As most Asian countries are still considered as either under developed or developing and out of the blue there is a nation that comes out with something that most developed nations are investing their money and talent on then that is a break through worth admiring. After Iran beginning to explore the possibilities of developing a medical 3D printer, it’s the chance of Pakistan to leave an everlasting impression in the world of 3D printing.
Way back in 2012, SoftOnix was established in Pakistan and it became the first company that provided 3D printing services and 3D printers on demand of the customers. From 2012-2013 were the dormant years of this company but soon enough the demand for 3D printers started to flow and now the company decided to make their own 3D printers. The CEO of Xplorer 3D, Tayyab Alam says, “In late 2013 we were getting a lot of demand for 3D printers, seven out of ten calls asked us for 3D printers instead of the 3D printing service.” Soon enough the company realized that to remain the leaders in this business some essential steps were to be taken. Alam further says, “So we started working on the plans to design and manufacture Pakistan’s very own 3D printer brand, and finally we launched [our line of] 3D Printers for consumers, back in March 2014,” said Alam. “Xplorer 3D is Pakistan’s first 3D printing brand, providing state of the art and affordable 3D Printers. Currently our printers are being manufactured in China and assembled in Pakistan, but we do have future plans to start manufacturing them right here. Currently our product range starts from DIY 3D printing kits to professional level 3D printers.”
Currently the company offers three different printers which range from 65,000 Pakistani Rupee (approximately $650) for the Xplorer 3D Basic to 195,000 Rupee ($1950) for the Xplorer 3D Pro. The Xplorer 3D Core is priced at 135,000 rupees. The features of the three printers are almost same apart from the application. The Xplorer 3D basic is an affordable DIY Desktop 3D printer Kit. The Xplorer Core is an engineer’s desktop 3D printer whereas the Xplorer 3D Pro is a professional desktop 3D printer. Curiously the technical specifications of the three printers are the same. The technical specifications are mentioned below.
PRINTING
Print Technology: Fused Deposition Modeling Build Volume: 200L x 200W x 200H mm Layer Resolution: 100 MICRONS [0.0039 IN] Positioning Precision: XY: 11 MICRONS [0.0004 IN], Z: 2.5 MICRONS [0.0001 IN] Filament Diameter: 1.75 MM [0.069 IN] Nozzle Diameter: 0.4 MM [0.015 IN]
SOFTWARE
Software Bundle: CURA, REPETIER HOST, DRIVERS File Types: STL, OBJ, GCODE Operating Systems: WINDOWS (XP / 7+), MAC OS X (10.6+), LINUX (UBUNTU 12.04+) Connectivity: USB, SD Card (Both Included)
MECHANICAL
Chassis: Powder Coated Steel Body: Powder Coated Steel Build Platform: GLASS XYZ Bearings: Wear-Resistant, Oil-Infused Bronze Stepper Motors: 1.8° Step Angle with 1/16 Micro-Stepping
ELECTRICAL
Storage Temperature: 0°–32° C [32°–90° F] Operating Temperature: 15°–32° C [60°–90° F]
AC Input: 100–240 V, ~2 AMPS, 50–60 HZ Power Requirements: 24 V DC @ 6.25 AMPS
DIMENSIONS
Product Dimensions Without Spool: 49 L X 32 W X 38 H CM [19.1 X 12.8 X 14.7 IN] With Spool: 49 L X 42 W X 38 H CM [19.1 X 16.5 X 14.7 IN] Shipping Dimensions: 59 L X 55 W X 43 H CM [23 X 21.5 X 17 IN] Product Weight: 11.5 KG [25.4 LBS] Shipping Weight: 16.8 KG [37.0 LBS]
3D printing is finding its way into the third world countries and thanks to Alam many homes in Pakistan will now be able to experience the magical world of 3D printing.
Image source: xplorer3d.com