The Micro 3D printer (M3D) is what Michael Armani and David Jones consider to be “the first truly consumer 3D printer.” This innovative product is a relatively small 3D printer that can sit on a desk and allow anyone to begin 3D printing. These two millennial entrepreneurs began their journey for this innovation in a basement back in 2012 where they brainstormed and designed a variety of different technologies. This brainstorming led to the idea of a consumer 3D printer. They turned to Kickstarter for support in making this idea a success. According to their website, this “quickly became the largest crowdfunded printer in east coast history, and even more exciting, the world’s first truly accessible consumer 3D printer.”
Although Armani and Jones weren’t the first entrepreneurs to design and develop a 3D printer, they were the first innovators to create a truly consumer-oriented 3D printer. This has widened the market for 3D printers substantially because students, artists, and everyday consumers can now begin 3D printing at a low cost with an easy to use design software. The M3D is now being sold through their website beginning at the low price of $349 and will hopefully be released for retail sale soon.
This innovation proves that there is great potential in emerging industries such as in the 3D printer market. This encourages me as a Computer Information Systems major to keep my eyes peeled for opportunities in the technology industry, which is changing and improving at a rapid rate.
More information regarding the M3D can be found here at their website.
This is a really interesting innovation. While these guys didn’t invent 3D printing, they redesigned the way people can access the technology. Instead of 3D printing being just a business or high-tech industrial technology, regular, everyday consumers can now access 3D printers. It just goes to show that you don’t have to invent something completely new to be innovative. Thanks for sharing!
I’m a big fan of normally specialized technology being made available to the public, and this is definitely not an exception. 3D printing is such a great tool, and the ability to market that to ordinary people will drastically change the public’s ability to innovate, especially with mechanics. I think this is a great example of one innovation can radically liberate other great innovations.
3D printing is so cool, it’s awesome that it’s becoming cheap and relatively available to everyone. I like how these guys innovated something that already existed and found a way to make it their own.
This is really cool! I’ve always been fascinated by 3D printers and what they can create and do. My dad has often used 3D printers to create prototypes for his inventions, but if he were to be able to have one in his office that would be a game changer for him and would help him so much. I think it’s awesome that these guys crowd-sourced their funding and I’m excited to see what these little things can do!
Its too bad the first guy to invent the 3D printer didn’t profit from it at all