You can own a 3D printer for under $200
There are so many 3D printers on the market right now, it is difficult to know which one to buy, or if you even need one. If you have seen one in action, chances are you thought it was pretty cool, but maybe the high price point has you a bit skittish; weighing pros and cons, usefulness against keeping up with technology. Tiko is the answer and it will only cost you $179. Seriously.
Tiko is a 3D printer that has far surpassed their original Kickstarter goal, so they will soon be in production.
How the printer is built
It is a delta printer, which means its body is shaped like a triangle instead of a rectangle. The delta shape allows it to use three vertically moving parallel motors to change the position of the filament extruder.
This allows the machine to make accurate prints without any high-precision rails, bearings, or expensive components you would find in cartesian (rectangular) printers.
Tiko isn’t messing around
Don’t let that happy-dance-making price tag fool you though, this printer can keep up with its high-end counterparts, without blinking a motor. The Tiko has a print resolution that will go down to 50 microns, as well as a print volume of 138 cubic inches.
It also has a passively cooled extruder tip and a flexible build plate that requires no special adhesives or energy to function properly. Say what? To remove a completed print from Tiko, you simply bend the bed until your print pops off. Super cool.
The only downside I see…
The only possibly downside I see: Tiko offers no USB ports, so everything you want to print will have to be sent over Wi-Fi, but this also allows you to turn off your computer as the printer stores the design as soon as it’s sent.
It could take a bit of trial and error to master the Tiko design, but that is true of any new piece of technology and with the current price tag, it is definitely worth a look if you’re looking to give 3D printing a whirl without investing too much.
Video demo of Tiko
Bonus video: what 3D printers are being used for
