Apr 26, 2017 | By Benedict
Taiwanese 3D printing company Phrozen has raised almost $170,000 in a Kickstarter campaign for its new DLP 3D printer, the Phrozen Make. The crowdfunding campaign, which still has 29 days to run, reached its $30,000 goal in just four minutes.
After being billed by its maker as “the world’s most compact, reliable, and precise LCD 3D printer,” the Phrozen Make has a big reputation to live up to. For more than 150 Kickstarter backers, however, shelling out $839 for the forthcoming DLP 3D printer seems to have been a no-brainer.
The 3D printer uses LCD light to cure Phrozen-made or third-party 3D printing resins, and can supposedly print up to ten times faster than standard SLA printers. Add in 2KHD LCD resolution with a 60% higher contrast ratio, and you’ve got a very appealing product sitting in front of you.
Phrozen has made a DLP 3D printer before, the Phrozen One, but the Phrozen Make is its first machine to be part of a crowdfunding campaign. That makes the campaign’s massive funding total somewhat surprising, though its active Facebook community may be responsible for a large chunk of backing—something the company itself has hinted at.
“For the past two years, we managed the largest resin 3D printing group in Asia where thousands of users connect and support each other in resin 3D printing,” Phrozen says. “As we interacted with our users, we’ve been hearing about the gap and frustration between cheap but bulky FDM 3D printer[s] and high quality but expensive SLA/DLP 3D printer[s]. We are hoping to change that.”
Phrozen says its new DLP 3D printer is suitable for 3D printing mechanical parts, medical tools, and models, thanks to its 50W light and Omron Optical Endstop, which is apparently five times more sensitive than standard mechanical micro switches. The company also says its UV-LED array provides 90% optical uniformity with a printing tolerance of less than 30 microns.
“Traditional light-cured resin 3D printers only [have] one light source, and the effective printing range is limited to the center,” Phrozen explains. “Phrozen Make’s UV-LED matrix design has 90% optical uniformity. The uniform light across the LCD panel won’t miss any details of your prints.”
The Taiwanese 3D printer maker boasts of other advantages to its new DLP LCD 3D printer too. For example, it says the printer’s light penetration rate is 10 percent higher than normal light-cured resin 3D printers, while its print speed of 40 mm per hour helps users get through prints quickly. The printer’s build volume of 7.5 x 4.7 x 7.9 inches (190.5 x 119 x 201 mm) is also on the larger side for a resin 3D printer.
The Phrozen Make is available through Kickstarter at an early bird price of $839, with delivery expected in July 2017. A larger version, the Phrozen Make XL, currently costs $1,349.
Given the large amount of money involved with the campaign, it’s understandable that several Kickstarter users have been quick to hold Phrozen to account over its technical claims, with some users asking for further details and clarifications from the Taiwanese company. With 2017 already bringing some large-scale Kickstarter failures such as the Next Dynamics NexD1 and Tiko 3D printer, it’s good to makers applying pressure on startups for the good of the 3D printing community.
Nonetheless, we hope Phrozen is able to answer its skeptics and provide a high-quality DLP 3D printer to its legions of backers.
Phrozen Make key features:
- LCD screen resolution: 2048 × 1080
- Build volume: 190.5 x 119 x 201 mm
- X-Y resolution: 47 Microns
- Z resolution: 10 Microns
- Print Speed: 40 mm / hour
- Wireless via mobile and laptop
- Partner of NanoDLP software
Posted in 3D Printer
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Either that LCD resolution is incorrect, or the X-Y resolution is a lie. Based on the build volume and the LCD resolution, the X-Y resolution will be 110um, not 47. The Wanhao D7 has an XY resolution of 47um, has roughly the same build volume, costs $500, and can be purchased right now. I would not back this one.
John wrote at 5/1/2017 5:03:20 PM:
Your case is for non-cooling LCD printer, like Wanhao D7. If they get cooling system, the life will extend.
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