XYZprinting Releases Da Vinci miniMaker
This week, Southern California-based XYZprinting is shipping its first education-focused 3D printer, the da Vinci miniMaker.
The child and beginner-friendly 3D printer is designed for STEM and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) projects. Retailing at $249.95, it’s available at XYZprinting’s online store and Amazon.com.
“Teachers, parents and students are always looking for new and unique ways to make teaching and learning core skills fun for everyone,” said Simon Shen, CEO of XYZprinting and parent company New Kinpo Group, in a statement.
“We believe 3D printing can be very useful in areas other than just the science classes,” said Ash Marin, marketing specialist for XYZprinting, in an interview. “We think it can enhance various subjects, including the arts.”
Some of the da Vinci MiniMaker’s features include:
- Compact design: The da Vinci miniMaker is 30 percent smaller than the da Vinci Jr. 1.0, but retains the same build size of 5.9 inches by 5.9 inches by 5.9 inches. It is suitable for small spaces in classrooms or at home.
- Eco-friendly and safe: The da Vinci miniMaker only prints with XYZprinting’s biodegradable, non-toxic PLA filament. This filament has gone through various tests to ensure that it is DEHP-free and heavy metal-free for user safety.
- Intuitive auto-calibration: This function automatically determines and sets the distance and leveling of the print bed and the extruder module with minimal effort by the user, resulting in the high quality prints in the classroom or at home, the company says.
- Flexible iOS support: The da Vinci miniMaker offers Windows 7 and above (for PC) and Mac OSX 10.8 and above support to ensure hassle-free operation.
Those who purchase a da Vinci miniMaker have access to XYZprinting’s “Educational Ecosystem” to aid in curricula and project development. The ecosystem includes:
- XYZprinting STEAM: A free 3D printing curricula exchange platform for all grades K–12;
- XYZmaker: An intuitive 3D modeling application for young users, allowing for 3D printing to be seamlessly incorporated into the classroom;
- XYZ 3D gallery: Users have access to more than 4,500 free 3D models across nine categories, including educational items, art designs, toys and games.
In addition, XYZprinting is releasing a companion product, the XYZprinting 3D Scanner Pro. The 3D Scanner Pro captures full-color, full-sized scans of large objects, including people. Scanned items can be uploaded, viewed, repaired or altered with XYZprinting editing software. The new scanner will be available Oct. 21 for $249.
To learn more about XYZprinting’s 3D printing products, visit the company’s website.
About the Author
Richard Chang is associate editor of THE Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].