Tiko3D $179 3D Printer

[RNeil]

So how is it so cheap?

It is easy to make cheap and cool looking vaporware.

[nils]

We've collected a bunch of FAQs & an Interview with their CEO on all3dp.com

http://all3dp.com/topic/tiko-3d-printer/

[curious aardvark]

well until it's in proper production and available to actually buy - who knows anything :-)

Some good info there though for the crowd fund gamblers.

[Brian_Krassenstein]

Tiko3D has provided its tenth update to its Kickstarter page, and this one is all about tests for its Unibody 3D printer. There's the 6 foot drop test (yes, the machine survived in tact), the strong but flexible arm test, and the thermal test included in the summary. The team reports great results back from these tests, which are ongoing, and they still hope to meet the November goal of shipping to all of those Kickstarter backers. But they also want to ensure the highest quality machine, while keeping it low cost too. More to come soon from Tiko3D!
http://3dprint.com/94302/tiko3d-stress-tests/

[MiniMadRyan]

Am I the only one who thinks that drop testlooksa like a rendered animation?....

[Bakamoichigei]

Am I the only one who thinks that drop testlooksa like a rendered animation?....

Oh I'm sure you're not the only one, but as someone with a fair bit of animation experience, I doubt it. I think it's just a perceptual bias (specifically the expectation that it's fake) combined with the fact that they did it against a pristine photo backdrop, likely for the aesthetic effect. If you look real close, there's so much going on there-- dynamics-wise --that if they wanted to fake it, it'd most likely be cheaper to build a fake physical mockup that'd withstand the test than to do a rendering.

Heh, I don't know why everyone is still so skeptical about the reality of the printer. I mean, by now it's pretty evident that it's actually being produced, the real question people should be asking is 'how good a printer will it be?' and I can't wait to find out. (Backer #656)

[curious aardvark]

the reason it looks like an animation, is because they've slowed the video down and rendered it as a gif.

And now the hidden bit makes sense. It's all one piece. That's clever.

[MiniMadRyan]

Touche....I really honestly wish them the best and I have no doubt that they can make a real product, I just have my doubts that they can make a quality product at that price point without going broke or skimping on things like after sales support and returns etc. Buccaneer and Makibox shown that its hard too make money at these kinda price points...

[Bakamoichigei]

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.

[MiniMadRyan]

I'm truly interested to see how they do with this printer though. A lot of what you mentioned are good points, and innovative from other printers, but in some cases I wonder if the cost to R&D that new hot end, let alone the bespoke manufacturing of it is cost saving over other hot ends on the market. I don't know...it will be interesting to watch...