plastics. Both materials are available in 25 different color cartridges. Cube offers a choice of print mode fill density: lite, medium and solid in both PLA and ABS plastics with optional easy, breakaway supports for the most complex prints.

Instant Load Cartridge – Instant material loading is easier than changing an ink cartridge. Moisture-lock cartridges ensure extended shelf life and total material usage, improving print quality and sustainability. The printer detects material type automatically based on the cartridge, eliminating the need to change print settings. The cartridges are easy to load and store while preserving the life and quality of the materials.

Kid-Safe for everyone – Cube meets all IEC 60950 Printer Safety Requirements, making it a kid-safe 3D printer for the home.

Convenience in the palm of your hand – Mobile printing is available through the Cubify app for iOS, Android and Windows. Prep and print from your smart phone direct to Cube.

Easier to Use, Sleeker Design – Building on its iconic design, Cube 3 features a new color touchscreen with an intuitive user interface and sleek LEDs highlighting prints in action, and is equipped with faster Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, an auto-leveling printpad and easy supports removal for complex prints.

Sustainable Systems – A nice innovation here, send back your empty cartridges to designated 3DS locations for reuse, and you can return your used ABS and PLA prints for responsible recycling or composting by 3DS. In exchange, you will receive a discount on new cartridges. All Cubes are shipped from local distribution centers reducing freight. Cube 3 comes with a proprietary print pad that conserves power compared to other 3D printers. 3DS is committed to making prosumer 3D printing affordable, safe and sustainable.

Support – Cube hotline and email support is available everyday from 3:00 am to 8:00 pm EST, providing 16 hours of service each day.

The company plans to commence commercial shipment of its Cube 3 during the second quarter of 2014.

Specifications:

Weight and dimensions

Cube dimensions:
(without cartridge)

13.3” by 13.3” by 11” (deep). / 33.8 x 33.8 x 28 cm

Cube weight:
(without cartridge)

17 lbs / 7.7 kg

Box dimensions:

16 x 15 x 19 inches / 41 x 38 x 48 cm

Box weight:

22 lbs / 10 kg

Connectivity

Wireless:

802.11b/g with: WPS Infrastructure / Adhoc Mode

Requirements:

Cube Software (supplied with the Cube)

Wired:

USB stick, to transfer print files (supplied with the Cube)

Print properties

Technology:

Plastic Jet Printing (PJP)

Print jets:

Single Jet

Maximum creation size:

6 x 6 x 6 inches / 15.25 x 15.25 x 15.25 cm

Material:

PLA plastic and ABS plastic or Tough Recyclable or Compostable Plastic

Layer thickness:

75 microns

Supports:

Fully automated, easy to peel off

Cartridge:

1 Cartridge prints 13 to 14 mid-sized creations

Software

Description:

Comes with software to create .CUBE files

Print jets:

Dual Jets

Windows requirements:

Cube software runs on 32 and 64-bit Operating Systems:

Windows XP Professional or Home Edition with Service Pack 3

Windows 7

Windows 8

Windows 7 is required for ad-hoc WiFi Print Job submission – if not already installed, the Cube Software installer will automatically install the Microsoft .NET 4.0 Framework

Mac OSX requirements:

Cube software runs on Mac OSX 10.8

Minimum hardware requirements:

Processor: Multi-core processor – 2GHz or faster per core

System RAM: 2 GB

Screen Resolution: 1024×768

Leslie Langnau
llangnau@wtwhmedia.com