3D printers are becoming cheaper by the day and the MOTA team must have felt they should plays a part in the same. So they went out and created a MOTA 3D printer that is low on price and can deliver high performance. The price is as low as anyone can own it and the quality of the print is also quite good.
MOTA is basically an electronics company that previously made smart watches and various mobile accessories. The company wanted to make something more complex and sophisticated than watches and mobiles so it launched a Kickstarter campaign aiming to raise $100, 000 to produce the MOTA 3D printer with a few units priced at $99!
The MOTA 3D printer has a print head of 0.4mm and has a speed of 120mm/second with a layer resolution of 100 microns. The capacity of the printer is similar to that of the MakerBot Replicator 2 which is priced at $1999.
Technical specification of MOTA 3D Printer
- Layer Thickness: 0.12 inches
- Print Speed: 60- 120 mm/sec
- Maximum Print Size: 6.5 x 6.1 x 6.1 inches
- Printer Dimension: 13.38 x 13.38 x 14.96 inches
- Printer Weight: 39.68 lbs
- Build Plate: Cold/ heated (optional)
- USB compatible
- Positioning Precision (XYZ): X&Y: 11µm; Z: 2.5 µm
- Model Support: Auto generated support
- Input Format: STL
- Printable Materials: ABS and PLA
- Technology Used: FDM
The printer comes with an optional filament cartridge system that is capable of holding up to two spools at once and also allows the user to switch between colors during the printing process. The printer does not make much noise as compared to its counter parts, the reduction in the noise in due to a steel chassis and an enclosed build platform. The company has already sold out its $99 version of MOTA 3D printers however there are still a few printers that are available for $299 and $499. The MOTA 3D printer comes in a variety of colors from black, red, blue or white. The Alpha version of these printers is available for $799.
“Our vision is to make 3D printing ubiquitous, empowering as many people as possible to make real what they imagine,” said Kevin Faro, MOTA co-founder. “But that can’t happen until the cost of a printer is low enough and the functionality high enough to reach a tipping point. The MOTA 3D Printer represents this, a fully featured high-performance printer that’s production-ready. We’re utilizing Kickstarter to raise the funds needed for high-volume manufacturing. In return for people’s support we’re offering them a MOTA 3D Printer at a price can’t be beat.”
The company is firm on its decision to have open source software in the printer so that the library of the printer has predesigned figurines for the convenience of the users, which otherwise the user will have to make from the scratch.
While the price of the printer is low and draws quite many of the techie buyers but if you are after a 3D printer that is simple plug and play then this might not be the best bet.
Image Credit: mota.com