A collection of links related to BL (possibly) launching a new (flagship) printer… and going through the articles (or video) you’ll definitely notice the discrepancies between the statements of the various BL staff members answering. Considering our previous experience last year when similar information was circulated, yet we’ve got ourselves the A series instead of an X2 or XL model, I’d caution when going through the linked materials, to take the info provided there with a pinch of salt (a lot of it):
Well, only YouTube video info, but the QIDI Plus4 nozzle cleaning was already referred to as a “car wash” not just driving over - even circling and an 3 stations cleaning and so on.
Furthermore, a statement was made on a German-language YouTube video talks about that QIDI confirmed to him that they are working on something like an AMS and he doesn’t have to hide the information (Let’s see if it gets confirmed a littel more to get it more sustainably) - And even if, there are always a lot of promised in 3D printing world, for example that spaghetti detection will also be integrated. There have been even a printer from a other manufacturers sold with promises of color changes, but the color change never came - they just declared it canceled the color change by sold printers… and and and…
But if point 2 not just a promise, QIDI can wait with the AMS anyway until end of the Chinese New Year - then QIDI have a confirmed printer at the start and whether another 3D printer makes again another mistake with a pre-Christmas quick shot that then sends waves far after China New Year and the waves are just probably digested now. Or they are already close to pulling the trigger. But if they pull the trigger should will be the wrong word, then it has to be in.
So if everything is right and there is no blagging, Bambulab itself even has to address the outstanding points on the X1E into the new one. Apart from the lidar there are no more negative points. And when it comes to lidar itself, i think many P1S user says that it is absolutely unimportant. But regardless of whether they are right or not, main stream is the P1S…
Actually, looking at it from a distance with time is very interesting.
Why haven’t mainstream companies like Apple, HP, Dell, Xerox, Kodak, IBM, Canon, Panasonic, Sony, Philips, Siemens, Samsung, or LG entered the <$3,000 3D printer market? If I missed your favorite mega-brand, make a post and we’ll consider it too. Doesn’t it seem odd that none of these recognizable brands has even put its toe in the water?
They don’t have a vested interest in 3d printing (yet), but that could change now that because of BL’s “out-of-the-box” printers, the consumers interest and purchases have exploded.
I suppose Dremel counts, though it seems to have focused on STEM programs at schools more than the hobby/DIY market it sells its rotary tools into. I don’t ever hear of anyone considering a Dremel 3D printer for purchase. Not saying it doesn’t happen, but it seems far off the radar of just about everyone.
I really like the pei wiping section instead of using the plate. I also like how the nozzle wipes in circles instead of just back and forth. Mine should be here in the next couple days. I’m thinking of ordering some PEI filament to try out
I actually have some kodak filament floating around still. HP, GE and Siemens also make printers I think. Other heavy machinery manufacturers are leap frogging straight to concrete. Maybe its limited as nobody really knows the long term effects of home use and dont want the liability. So the big movers only make highly filtered systems and whatnot. Like the asbestos effect
Well, HP has always been in love with inkjet technology, so maybe that’s the horse they’re planning to ride into the 3D printing space, like that multi-color, non-toxic inkjet resin printer I posted a youtube about recently earlier in this thread.
I think its an advertising issue. Imagine if there were bambu commercials on mainstream tv. Or bestbuy/costco shelves. Most people just dont know until a buddy shows them. I had no clue kodak ever even made 1. Or it was $10,000 lol
Up until 5 mnutes ago I had never heard of it either. Original MSRP was $3,499. You can still buy them new for $2,499. Honestly, for a dual extruder, it’s not that far removed from the market pricing, especially if it delivers quality.
Who knew? I guess they should have done a kickstarter and given it away to youtube influencers. What a fumbled opportunity.
Regardless of how it’s done, I would agree that a thorough automatic nozzle wiping is an important feature. I’m surprised most of the competition has been so slow to adopt it.
Right now flashforge probably has the easiest nozzle change system, even easier than the A series. Painful memories of time wasted unclogging Prusa hotends makes this 5 second nozzle-change seem seem like a bargain. Not that long ago people were modding their printers to change out the entire printhead to get that level of swapping speed, and at far greater cost.
Possibly because the end customer market has very little growth potential. Of course, from a global perspective, there is no small demand by anything, but if you look at things like televisions and telephones, everyone wants one.
You can see it in the YouTube videos. Even if a 3D printer (or about 3D printing) video has a lot of views, it’s next to nothing. The range that 3D printers are now landing on Crafts channels is already an extreme increase in range.
That’s what I meant when people realize what the semi-pro league of today’s 3D printers can do, they will be massively more integrated into work steps. Very few people follow the development of 3D printing or are even interested in it and don’t have it on their radar.
And what’s more, the big companies have so much money behind them, why should you expand a market. When the time comes they just take it over.
You need the right mix of in-house mechatronic skills to make the shift. When I look at the list, I think it’s more likely to be an existing printer manufacturer, like an HP or Canon or Epson or Brother. Have you ever taken apart an inkjet printer or a flatbed scanner? They’re beautifully optimized to do that one thing with precision and a small number of parts. They don’t even bother with stepper motors; instead they use cheap motors combined with inexpensive closed-loop linear optical encoder tapes held taught with springs. Those skills would transfer very well. Ultimately, that’s what’s needed to be one of the last men left standing in the long run, after everything shakes out. The only thing keeping some of the existing 3D printer companies alive is the fact that the market is growing so rapidly. A rising tide raises all ships, right? And we’re still quite a way away from market saturation, and yet the pricing pressure is already underway, as evidenced by the rapid decline in 3D printer prices over the last 6 to 12 months. I doubt there will be an Elegoo or an AnyCubic 5 years from now. 80/20 extruded aluminum and t-slots will be out of the picture.
Prusa’s current MK4 design won’t be cost competitive. In 5 years Prusa might still exist, but probably at the margins until it too fades to black. Once established trustworthy brands enter the market, its main reason for success–as previously the only guarantor of quality–will have expired, as companies like Bambu will have climbed into that role with a more manufacturable design. This is just extending current trendlines. That could be upended if those trajectories change.
I think the other reason for the overall improvement of quality and user experience has been distribution by major retailers, like amazon and microcenter. Creality’s prior “launch and then run away” strategy that depended on return-shipping costs to China being too high won’t fly anymore.
I bet prusas last stand will be in the filament market. I would say theyll be acquired, but if you look at their operation youll see they dont have much value in machinery, realistate or land. Not sure what value they hold in patents. Most of their value is in the employees.
Or they could amaze us in the short term. I personally think the xl is amazing but expensive
And where do you get them? Ultimately, only better quality will work. The zones in Asia that I know still work in such a way that craftsmen don’t cost anything and in the other Asian zones where this is not the case, craftsmen are also in short supply. They don’t understand us and we don’t understand them.
I don`t think Samsung is diverting resources from a secure market to experimentally produce. There may should be 3D printers in every household until they start a production line. If they even have to do so, Bambulab might open up every possible flank for attackers to attacked. Autodesk, isn’t that one of the biggest players in 3D printing? Markerworld?
And then maintenance has to be as easy as with a paper printer - so no more screwing around with the toner, just push up the latch, old toner out, new toner in - like I did with the Creality S1 just massively easier. Old pressure head out, new one in. Nobody can afford repairs anymore (troubleshooting are also extremely expensiveand) you shouldn’t expect that from laypeople. There are zones where a self-employed craftsman costs 300 euros per month and there are zones where a craftsman in a fix contract costs 300 euros in 2 hours. You don’t want the Chinese manager to understand that, do you? The Chinese manager doesn’t understand (even in case of a guarantee, which is already a foreign word to him which he don`t get or doesn’t want to understand - be smart, act stupid) that it costs more money to repair there print head than to throw it in the bin and put a new one in.
And as you rightly pointed out, the quality improvement comes from the big sellers because no one can afford repairs or returns to Asia. The reverse sorting of a returned, individually compiled package even in Europ to Europ means that something of value has to be returned - otherwise it goes through the melting furnace and a new goods will come out faster than to taking care of the old ones.
And before a production line will start to get it cheap thure us, the demand must by much more bigger. It will work as usual, e.g. at Nokia. As long as demand is still manageable, they are in lead - as soon as demand increased and the production lines are started… Where is Nokia today?
If you refer to Nokia Mobile and Nokia brand, these are in the hands, and under the control, of Hon Hai/Foxconn Technology Group [https://www.foxconn.com/],
and
HMD Global [https://www.hmd.com/].
Ok, one point for drakko - but I’m no longer interested in Nokia, even if I haven’t bought anything else may 20 years ago Kodak, I didn’t even know it even existed in 2018.
and depens on were you look you will finde HP, Canon, General Electric, Hewlett Packard in the top 10 of 3D Printing Companies in the World.
But it really depends on where you look on. The lists can vary greatly, but Autodesk and Stratasys are usually included unless completely different criteria are seted.
What a fumbled opportunity.
Kodak, I didn’t even know it even existed in 2018.