Re: [rp-ml] First 3D Printer to Break $20,000 Price Barrier...

In a message dated 06-01-19 17:59:49 EST, you write:

<<
 Hi all
   Following on from the news that the FDM machines have at last broken the
$20K barrier, I was wondering if these new machines are going to get any
cheaper to run. Speaking from my own experience at my University in Dublin, Ireland,
we have a FDM machine which is used for student projects and some postgrad
research. The initial outlay of the machine was high (€40K) some years ago, but
the biggest surprise was the cost in spent cartridges, €10K a year would not
be uncommon. This is a very high annual expense for any university.
    
   Maybe there is a new machine on the horizon that will have a truly cheap
running cost?
    
   thanks
   Liam MacGinley
   Dublin
   Ireland
    
 
>>
Liam:

I think that many people may not yet be aware that there are beginning to be
some alternate choices for materials suppliers. For FDM there have been RPM,
Sibco and Bolson. They don't provide as great a range of products, but the
cost savings can be substantial.

The only one I'm familiar with is RPM - its parent company, C.Ideas, is an
advertiser on our site. I sem to recall they charge around 1/2 the price of
brand S for ABS, for example.

There's a complete listing of independent materials suppliers here:

http://home.att.net/~castleisland/mat_lks.htm

Ed Grenda
Castle Island Co.
781-646-6280 (voice or fax)
EdGrenda@aol.com (email)

The Worldwide Guide to Rapid Prototyping
http://home.att.net/~castleisland/
Received on Fri Jan 20 14:48:11 2006