Alternatives to the Printrbot Simple - 3D Printing: Build your Own 3D Printer and Print your own 3D Objects - page 191

Figure 10.6 The Form 1.
The quality of objects printed on the Form 1 far exceeds those objects printed us-
ing extruded plastic. But so does the price. Right now, stereolithography 3D print-
ers typically cost between $2,000 and $50,000. Give them a few more years, and
they may very well replace the extruded plastic versions of 3D printers. But for
now, they're still quite costly as entry-level devices.
Print-It-for-You Services
Hobbyist versions of 3D printers have come a long way in the past few years,
and the quality of many 3D objects printed has increased so dramatically that with
some higher-end hobbyist 3D printers, it's difficult to tell a printed object from
something molded out of plastic. However, this level of quality comes from a more
expensive printer—something not available to most homes or schools. So what do
you do if you find yourself needing to print out an item in plastic but need a higher
level of print quality than what your current 3D printer offers and you can't afford
(or don't want) a higher-priced 3D printer? Easy. You outsource it.