Gallery: A $250 3-D Printer With Breakthrough Software
Photos by New Matter01newmatter3
The Mod-T is a $250 3-D printer from New Matter. As ambitious as the low-cost hardware is, the startup's digital platform is arguably as groundbreaking as the low-cost printer itself.
Photos by New Matter02newmatter5
A clever bit of engineering is what lets New Matter sell the Mod-T at such a low price. By using just two rods to move the build plate, the number of components for the mechanism is far lower than other printers.
Photos by New Matter03newmatter7
"The way we see it, $1,000 or even $600 is too much for consumers to bear," says Steve Schnell, New Matter's founder. "It needs to be at a price point of a couple hundred bucks, so people can take a little bit of a risk on it."
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According to Ethan Imboden, a Frog VP who's been working with New Matter for the last several months, the store aspect could be even more important for the artists and designers crafting these 3-D objects. By giving them a venue to sell their work, Imboden thinks the ecosystem could generate a wave of new designs that are both functional and beautiful.
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"It requires a great bit of skill to create objects that will inspire people, and have utility to them, and that will print well," he says. "It's non-trivial. Here's somebody who's creating content of real value, and New Matter is providing an opportunity for him to monetize that."
