Nobel Offers Affordable SLA Desktop Printing

Technology moves fast. It wasn’t even two years ago I was reporting on the first desktop SLA system, the FORM1 from Formlabs. The FORM1 was a big step forward for desktop additive manufacturing (AM) systems in general. In that time other companies have brought forth their own desktop SLA systems to challenge Formlabs, but nothing groundbreaking in either price or features.

XYZ Printing has bucked that trend with the release of the Nobel. Coming straight out of Taiwan, XYZ has already challenged the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) world with its da Vinci series of 3D printers and all-in-one systems. Now the company is taking on the likes of Formlabs and Autodesk with the Nobel.

Normally I’d wait and list the price for the system nearer the end of a post, but, really, the price is a large part of the draw for the Nobel. Formlabs is currently selling the FORM1+ for $3,299. Autodesk’s Ember is about twice that price. You can place an order for the Nobel for $1,499.

You get what you pay for is the old adage against buying something that seems too good to be true. As far as specs go, the Nobel seems to be on par with its competitors. It offers a 5 x 5 x 7.9 in. (128 x 128 x 200 mm) build envelope, with a 0.3mm (300 microns) resolution, and a variable layer thickness that runs from 0.025mm (25 microns) to 0.1mm (100 microns).

The advertising and self-help sections of the website are also quite clever. XYZ has offered a number of different video tutorials about how to operate its new AM system, and they seem clear and easy to follow. Much of the site’s advertising also seems targeted toward a Western audience, using models you might expect to see in an Old Navy commercial, rather than local (for XYZ) talent.

I have come across a few reports that the Nobel is slower than similar systems. For some small businesses or prosumers, a couple extra hours here and there might be worth the drop in price. Considering the company has already labeled the new AM system 1.0, it wouldn’t be surprising to see advances in the near future.

Below you’ll find a video about the Nobel.

Source: XYZ Printing