A new 3D printer has arrived on Kickstarter designed by a young UK-based entrepreneur at NFire Labs based the C4DI technology hub in Hull.
Dubbed “the world's first truly modular 3D printer”, the NFire 1 is focussed on making upgradability as easy as possible as technology progresses and with a proposed market price of £350, is affordable too.
Created by Alex Youden, winner of Young Engineer of Britain in 2013, the idea is to give users the freedom to modify their machines to suit their needs. For example, a standard sized NFire 1 can be upgraded from a 150mm build height to 300mm via a Z axis add-on kit to increase build volume for larger print jobs. A dual extrusion upgrade has also been developed to ensure dual colour 3D printing is as simple as single colour.
All design and production is being carried out in the UK with most parts printer parts being supplied within a 2-mile radius of the C4DI hub. The printers also features e3D V6 hotends by e3D which are capable of performing at extremely high temperatures.
NFire Labs is already planning on additional upgrades for the printer which will be available once the Kickstarter and further developments are complete. Some additional features that are currently in the works are the heated build plates, bespoke software and even a build in 3D scanner.
NFire Labs is also working alongside a local 3D printing filament manufacturer, Floreon which is more than 4 times as strong as the standard PLA formula. Each printer will come equipped with at least one free spool of filament to get started.
Alex commented in a recent interview that his aim is to “have a 3D printer in every home”. It’s been said many times before and met with mixed reactions but with a machine that's genuinely affordable, customisable and already achieved a third of its funding target, perhaps it will have users intrigued.
With 24 days to go and a target of £30,000, backers can secure themselves a printer from just £250. The NFire 1 is available in 21 different colours plus a Limited Edition version.
