The removeable head.
There was a huge interest in this 3D printer because of the fact that 3D printing was not its only ability. The FABtotum was marketed as a “low cost personal fabricator”. Not only could it 3D print, but it also could scan objects in 3D, as well as perform CNC-like machining, such as cutting and milling. It was the first all-in-one additive and subtractive machine to become available via crowdfunding. This is one of the reasons it was so successful.
Like all crowdfunding campaigns, however, nothing is ever guaranteed. We’ve seen several crowdfunded 3D printers never come to market, due to a lack of business planning on part of the companies. This doesn’t appear to be the case though with FABtotum.
A detailed internal view
Today, the Milan, Italy based company has announced that the FABtotum Personal Fabricator has begun distribution to early adopters. “Today we celebrate a year-long effort that culminated with today’s event” FABtotum CEO and Co-founder Marco Rizzuto said. “With the launch of the FABtotum we salute the birth of a new rapid manufacturing paradigm.”
The FABtotum is powered by an open source Arduino-derived logic as well as the Raspberry Pi Platform. It ships with 8GB of built-in memory, the ability to be accessed via a PC, Mac, tablet, and even smartphone, using a web browser, and features an automatically calibrated heated build platform. The company brags about its ease of use, and low requirements for maintenance.
“With an open-source approach to software and hardware development, the FABtotum features a software plugin system and an expandable head mount,” the company explained in their PR. “First and third party optional heads, as well as other designs, are in the development process, and will exploit all of the FABtotum capabilities as a platform.”
For those of you who are interested in purchasing the FABtotum, but did not back it via Indiegogo, you can pre-order yours today via the company’s website. It is priced at $999 for an unassembled unit, or $1099 for a fully assembled version. There are three colors to choose from: Black, white and red. So far the machine has garnered interest from all around the world, with pre-orders placed in 57 different countries worldwide.
What do you think? Have you ordered a FABtotum? Discuss in the FABtotum forum on 3DPB.com. Check out the video below:
The head