Falling someplace between a 3D printer and the inkjet you employ to churn out shade images, Anker’s eufyMake model has introduced what it’s calling the “business’s first 3D-texture UV Printer designed for private use.” The UV Printer E1 is nearer in measurement to a 3D printer than an inkjet, however is designed to supply 2D photos on varied surfaces – reminiscent of paper or glass – with a refined raised texture that may simulate the texture and look of supplies like wooden and even crocodile pores and skin.
A majority of these printers are usually utilized in massive printing and manufacturing services who’ve the finances and the room to function what’s historically cumbersome and costly {hardware}. For instance, a number of years in the past at CES, Casio demonstrated a $50,000 printer providing comparable performance. eufyMake is launching its UV Printer E1 later this month by a Kickstarter crowdfunding marketing campaign with a typical bundle priced at $1,899. However these keen to order one now with a $50 deposit can get the E1 discounted to $1,499.
Because the title implies, UV printers use a specifically formulated ink that cures and dries immediately when uncovered to ultraviolet mild after it’s been utilized to a floor. The method usually produces prints which can be extra sturdy than different printing methods, and it may be utilized to a number of surfaces, not simply paper. To create 3D textures, a thicker ink is laid down and cured first, in a course of much like 3D printing. eufyMake says the E1 can create textures as thick as 5 millimeters deep.
Supported supplies embrace wooden, steel, glass, leather-based, and acrylic which may be positioned on a transferring mattress measuring round 13 inches by 16.5 inches in measurement. However utilizing an optionally available rotation unit, the E1 also can immediately print on rounded objects like mugs and water bottles, bettering the accuracy of purposes by eliminating the necessity to manually switch designs.
For additional ease of use, the E1 features a self-cleaning system to forestall clogs from forming that might put the machine out of use. It additionally makes use of a mixture of cameras and lasers to measure and decide the situation of objects being immediately printed on, reminiscent of smartphone instances.
The E1’s pricing will assist make UV printing accessible to a greater variety of makers and smaller corporations, however eufyMake hasn’t revealed the pricing of substitute ink cartridges, or how lengthy they’ll final. The E1 makes use of a set of six UV inks together with CMYK plus white and an ink that creates a shiny end. They’re included with the UV printer as a part of a bundle that eufyMake says is price $299, however particulars on what number of tasks may be printed earlier than cartridges run dry haven’t been revealed.
“We wish the E1 to shift the UV printing expertise away from manufacturing unit partitions, and into houses, studios, small companies and artwork markets around the globe,” says eufy common supervisor Frank Zhu. However relying on the value of these UV inks, the UV Printer E1 could find yourself solely being reasonably priced for these capable of promote their creations.