Tinkerine Studios Becomes Canada’s First Publicly Traded 3D Printer Manufacturer

Additive manufacturing (AM) may have its roots in the US, but it has spread around the globe. Nearly every country with some sort of manufacturing base has developed an AM market. China, Australia and the UK have all invested into the technology in an effort to give them a leg up in the global manufacturing business.

Canada’s AM scene has reached a new milestone with its first publicly traded manufacturer. Vancouver-based Tinkerine Studios debuted on the TSX Venture Exchange on April 14 under the symbol TTD and has raised over $3 million (Canadian) in investments. 

To provide an analogy, Tinkerine could be viewed as the Canadian equivalent of MakerBot. The company is focused on small businesses (the so-called prosumer market) and home users. It currently offers two different AM systems, the Ditto and the Litto. The $3 million raised will finance the company’s business plan over the next two years, including the launch of its third AM system, the Ditto Pro.

The Ditto is a fairly standard material extrusion printer using PLA to build objects. It has a build envelope of 21 x 18.5 x 23 cm (8.3 x 7.3 x 9 in), and a variable layer resolution of 100-300 microns. Like many of the early US 3D printers, the Ditto can be purchased as a kit or full assembled. The kit is priced at $1,249 Canadian or fully assembled for an additional $300.

The Litto is a smaller version of the Ditto, with the same layer resolution and material, but with a build envelope of 13.5 x 12 x 17.5 cm (5.3 x 4.7 x 6.9 in). The kit costs $999 or it can be shipped fully assembled for an extra $300. Both 3D printers have a birch plywood body and come with Tinkerine’s proprietary Coordia One software.

Moving into the public eye often means offering a better product, and the Ditto Pro seems to follow that trend. It has an aluminum composite body, giving it a more professional look, and offers an increase in resolution to a maximum of 50 microns. No concrete price is listed for the upcoming 3D printer.

Along with the forthcoming launch of the Ditto Pro, Tinkerine plans on targeting the education sector for growth opportunities. The company has stated AM education will become a priority for future manufacturing business, and wants to get a foot in the door by assisting students with hands-on education, and teachers by offering ideas for future curriculum.

Below you’ll find a (somewhat noisy) video about Tinkerine.

Source: Tinkerine