Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Computer wholesaler Mustek has announced that it has secured a distribution agreement for XYZprinting in South Africa which could see 3D printers going more mainstream in the local market.
The planned deal is intended to reduce the cost of the 3D printing devices to that of high-end smartphones.
The companies will initially offer the Da Vinci 1.0A and the Da Vinci 1.0AiO modes which allow for a 20cm X 20cm X 20cm build model.
"The Da Vinci range puts 3D printing into the hands of ordinary citizens, opening up the market and presenting exciting opportunities for anyone who wishes to experiment with the technology," said Anle Els, XYZprinting Product Manager at Mustek.
The technology has progressed from its early days as a novelty to a viable consumer product, according to Brian Andrew who is the general manager of RS Components SA.
"I don't see 3D printing as a novelty technology and definitely see scope for a huge growing market that can add a great deal of value to society. The market is already there and growing every day," Andrew told Fin24.
Check out this News24 Live video with Ignite 3D printing and what the possibilities are:
Andrew added that the problem of having designs was mitigated by the company's service so that subscribers can simply click and build.
"I don't see this as a problem at all. RS is already offering free 3D design software that can be downloaded from DesignSpark, which is RS's online resource and design support for engineers."
Mustek grants all users of its products access to the XYZ 3D Design+ Cloud service.
According to research firm Gartner, 3D printers are set for a big year in 2015 as demand for the devices grows.
The company says that worldwide shipments will hit 217 350 units in 2015, more than double the 108 151 total expected in 2014.
In terms of cost, the Da Vinci 1.0A has a recommended retail price of R10 000, while the Da Vinci 1.0AiO comes in at R15 000 from Mustek.
RS Components sells the RepRapPro Ormerod 2 FDM 3D Printer Kit for R7 950, but for the New EnvisionTEC SLA 3D Printer you could expect to pay R213 210.
- Follow Duncan on Twitter
