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How To Select A 3D Printer Under Rs. 100,000
How To Select A 3D Printer Under Rs. 100,000
How To Select A 3D Printer Under Rs. 100,000
100,000
http://electronicsforu.com/buyers-guides/hardware-buyers-guide/select-
3d-printer-rs-100000
Shiv Bhambri, CEO, RS Components & Controls Ltd, feels, 3D printers are
ideal for anyone who wishes to explore the fascinating world of 3D
printing, build prototypes or even carry out small volume production.
Upputuri says, Companies that started with basic printers are venturing
into the other two categories, and vice versa. Customers have a variety of
options to choose from today. In fact, some vendors are introducing
stripped-down, economical versions of 3D printers available for as low as
Rs. 30,000. Although these printers might not provide professional-grade
experience, these are mostly used for educational purposes by schools
and colleges.
For printers within or even slightly exceeding the price tag of Rs. 100,000,
there are plenty of options available to choose from. This is mostly
because of the stabilisation of FDM technology, but there is no major
breakthrough in the printers as of now, Reddy adds.
Upputuri says, There is a rise in the speed and number of extruders for a
3D printer. He adds, Earlier dual extruder printers were costly but today
these are available for less than ` 100,000. This is mostly because of the
increase in volume and stabilisation of FDM.
About 80 per cent to 85 per cent of printers in the market are open
printers, for which one can buy the filament from different vendors.
Printers such as Ultimaker or UP BOX are open printers. Most Indian
manufacturers are making open printers.
Accuracy, speed and resolution of the printer are also crucial. He adds,
These are highly interdependent parameters because if accuracy is
higher, speed can be lower.
Vishal points out that, currently, speed is a misleading parameter to look
for in FDM 3D printers under Rs. 100,000, because almost all printers have
similar speeds. We have to keep in mind that 3D printer is a rapid
prototyping machine and not a substitute for mass production. It will
boost conventional mass production as more ideas get physical
manifestation, thereby increasing desktop manufacturing, he says.
Reliability is another important factor to consider, he adds.
Gandhi feels that quality of the printed object and corresponding speed
are the most neglected factors while purchasing a 3D printer. He says,
The quality is dependent on speed. Very low speed could correspond to
high quality. Therefore the buyer should not question the resolution but
at what resolution does the printer achieve a given speed. Cost and size
of acquisition also matter.
Vishal also feels that the user should not be looking at the number of
filaments that a printer can use but acceptance of any kind of filament.
Price trends
In the last few years, cost of FDM printers has come down drastically, feel
industry experts. Upputuri says, In the past, printers sold for Rs. 300,000
are now being sold for around Rs. 100,000. In the next one year or so,
these printers could even be available for less than Rs. 50,000.
Food printers are slowly entering the market. Two years down the line,
we can foresee food printers emerging in the market, feels Upputuri.