Bukobot Aims for a Quality Open Source 3D Printer

A fair amount of the drive of independent 3D printer manufacturers has been to lower prices to bring the systems within fiscal reach of a broader audience. You can find several 3D printers for under $1,000 (the Solidoodle goes for $500, for example). No one expects these printers to produce the same quality of objects as a professional system, but maybe a few can get close.

Deezmaker began life as a Kickstarter project, where it nearly quadrupled its goal of $42,000. The startup has produced its own line of printers, named Bukobot after the creator’s dog. That is fairly impressive all by itself. Most small businesses offer a single 3D printer or maybe two at most. Deezmaker offers four different versions of the Bukobot.

Even better, for the not-so-technically-inclined, customers are able to purchase some printer models pre-assembled at a price hike that varies by system.

The Buko Mini Green Kit has a 5x5x6 in. build envelope and only uses PLA, which is considered a “green” plastic. A kit costs $750. The Buko 8 Green Kit increases the build envelope to 8x8x8 in. and continues to use PLA. The kit costs $845. Neither green version is offered pre-assembled.

The Buko 8 Vanilla Kit and the Buko 8 Duo kit both have an 8x8x8 in. build envelope, and can use standard thermoplastic filament. The Duo kit has dual plastic extruders, theoretically allowing the user to print in two different colors simultaneously. The systems are priced at $999 and $1,299, respectively, and both can be ordered pre-assembled. This kicks the Vanilla up to $1,320 and the Duo increases to $1,950.

Those seem kind of expensive for a product likely aimed at hobbyists, right? I started this article with talk of quality and, according to the company, the Bukobot 8 Vanilla is capable of printing at .05 mm resolution.

 My Bukobot kits are all about quality. I think it’s very important in this new technology to have the best experience possible for it to become mainstream. I know there are some cheaper printers out there, but one way or another they compromise something to make them ‘good enough.’ All my Bukobots kits will have the best motors, electronics and components possible to make sure that they’re durable, reliable and faster. —Diego Porqueras, Bukobot’s creator

Bukobot was designed using RepRap open source specs, and Porqueras says he will upload the design to the community. While the start-up road is difficult, so far Bukobot looks like a positive step in designing a quality, reasonably priced 3D printer for home and some small businesses use.

Below you’ll find a video about the Bukobot.

Source: Deezmaker