The ARKe is compact, lightweight, and like Mcor’s other printers, very eco-friendly. The printer itself is made from recycled materials, and the paper, and all models printed from it, are recyclable. All chemicals used are non-toxic, with no harmful emissions. But beyond its green-minded responsibility, the ARKe is fun. Like the IRIS, the ARKe prints in over a million colors, but it stands out as the first paper-based 3D printer to incorporate an inkjet head for photorealistic models.
Specifications include:
- Length: 34.4 inches
- Width: 22.8 inches
- Height: 23.6 inches
- Weight: 110 pounds
- Maximum build envelope: 8 x 9.5 x 4.9 inches
- DPI: 4800 x 2400 x 254 (2x the DPI of comparable industrial 3D printers)
Like many 3D printing manufacturers lately, Mcor has made a point of focusing on education. In 2014, they designed an IRIS education package to make 3D printing extremely affordable to schools, and the ARKe was developed to be ideal for classroom environments: it’s small, safe, user-friendly and inexpensive. As an added fun perk, users have several options to customize the appearance of their printers with skins that include a wooden look, a Union Jack, etc.
“Our mission is to put a 3D printer in every office, classroom, and eventually every home, and Mcor ARKe is a huge step in that direction,” said Dr. Conor MacCormack, co-founder and CEO of Mcor Technologies. “The launch of Mcor ARKe is a defining moment for Mcor and the 3D printing industry, much like the iPhone was for Apple and the 747 was for Boeing. I believe that this is a disruptive step that will transform this industry stimulating widespread adoption of 3D printing particularly in education and among creative professional.”
“We are thrilled that our new product, Mcor ARKe, is taking home the top prize in the 3D printing category,” Dr. MacCormack added. “It is an honor to be named a CES Best of Innovation Awards Honoree, and serves as a huge point of validation for all of the incredible work we’ve seen from the Mcor team throughout the development process. We believe our newest product will be an industry disruptor with its unique full-color desktop capabilities, and are excited to be recognized as leaders in the 3D printing industry.”
Discuss this new machine in the Mcor ARKe forum thread on 3DPB.com.