Tony Liaw
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Imaging firm Ricoh is bringing a series of award-winning three-dimensional printers to Hong Kong. The Replicator 3D Printers are manufactured by MakerBot Industries, a firm based in Brooklyn, New York, that was founded in January 2009.
The three founders - Bre Pettis, Adam Mayer and Zach "Hoeken" Smith - first began building 3D printers based on the RepRap Project. The project was initiated by the RepRap Research Foundation, a non-profit group aiming to advance early research in the area of open-source 3D printers.
And the project was successful from the beginning.
The firm sold 3,500 units by March 2011. With seed funding of US$75,000 (HK$585,000), the trio started MakerBots for bigger productions.
Just don't expect the Makerbot Replicator to finish "print jobs" within minutes. For it can take hours to print just a tiny plastic stamp.
If you think that kind of wait is a severe test, spare a thought for the patience MakerBot needed to get the product to market. Lots of patience and insight, actually.
First, it acquired 3DWorldWide, the early innovator of 3D computer components.
In August 2011, MakerBot got venture capitalist The Foundry Group to inject US$10 million.
The investment helped MakerBot to make a start on an even bolder step - introducing 3D printing technology to the consumer and desktop market.
And that was made possible after Stratasys acquired the firm for US$403 million.
The results are 3D printers that are more accessible and affor
That's when Ricoh decided to bring them to Hong Kong, where small and medium-sized enterprises dominate the market.
"In order to meet new customer demand for 3D printing, Ricoh will leverage its strengths in providing comprehensive service, from consultation, installation and support, to IT services, which help customers apply 3D printing technology in their businesses, with the objective to improve their market competitiveness," said Aaron Yim Chong-kee, Ricoh Hong Kong managing director.
In fact, 3D printing applies to various industries, and the company will first target the construction and education sectors.
"3D printing can save architects a lot of time in building their models," Yim said.
"It can also save costs without compromising on quality and accuracy."
Ricoh has lined up 300 technical engineers to provide on-site service and support. Customers typically receive quick responses to service requests, enabling them to be more productive and minimize downtime with their 3D printing projects.
Ricoh will also provide the printing materials - the original PLA Filament and related supplies.
Prices start at only HK$13,000 for the Replicator Mini model, which has a build volume of 3.9 by 3.9 by 4.9 inches.
This entry-level model works like a glue gun - heating up the plastics and injecting the material into the patterns you want. It can be connected to a computer or a mobile device through the Wi-Fi network.
And there is a camera which can stream live video of the production process to mobile devices through designated applications.
A three-dimensional scanner, Makerbot Digitizer Scanner, costs HK$8,500.
The Makerbot Replicator 2X is priced at HK$26,000, while the original Makerbot Replicator Desktop costs HK$30,000.
The most expensive model, Makerbot Replicator Z18, has a price tag of HK$59,000.
It has a model volume of 12 by 12 by 18 inches, and can create products with both polycarbonate and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
The prices include one-year on-site service and a two-hour class on operating the printers.
Ricoh announced this month it has become an official dealer for the 3D machines in Hong Kong and Macau.
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=16&art_id=148750&sid=42868237&con_type=3&d_str=&fc=2
