Beta Versions of Kickstarter Monster “The Micro” 3D Printer Released for Testing

When a Kickstarter campaign for the printer called The Micro concluded, the results were no less than startling: at the end of the campaign, nearly 12,000 backers had pledged $3,401,361 — for a project with a stated goal of $50,000.

That’s some mighty incentive to deliver.

The Micro, produced by M3D co-founders Michael Armani and David Jones, represents the pair’s vision of what “the perfect consumer oriented 3D printer” should look like.

Small, cheap, and easy to use, the product captured the imagination of Kickstarter Nation.

“It is the most affordable 3D printer that can be used right out of the box. Perfect for beginners and experts alike, just plug in the printer, download or create models, hit print, and watch your custom creations form right before your eyes,” they said.

The specifications of The Micro 3D printer read like this:  it’s 7.3 cubic inches in volume, weighs just 2.2 pounds, uses standard 1.75mm filaments, has a removable print bed, prints at layer resolutions from 50-350 microns, has a USB-compatible connection, a print volume of 74mm x 91mm x 84mm, and runs M3D’s software.

It looks like the first of the beta machines, which were priced at an amazing $299, are reaching users now, and the original Kickstarter backers are hoping they’ll all have their printers by the March 2015 Kickstarter deadline.

More information and discussion can be found at the M3D Micro forum.

The pair responsible for the printer — Armani, a serial entrepreneur and inventor who graduated with a PhD in bioengineering from the University of Maryland, and Jones, an expert in artificial intelligence, software, and robotics who graduated from the University of Maryland with a computer science degree — caught the tiger by the tail with their tiny printer.

Now one of their printers is out in the wild, specifically, in the hands of Adam Milton-Barker of techbubble.info, for testing and beta feedback. Milton-Barker is a self taught programmer with more than 10 years of experience in all aspects of web design, development, and marketing who is currently self-employed and involved in a number of projects, one of which is his TechBubble. He selected the design for the wrench NASA sent to the ISS for his first test print with The Micro.

Expect more on The Micro front soon!

What do you think of the The Micro? Do you know anyone who backed the Kickstarter campaign that launched it on the way? If you do or you don’t, let us know what you think in The Micro forum on 3DPB.com.