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Sunday, November 25, 2012

Portabee is a $480 3D printer aimed at mainstream buyers







There has been a lot of discussion this year about how 3D printers are being targeted directly at individual consumers. Words like “affordable” and “inexpensive” have been tossed around a lot. The MakerBot Replicator 2, for example, is $2000 — not exactly cheap but a few years ago you’d be hard pressed to find any kind of sophisticated 3D printer for under $5000. The rhetoric may be getting a little bit ahead of itself though, because while $2000 marks a notable price reduction it’s still out of the reach of most hobbyists.



That’s where Portabee comes in. Its aim is not to be the most amazing 3D printer on the market. It might not even win any awards, but its stated case is that none of that matters if people are unable to buy it. At just $480 plus shipping, it is less expensive than many computers yet it can still perform the basic functions that a novice 3D printing enthusiast needs.



Its limitations include the ability to use only one color material at a time, and it can only print things as big as an average mug. In addition, it doesn’t have a fancy interface — it’s meant to be a basic tool that can build your creations as cost-effectively as possible.



One differentiating factor, though, is that it it completely portable. It weighs just 6.2 pounds and can be folded down to fit inside the included carrying case. It claims to be the first “portable 3D printer in the world.” It uses PLA and ABS plastic materials, which are pretty standard for 3D printing. It is compatible with SD cards for loading up print jobs. It takes about three weeks to ship and can be purchased in the link below.







More at Portabee




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