If you thought the $499 price point that XYZprinting announced at last year's CES for its Da Vinci 3D printer was low, the company has outdone itself this year by unveiling the da Vinci Junior for just $349.
In addition, the company has announced the Nobel 1.0, a high-resolution stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer that is also unusually affordable for a printer that uses that technology.
The da Vinci Junior measures 16.5 by 15 by 16.9 inches and weighs 26 pounds. It has a build area of 5.9 by 5.9 by 5.9 inches. A built-in SD card slot allows users to print directly from an SD card, with no computer required. This standalone feature is ideal for shared 3D printers in schools or offices.
XYZprinting stresses the da Vinci Junior's ease of use, and markets it as a plug-and-play printer. With a calibration-free design, the da Vinci Junior's build platform requires no leveling. The device's all-enclosed printing area and non-heated bed provides a safe printing environment. It features safe and easy fused filament fabrication (FFF) cartridges that auto-load, and NFC technology detects when filament is low and needs replacing. Its one-click, fast-release extruder makes it convenient for users to swap or change extruders.
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The da Vinci Junior system consumes only 75 watts of power for printing, making it one of the more eco-friendly 3D printers on the market. The printer is expected to be available in May.
Will Nobel Be a Winner?
The Nobel 1.0 employs stereolithography (SLA) technology, which uses a laser to heat the photosensitive resin, producing higher-resolution print objects with more complex geometry. It can print objects at resolutions (layer height) as small as 25 microns. The product's dimensions are 11 by 13 by 23.8 inches, and its build area is 5 by 5 by 7.9 inches. A built-in USB drive slot allows users to print directly from a USB stick.
The Nobel 1.0 features an enclosed printing area, ensuring safe use in a home or office environment, protecting everyone nearby from high print temperatures and ensuring printing byproducts are contained to the printing area. Its resin-filling system, which checks resin levels automatically, provides a stable printing environment, eliminating the need to add liquid resin constantly throughout the printing process.
The device is expected to be available in the third quarter of this year for $1,499, which is considerably less than other SLA printers we've encountered, many of which are priced in the five figures. The only one we've reviewed, the Formlabs Form 1+, sells for $3,299.