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  1. #41
    Staff Engineer LambdaFF's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bakamoichigei View Post
    As best as I can figure, a lot of it has to do with design and production considerations they made. Such as the choice of using inexpensive geared steppers with custom gears... ​(As detailed in one of the updates) They're quick and accurate, but I guess maybe it required them to make the end effector as light as possible? To that end, they've got a titanium nozzle which is light and dissipates heat so well that it doesn't really need much in the way of a heatsink or a heat break or anything-- there isn't even a fan on the hotend, it's passively cooled! --further reducing weight, as well as component count and assembly costs. Then there's the fact that the linear rails are molded into the unibody frame, which also saves costs in basically every aspect of production. (Parts, tooling, assembly...) It seems they put a lot of thought into how to get the costs as low as possible so they could offer it at that price. But yeah, only time will really tell.
    I would agree that most of it seems well thought and I really look forward to seeing how this develops.

    However there are some items on which I really have doubts, namely :
    - passive cooling in a close enclosure ? I hope there won't be heat creep issues during long prints.
    - machined titanium : tricky limitations and not cheap.
    - custom gears : not cheap.
    - rails molded into the frame. Nice trick, but if it turns out you need modifications, this kind of stuff can really be a pain.

  2. #42
    Well, fast forward a year on...

    ...Tiko printers have shipped!

    ...oh, wait ...only 200x units thus far (out of 16,500 or so).

    The most recent Kickstarter Update by Tiko3D to their backers informed them that shipping was due to commence at the beginning of July 2016. To be fair to Tiko3D its true they 'did' actually ship some printers (albeit only 100x to backers in China to expedite delivery) - but that was it...

    ...no more printers have been sent out as the initial 100x and subsequent 100x sent to Chinese backers have highlighted some significant manufacturing and developmental issues which have necessitated tweaking of components and firmware.

    Tiko3D have commented (Note: not formally updated the backers) to the effect that it could be a further 3-months of R&D to resolve issues that have come to light and identified by the initial 200x backers that have been using their printers.

    In the meantime there are circa 16,300 backers that are nervously awaiting a formal Update from Tiko as the most recent communication they have received directly was informing them that all problems had been resolved and that shipping was due to start in July.

    Tiko3D have come a long way, but the ultimate test is for them to deliver what they promised and set out to do.

    The optimists will point to the fact that the team have managed to set up a supply chain of component manufacturers and suppliers, acquire a premises for assembling the printers and employ a sizeable staff (30+ according to comments from Tiko3D)...

    The pessimists will allude to the fact that delivery is heading towards being a year later than Tiko3D originally stated in the Kickstarter campaign, and the fact that accordingly the finances must be stretched almost to breaking as there was never a bottomless pit of money to fund salary and wages for 12-months overrun and cost of implementing the remedial changes.

  3. #43
    Engineer-in-Training
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    Jul 2014
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    Ontario, Canada
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    257
    Quote Originally Posted by On_Targetz View Post
    Well, fast forward a year on...

    ...Tiko printers have shipped!

    ...oh, wait ...only 200x units thus far (out of 16,500 or so).

    The most recent Kickstarter Update by Tiko3D to their backers informed them that shipping was due to commence at the beginning of July 2016. To be fair to Tiko3D its true they 'did' actually ship some printers (albeit only 100x to backers in China to expedite delivery) - but that was it...

    ...no more printers have been sent out as the initial 100x and subsequent 100x sent to Chinese backers have highlighted some significant manufacturing and developmental issues which have necessitated tweaking of components and firmware.

    Tiko3D have commented (Note: not formally updated the backers) to the effect that it could be a further 3-months of R&D to resolve issues that have come to light and identified by the initial 200x backers that have been using their printers.

    In the meantime there are circa 16,300 backers that are nervously awaiting a formal Update from Tiko as the most recent communication they have received directly was informing them that all problems had been resolved and that shipping was due to start in July.

    Tiko3D have come a long way, but the ultimate test is for them to deliver what they promised and set out to do.

    The optimists will point to the fact that the team have managed to set up a supply chain of component manufacturers and suppliers, acquire a premises for assembling the printers and employ a sizeable staff (30+ according to comments from Tiko3D)...

    The pessimists will allude to the fact that delivery is heading towards being a year later than Tiko3D originally stated in the Kickstarter campaign, and the fact that accordingly the finances must be stretched almost to breaking as there was never a bottomless pit of money to fund salary and wages for 12-months overrun and cost of implementing the remedial changes.

    I've seen them in person twice now, and honestly they look pretty nice, albeit slow. I just wonder now if there is as much advantage to these units than there was a year ago....I mean, Monoprice has the MakerSelect Mini for $200, which is a fairly decent printer for basically the same cost, without having to wait to an unknown time for delivery, or other issues.

  4. #44
    Super Moderator curious aardvark's Avatar
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    Jul 2014
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    8,801
    yeah, 2 years ago when it was a $99 printyer it looked pretty good.

    Now at $179, not so much. As stated there are several small volume printers around for similiar prices.

    It's still a decent bit of kit - but at the current price point - with p&p and tax I'd be looking at £200 +
    for which I can probably get a full size delta kit for.

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