New Desktop Resin 3D Printer on the Way with Stalactite 102

If the greatest form of compliment really is imitation, Formlabs should be feeling pretty good about now. Since the launch of the FORM 1, a number of desktop resin additive manufacturing (AM) systems have come to light, each offering a slightly different take on the stereolithography process.

The newest contender is called the Stalactite 102, and is the product of a Barcelona startup named Stalactite 3D. The new 3D printer uses digital light projection (DLP) from the side, rather than the top or bottom, to build objects. The company has also developed four different material options for its new system. 

“At Stalactite we are convinced that excellence resides in the details," according to the company. "The excellence we intend to convey through uncompromised industrial and product design. We opted to introduce innovative ideas and key improvements to pre-existing concepts that often did not deliver on what had been initially promised.”

According to the company, its designers chose to place the DLP system to the side (instead of above or below the build envelope) for a number of reasons, including the size of the laser and resolution. Placing the projector on the side allowed for similar results to other stereolithography systems while using a smaller laser, which reduced cost. Having the projector on the outside also makes changing resolution easier, as the projector can be adjusted without having to open the AM system.

As far as other specs go, the Stalactite 102 offers a build envelope of 102 x 76.8 x 180mm (4.02 x 3.02 x 7.09 in.), which is small, but not unmanageable. It has a minimum layer thickness of 25 microns, and a DPI density of the X/Y of 100 microns in normal mode or 50 microns in fine mode. The body of the system is built from mechanized aluminum and laser-cut steel components.

As is standard at this point, the system comes with its own proprietary software, and is Wi-Fi capable. Stalactite 3D has also developed a line of materials for the system. Customers have four different choices, but the company does claim more materials are on the way. Available materials include:

• Standard: General use, entry level resin.
• Prototyping: Harder and tougher than the standard with similar properties as ABS or Nylon plastic.
• Elastic: As it sounds, the material is elastic and flexible.
• Waxy: Can be used as the core for lost-wax investment casting.

The Stalactite 102 is still busy stacking up cash at Indiegogo, but when it goes live you can expect to buy the system for 2,895€ (a little over $4,000). Below you’ll find Stalactite 3D’s crowdfunding video.

Source: Indiegogo