Draw in 3D with the 3Doodler

People like additive manufacturing (AM) partially because of its flexibility. You can produce objects using AM which would otherwise be either impossible or incredibly costly to manufacture. That presumes that you (or someone that works for you) is capable of using CAD to design that product in the first place.

While programs such as 123D Sculpt have made creating simple designs easier, creating a 3D model from scratch can still be intimidating to some people. What if you could get the AM product without needing to build a 3D model? The 3Doodler offers a potential solution.

The 3Doodler is basically an oversized pen that extrudes plastic material. By “drawing” with the tip hovering over a flat surface, the device lays down layers of plastic in much the same way as material deposition process AM systems. It should go without saying that, unless you happen to have amazing artistic skills, you aren’t likely to produce the same kind of results as a machine.

The 3Doodler is a Kickstarter project that has already reached nearly $375,000 in funding, which is a good $345,000 over the original goal. A $75 pledge gets you a 3Doodler and PLA filament to fuel it. Along with giving people a chance to have fun with 3D printing (drawing?), Wobble Works, the company behind the device, is lining up artists from Etsy to create jewelry and other artwork using the 3Doodle.

While this first attempt at a 3D printing pen may seem crude, keep in mind the first material extrusion AM systems weren’t exactly the same precise beasts available today. Remember that Stratasys founder Scott Crump built his first 3D printer using a hot glue gun to make a toy frog for his daughter. Given some technological support to help the user stay in the lines, so to speak, a device like the 3Doodler could become more than just a high tech toy.

Below you’ll find a video about the 3Doodler.

Sources: Kickstarter, 3Doodler