Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
3D Printer Guide
2
Hands-on experiences with 11 3D printers.
In September 2012,
MAKE
invited Matt Grif-
fin to put together a team of reviewers from
the 3D printing community to advise
MAKE
's
readers about the 3D printing state of the art.
The team investigated 15 of the most prom-
ising fused-filament fabrication (FFF) print-
ers on the market—devices that melt and
extrude plastic filament to form solid ob-
jects, layer by layer—the most popular
method of 3D printing. We reached back to
2010 and into the future, previewing still-
under-wraps machines weeks before their
launch at World Maker Faire New York.
A lot has changed since those tests: there are
new printers on the market, some printers
are no longer for sale, and many have im-
proved. This chapter distills the original re-
views into stories of hands-on experiences
with the 11 3D printers that, at the time of
this publication, are still for sale. If you want
the most up-to-date reviews, check out the
latest edition of our
Make: Ultimate Guide to
3D Printing
; if you want to learn what it's like
to explore a printer from the moment it
comes out of the box, read on!
Figure 2-1.
During the testing, the MAKE offices became a vortex of 3D printers and the geeks who love them
