3D printing is no longer this mysterious technology used by big corporate entities and tech-geeks. It has moved out of the realm of science fiction. With the emergence of easy-to-use desktop 3D printers, many not so technical experts are purchasing these printers for their daily requirements. Most of the consumer level 3D printers in the market are designed for beginners and early adopters of the technology. The prices of the these printers is also coming down day-to-day thus coming closer to the masses.
3D printing technology has a huge potential in India. As the country puts lot of emphasis on manufacturing, many experts believe India leapfrogs lots of manufacturing waves and directly adopt 3D printing technology in its manufacturing process. India started late in the 3D printing adoption cycle when compared to various other countries. But it quickly grew to become one of the top countries in adoption of 3D printing technology. Also, various passionate entrepreneurs are building 3D printers within India. In the next few years, we can see a high quality, world class 3D printer from India.
In this article, we complied a list of top 10 3D printers customers are looking for in India. We arrived at this list by compiling all the customer requests and the sales leads we received. Ultimaker 2 remains the most sought after 3D printer in India for its printing capabilities, print resolution and price point. Flashforge Dreamer Dual Extruder is another sought after 3D printer for its dual color and affordable price point. But our favorite is UP Plus 2 for its auto calibration and fine quality prints. Read on to find more about the various 3D printers in the market.
(a) Ultimaker 2:
Ultimaker 2 is designed for the best user experience in 3D printing. With intuitive design and easy-to-use software, Ultimaker2 is very easy to use that everyone can start 3D printing right away. Ultimaker 2 has been exposed to multiple tests which earned the printer the CE approval. Each part has been designed to create the highest performing desktop 3D printer available in the market.
Price: Rs. 2,41,700
Where to buy: Ultimaker , think3D (in India)
(b) Cubify Cube X:
CubeX has a large build volume to print parts as big as a basketball. It can print parts up to 10.8” x 10.45” x 9.5” or 275 mm x 265 mm x 240 mm. One can choose industrial-grade ABS plastic for extreme durability and functionality, or high-quality, strong PLA plastic for high precision, fine detail and soluble support for ease-of-use. Also, multi-color models can be easily printed using CubeX.
Price: Rs 2,66,000
Where to buy: Cubify, think3D (in India)
(c) Makerbot Replicator 2X:
Push the frontiers of your imagination with a full-featured desktop 3D printer equipped with dual extruders. It can print in two interlaced colors that can be printed simultaneously at a 100-Micron layer resolution. MakerBot® MakerWare™ Software is optimized for the best quality printing experience on MakerBot Replicator 2X. It’s powered by an advanced slicing engine, leading to high quality, high impact prints every time.
Price: Rs. 2,66,000
Where to buy: Makerbot, think3D (in India)
(d) Mbot Grid II:
The Mbot Grid II is a solid 3D printer from Magicfirm. With an increased print capacity, dual print heads and a one-year warranty, the Grid II is a good choice for an at-home 3D printer. Although the design isn’t perfect, the Grid II is a robust printer that can handle many projects. The best 3D printers have large print capacities so you can print any size models. The Grid II has a decent print plate, but it’s 9 x 9 x 7 inch maximum print size limits some of your capacity. Other top 3D printers can print 12 x 12 x 12 inch models, so the Grid II is smaller than that.
Price: Rs. 1,33,000
Where to buy: think3D (in India)
(e) Prusa i3 Kit:
Prusa i3 printer uses OpenBuilds V-SLot Linear Rail which provides Smoother Operation at Higher Print Speeds. The Maker Farm Laser Cut Prusa i3v is the easiest and quickest printer to build out of any printer we have ever used.
Print: Rs. 56,100.00
Where to buy: think3D (in India)
(f) Wanhao Duplicator 4:
Wanhao Duplicator 4 boasts state-of-the-art features including MK9 dual-extruders, 1/16 micro-stepping motor control, and a durable black acrylic frame. Packaged together with our limited warranty and awesome tech support, the Duplicator 4 is the clear winner among mid-level desktop 3D printers. Each printer Includes 2 filament rolls with 100 color combinations to choose from.
Price: Rs. 81,400.00
Where to buy: Alibaba, think3D (in India),
(g) Flashforge Dreamer Dual Extruder:
FlashForge is a great printer with high performance at a small price! The Dreamer is FlashForge’s Premium model, offering great value for your money. The Dreamer is a sleek looking and professional machine. Flashforge Dreamer contains Dual extruders , based on FDM technology. With additional features like Wifi Access and LCD touch panel, it gives a great value for money.
Price: Rs. 1,23,500.00
Where to buy: Flashforge, think3D (in India)
(h) UP! Plus 2:
UP! Plus 2 is one of the best 3D printers in its price range. It offer automatic platform calibration technology which makes it the first smart printer available in desktop 3D printer market. It is very reliable and produces very fine print. The print-platform is heated to 100°C for both ABS and PLA printing. An impressive printer which is lightweight, simple to use, and inexpensive. It offers great print quality.
Price: Rs. 1,56,700
Where to buy: think3D (in India)
(i) Felix 3.0:
This new generation of Felix printer offers high quality at a reasonable price. Felix 3.0 can print a wide range of objects and small parts ranging from a minimum layer of 50 microns up to objects the size of a shoebox.
Price: Rs. 190,100.00
Where to buy: think3D (in India), Felix Printers
Basic Details of 3D printers
| Printer | SKU | Brand | Color | Shipment Weight | Technology & Layer Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Ultimaker 2: | T3DP008 | Ultimaker | White | 11 kg | FFF | 20 Microns |
| (b) Cubify Cube X: | T3DP024 | 3D Systems | White | 36 kg | Plastic Jet Printing (PJP) | 70 Microns |
| (c) Makerbot Replicator 2X: | T3DP007 | Makerbot | Black | 17.8 kg | FDM | 100 Microns |
| (d) Makerbot Replicator 2: | T3DP006 | Makerbot | Black | 16.8 kg | FDM | 100 Microns |
| (e) Prusa i3 Kit: | T3DP019 | Maker Farm | White | FDM | 50 Microns | |
| (f) Wanhao Duplicator 4: | T3DP026 | Wanhao | Black | FDM | |
| (g) Flashforge Dreamer Dual Extruder: | T3DP009 | Flashforge | White | 28 kg | FFF | 100 Microns |
| (h) UP! Plus 2: | T3DP005 | Up! | White | 6 kg | FDM | 150 Microns |
| (i) Felix 3.0: | T3DP012 | Felix | White | 8.5 kg | FFF | 50 Microns |
Printer Specifications
| Printer | Print Technology | Extruders | Build Volume | Supported Filament | Filament Diameter | Layer Resolution | Nozzle Diameter | Build Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Ultimaker 2: | Fused filament fabrication (FFF) | Single | 9.2 x 8.8 x 8.0 in | ABS/ PLA | 2.85 mm | 20 microns | 0.4 mm | Heated Bed |
| (b) Cubify Cube X: | Plastic Jet Printing (PJP) | Dual jets | 10.75 x 10.75 x 9.5 in | ABS/ PLA | 1.75 mm [0.069 in] | 70 Microns | Auto levelling | |
| (c) Makerbot Replicator 2X: | Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) | Dual Extruders | 9.7 x 6.0 x 6.1 in | MakerBot PLA Filament | 1.75 mm [0.069 in] | 100 microns | 0.4 mm [0.015 in] | Heated, black anodized 356F aluminum |
| (d) Makerbot Replicator 2: | Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) | Single | 11.2 x 6.0 x 6.1 in | MakerBot PLA Filament | 1.75 mm [0.069 in] | 100 microns [0.0039 in] | 0.4 mm [0.015 in] | Acrylic |
| (e) Prusa i3 Kit: | Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) | Single Extruder | 8 x 8 x 8 in | ABS / PLA | 1.75 mm | 50 micron | 0.5 mm | Heated Platform |
| (f) Wanhao Duplicator 4: | Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) | Dual | 9 x 5.8 x 6 in | ABS, PLA, PVA | 1.75 mm | 0.1 mm - 0.5 mm | Heated Bed | |
| (g) Flashforge Dreamer Dual Extruder: | Fused filament fabrication (FFF) | Dual Extruder | 9.2 x 6.0 x 5.6 in | ABS/ PLA/ Dissolvable Filament | 1.75 - 1.8 mm | 100 Microns | 0.4 mm | Heated Platform |
| (h) UP! Plus 2: | Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) | Single | 5.6 x 5.6 x 5.4 in | ABS & PLA Plastic | 1.73 mm | 150 Microns | 0.4 mm | automatic platform leveling calibration & height calibration. |
| (i) Felix 3.0: | FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) | Dual | 10.2 x 8.2 x 9.4 in | abs / pla / Dissolvable Natural PLA | 1.75 mm [0.069 in] | 50 Microns | 0.35mm | Heated Bed |
Software Specifications
| Printer | Bundled Software | Supported file types | Supported OS | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Ultimaker 2: | Cura | STL / OBJ / DAE / AMF | WINDOWS (XP 32 BIT/7+), UBUNTU LINUX (12.04+), MAC OS X (10.6 64 BIT +) | SD-card / wifi ready |
| (b) Cubify Cube X: | complimentary conversion software | .cube | Mac OSX 10.8+, Windows 7+ | Wifi/ USB Stick |
| (c) Makerbot Replicator 2X: | MakerBot MakerWare | STL, OBJ, Thing | Windows (7+)/ Mac OS X (10.7+)/ Linux (Ubuntu) | USB, SD card |
| (d) Makerbot Replicator 2: | MakerBot Desktop | STL, OBJ, Thing, MakerBot | Windows (7+)/ Mac OS X (10.7+)/ Linux | SD Card, USB |
| (e) Prusa i3 Kit: | STL, OBJ | Windows, Linux, MAC | USB or SD Card | |
| (f) Wanhao Duplicator 4: | Wanhao | STL, OBJ | Windows, Linux, Mac OS X | USB |
| (g) Flashforge Dreamer Dual Extruder: | Flashprint | STL / X3G | OSX, Windows | SD card / USB/ Wifi/ App |
| (h) UP! Plus 2: | Up! Software | STL | Windows XP, Vista & 7, Mac | USB Cable |
| (i) Felix 3.0: | REPETIER-HOST with SFACT embedded | STL | MAC OSX 10.8, Windows xp/7+ | USB/ SD Card |
Technical Specifications
| Printer | Product Weight | Assembled | Product Dimensions | Power Requirements | Storage Temperature | Operating Temperature | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Ultimaker 2: | 11 KGS | Yes | 13.9 x 13.5 x 15.3 in | 100-240V / ~4A / 50-60HZ / 221w max; 24 V DC @ 9.2 AMPS | 0-32°C [32-90°F] | 15-32°C [60-90°F] | One-year manufacturer's warranty |
| (b) Cubify Cube X: | 36 kg | Yes | 20.3 x 20.3 x 23.5 in | 110 - 240v AC | 90 days parts and labor | ||
| (c) Makerbot Replicator 2X: | 12.6 kg | Yes | 19.1 x 12.8 x 20.9 in | 100–240 V, ~4 amps, 50–60 Hz; 24 V DC @ 9.2 amps | 0°–32° C [32°–90° F] | 15°–32° C [60°–90° F] | |
| (d) Makerbot Replicator 2: | 11.5 kg | Yes | 19.1 x 12.8 x 14.7 in | 100–240 V, ~2 amps, 50–60 Hz; 24 V DC @ 6.25 amps | 0°–32° C [32°–90° F] | 15°–32° C [60°–90° F] | |
| (e) Prusa i3 Kit: | 5 kg | Yes | 18 x 18 x 27 in | ||||
| (f) Wanhao Duplicator 4: | |||||||
| (g) Flashforge Dreamer Dual Extruder: | 28 Kg | Yes | 485×400×335mm | AC100-220V manual setting, 300W; 50/60Hz | 3 Months manufacturer's warranty | ||
| (h) UP! Plus 2: | 5Kg | Yes | 9.5 x 10.5 x 14 inch | 100-240V, 50-60Hz, 220W | 15-30°C | One-year manufacturer's warranty | |
| (i) Felix 3.0: | 8.5 kg | Yes | 450 x 500 x 530mm | 110 - 250v AC @50-60hz |