Zhuhai CTC Unveils New Riverside SLA 3D Printer for Just $1,480

It’s no secret that when it comes to 3D printing China is becoming a formidable force within both the consumer and industrial spaces. Clearly the government as well as the companies making up the expanding 3D printing market within Asian nation see the technology as playing a major role in their future economy, both globally and from a national standpoint.

While there are numerous 3D printer manufacturers from China making extensive inroads within the global market, few, if any, have emerged on the seen as rapidly as Zhuhai CTC Electronic Co. has. The company, founded in 2004 around 2D printing technology, in 2010 set out on an R&D project surrounding 3D printing , and just last year launched the world’s largest desktop 3D printer manufacturing facility in Zhuhai, China. Interestingly enough the facility houses the most advanced manufacturing environment for light-curing equipment, despite CTC currently only offering FDM/FFF machines, notably the Bizer line of printers.

The presence of the light-curing equipment has not been in vain, however, as the company has just announced a forthcoming machine which they believe may open the market wide open for desktop stereolithography 3D printers. Called the CTC Riverside Photocuring 3D Printer, their new machine will officially be unveiled at the International Software Convergence & Innovation Expo 2015 in early July, and be available in the U.S., China, the European Union and Australia the same month.

“Our goal is to allow the designer to have access to an affordable and reliable tool and provide an all-new product-verification solution,” explained He Siyi, Head of Public Relations at CTC Electronic.

Below are the general specifications for the upcoming CTC Riverside machine:

• Print Technology: SLA
• Build Envelope: 135 x 135 x 180mm
• Printer Size: 35 x 38 x 55cm
• Printer Weight: 10 kg
• Layer Thickness: 100 micrometers
• Slicing software: Cura
• Firmware: CTC Riverside 1.0
• Print Material: liquid light-sensitive resin

The Riverside’s resin plate will reportedly have the longest longevity than any other SLA printer on the market, lasting months instead of days, as they utilize a special thin film intead of a transparent silica gel like other companies do for their resin plate mediums. This will save the user money over the long haul as replacement plates will less frequently be required. Additionally the company’s proprietary slicing software as well as printer operating system make the printing process on the Riverside a breeze.

The new printer will be priced at just $1,480 in the United States, making it more affordable than many of the FDM/FFF machines on the market, and substantially more affordable that other SLA machines such as the Form 1+ from Formlabs.

Additional details are forthcoming by the company and we will be sure to update the market as this information is released. Let us know your thoughts on CTC’s latest 3D printer plans. Discuss in the CTC Riverside SLA 3D Printer forum thread on 3DPB.com.