Back in January at CES 2016, our Group Editor, Dan O’Connor reported on the emerging trend for LCD stereolithography 3D printers at the consumer technology show. One of those machines leading the trend was the Slash, a desktop machine from San Diego headquartered company, UNIZ 3D.
Three months on, the machine has made its way onto Kickstarter to mark what the team are calling “the next level of affordable professional 3D printing”.
UNIZ believes the Slash will be the fastest desktop 3D printer ever made, boasting record speeds at 1,000 cc/hr (at 2560x1600 75 μm resolution). That's “faster than DLP and up to 50 times faster than similar laser-based machines”, according to UNIZ CEO, Dr. Houmin Li.
There has been a spike in the introduction of high-speed 3D printing technologies on the market with companies like Carbon and NewPro3D creating considerable noise with competitively fast printing methods. However, with no commercial price tags on either of these technologies just yet, UNIZ aims to bring a professional grade solution to the market at an affordable price for the home-user.
Launching today, the crowdfunding campaign aims to raise $50,000 in 30 days to support a 400-unit production batch shipment by the end of the year. Prices start at $999 for backers and the eventual retail price is still expected to be under the $2,000 mark.
Key features include an automated resin system which will automatically refill the tank during the printing process and a customisable Z resolution profile which allows the user to select which portions of the model require a higher or lower resolution for optimum print quality and speed.
There’s also a 'touch-to-print' system for ease of use which means users can connect their machine wirelessly to a smartphone or tablet and select from a range of designs that can be sent directly to the printer.
Kickstarter backers can pledge their support from as little as $1 and receive a range of awards including various printer packages. For serious backers, a pledge option of $9,999 is available which will grant them access to a pre-beta package as soon as the campaign ends. This will include several resinsm accessories and the ability to evaluate the machine before it goes into mass production.
Visit the Kickstarter page for more info.
