3D printers normally don’t come cheap. Aiming to change that and 3D printing as a whole is Rylan Grayston, who’s behind the Peachy laser 3D printer. The project was recently launched on Kickstarter, where it raised over $140,000 in a span of 48 hours.
Peachy boasts of open-source hardware and software, which is just one of the reasons why people seem to pledging like crazy. The printer combines photolithographic printing, which uses a powerful laser beam to mold resin, and a saltwater-based drip process that changes the printed object’s height gradually.
To print something, users have to create a 3D model of the object using Blender, a free program that can import CAD files. Peachy’s plugin analyzes the model and converts it into an audio waveform, which drives a pair of electromagnetic mirrors in the device.
The purpose of these mirrors is to reflect and control the path of the laser beam. By using the audio waveform generated from the 3D model data to drive the mirrors, we are able to get the laser beam to draw out the shape of the object.
The process is a bit complicated to explain, so the clip above, which shows how Peachy works, might help.
You can find out more about Peachy on their Kickstarter project page. You’ll be able to get your own kit when you make a minimum pledge of $116.
[ Peachy on Kickstarter ] VIA [ C|NET ]
