Russia’s 3Dquality Continues to Expand and Impress with Growing Range of 3D Printers

It’s interesting to watch as countries that have been relatively quiet on the 3D printing front start to emerge with new developments. One of the countries we haven’t heard a lot from has been Russia, but in the last month especially it’s started to look like the country’s 3D printing industry has been picking up. In July they revealed the first-ever industrial metal 3D printer produced in Russia, and one 3D printer company we’ve been following for a while is expanding fast.

Prism Mini

3Dquality is a young company, founded at the beginning of 2014, but they’ve risen quickly to become one of Russia’s largest manufacturers of 3D printers and 3D printing supplies. We first learned about them last year when they introduced their compact, affordable Prism Mini delta-style 3D printer, and their line of products continues to grow more and more expansive. For a company that’s only two and a half years old, they’ve been remarkably productive. Let’s take a closer look at some of the printers that have helped them become so successful:

• The Prism Pro, 3Dquality’s inaugural product, made quite a few waves in the Russian market when it was released in August 2014. The industrial delta-style FDM printer was the first of its kind offered by a Russian company, and its large 400 x 800 mm diameter build area, ease of use and versatility made it a fast favorite among customers. At ₽210,000 (about $3,250), it’s nicely affordable for an industrial printer.
• The Prism Uni, released at the same time as the Prism Mini, is marketed as 3Dquality’s “3D printer for the home,” and its price tag of ₽42,000 (about $650) reflects its status as an entry-level printer intended for casual hobbyists and even children. It’s the perfect printer for kids to learn with, 3Dquality states, but it works well as an office printer, too, offering a build area of 145 x 145 x 140 mm and a minimum layer thickness of 0.05 mm.
• The Prism Mini is essentially just a miniaturized version of the Pro, with a print area of 150 x 230 mm in diameter. It’s 3Dquality’s small business offering, with a cost of ₽52,000 (about $805). Until August 31, 3DQuality is offering a special promotion on the Mini; with every purchase, they’ll throw in five spools of filament for free.

3Dquality has also developed a wide range of filament, including PLA, ABS, HIPS, and the translucent, glasslike SBS in a variety of colors. Most of their materials are sold in partnership with Russian filament manufacturer BestFilament. 3Dquality also offers two variations of a 3D printing pen, plus a pair of VR glasses, suggesting that they may be looking to expand outside the world of 3D printing.

In November of 2014, 3Dquality received awards for “Breakthrough of the Year” and “Most Popular Manufacturer of Consumable Materials” at the International 3D Print Awards, after less than a year in business. The company’s printers have established a presence in a variety of industries including education, architecture, construction, medicine, design, aviation, and consumer goods, and customer feedback has been consistently positive, suggesting that this young, ambitious company won’t be slowing down anytime soon. They already have offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Irkuts, plus 25 distributors across Russia. We look forward to seeing their future developments, as well as the development of the Russian 3D printing industry overall. Discuss further in the 3D Printing in Russia forum over at 3DPB.com.