As affordable as 3-D printers have become, they are still out of reach for most people. A two-person team is looking to change that with their $75 handheld 3-D "printer" called the 3Doodler.
The 3Doodler is basically a handheld version of the extrusion element found in most RepRap-style 3-D printers with some much needed heat shielding and an ergonomic grip. Imagine a hot glue gun, but shaped like very thick marker with the ability to print a fine line of plastics. By removing the complex mechanisms that move the printhead, the electronics to control it, and the structure that houses it, the team has put the 3Doodler in range for anyone with a passion for making.
Launched today on Kickstarter (and already 466 percent funded at $140,000), 3Doodler's video promises "If you can scribble, trace, or raise your finger in the air you can use a 3Doodler."
The device acts a bit like a magic wand. Shapes can be drawn in the air, and because the plastic cools quickly, 3-D models take shape before your eyes. More advanced structures can be created by drawing sub-components on flat surfaces, then combining them into impressively large sculptures with dollops of melted plastic. The "ink" for this pen is the same ABS or PLA filament used by the MakerBot and other fused-filament-style fabricators, but packaged into a familiar marker-style interface.
The 3Doodler is interesting, but a killer application is still unclear. The creators say it's ideal for creating 3-D models, jewelry, ornaments, fridge magnets, and for customizing iPhone cases, but the low resolution of the device means the best pieces produced with this device look like failures from another machine. Claims that it can be used for household repair seem stretched. The scribbly output makes it seem like a great gateway for getting kids into 3-D printing, but with a tip that can reach a flesh-searing 270 degrees Fahrenheit it's rated for children 12 and older.
However, for $75, the system doesn't have to do that much to be successful. The Provocraft Cricut papercutter has serious limitation in the eyes of the maker community, but sells hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of products to scrapbookers across the country.
In an effort to find their niche, the 3Doodler team has recruited a team of Etsy designers who specialize in wire art to help create templates, projects, and ideally a use case that transforms the 3Doodler from "neat gadget" to "must have tool."
The team behind the product has extensive background in manufacturing (they met while working on manufacturing projects in China) and has developed simple toys and complex robots in the past. Manufacturing will be done in China, but the creators plan to be heavily involved in the quality-control process.
Photos: Courtesy WobbleWorks
