More Info On Cube And Cubify

An article on PC World titled “3D Printing Draws Closer to Mainstream with Cubify” gives more information about the Cube 3D printer that 3D Systems will display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas tomorrow. The article says:

“Sometime in the next few months, 3D Systems will start selling a new Cube 3D printer priced at $1299 that comes with a cartridge of plastic available in ten colors. The printer is 14-by-14-by-18 inches, weighs less than 9 pounds, and can print about ten to twelve “average size” parts, which Rajeed Kulkarni [sic], 3D Systems VP and general manager of consumer solutions, says works out to be about $4 to $5 per part. When it’s time to reorder a new cartridge, the cost is $50.”

The article goes on to describe the Cubify platform itself.:

You can use the tools on Cubify to create products that you think are marketable and sell them right there on the platform. And companies already printing their own 3D products can use Cubify as another sales channel.

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Artists and developers get 60 percent of the revenue from sales of products or apps on Cubify. 3D Systems takes a 30 percent share and the rest goes to sales tax, they tell me.

3D Systems has been working closely with Geomagic for some time now. The company will show a Kinect-to-3D print app at the 3D Systems booth at CES. The app is based on the Geomagic Studio reverse engineering software. The company’s press release says:

“This application, at an early stage of development, will demonstrate the automated process of 3D imaging and 3D printing for consumers. For CES it enables an instant 3D image of visitors at the event to be automatically turned into a 3D model and printed out on a 3D printer during the show.”

Here is a video showing the Kinect-to-3D print app in action.