China’s Createbot Introduces Several New 3D Printers to the US Market

China is no doubt making its presence felt within the consumer 3D printing space. With cheap labor, companies are thus able to enter the market with machines that are affordably priced. Much of what we’ve seen coming out of China over the last year or two, however, have been ‘clones’ of some of the more popular machines in the US. With that said, Zhejiang, China-based Createbot is thinking outside the box. Not only are they trying to tackle the consumer side of the market with uniquely designed machines, but they are also entering the industrial 3D printing space with a couple larger-scale DLP 3D printers.

A couple weeks ago I was able to speak with representatives from the company at 3D Print Week in NYC, and stepped away thoroughly impressed by what they had to offer. First let’s start with their consumer targeted printers:

Createbot Mini
This machine has a tiny footprint of just 325 x 303 x 428 mm, yet a decent build envelope of 150 x 150 x 220 mm. With 100 micron precision, an enclosed build chamber, and the ability to print with multiple filaments, this machine is quite capable for a price which starts at just $470 and goes up to $630 for the fully equipped version. The Mini comes in several different model types and in numerous color options as you see from the image above. Options include single or dual extruders, a heated print bed, and a touch screen interface. Below you will find additional specifications for the Createbot Mini:

• Color Options: Black, Pink, Blue, Purple, Green, Light Blue, and Royal Blue
• Build Envelope: 150 x 150 x 220 mm
• Print Speed: 80-150mm/s
• Precision: 0.1-0.2mm
• Layer Thickness: 0.1-0.3mm
• Material Size/Compatibility: 1.75mm PLA/ABS/PETG/PVA
• Nozzle Size: 0.4mm

Createbot Max
This machine, with a build envelope of 280 x 250 x 400 mm and a rapid print speed of 80-250mm/sec, seems like a great buy starting at $1,250. Also having the same add-on options of a heated bed, second extruder, and touch screen interface as the Mini, there is a Createbot Max for everyone. Below you will find the general specifications for this machine:

• Color Options: Blue and Black
• Build Envelope: 280 x 250 x 400 mm
• Printer Size: 460 x 405 x 685 mm
• Print Speed: 80-250mm/s
• Precision: 0.02-0.25mm
• Layer Thickness: 0.05-0.2mm
• Material Size/Compatibility: 1.75mm PLA/ABS/PETG/PVA
• Nozzle Size: 0.4mm

Next we get into some of the interesting machines that Createbot is marketing more towards the industrial and business space. Unlike anything we’ve seen before, the Createbot GT30 and TT200 are quite capable, large-scale DLP machines, each with incredibly unique designs.

Createbot GT30
Equipped with a 1080p projector, this DLP 3D printer looks more like a safe then an SLA printer, but with incredible accuracies and a decent build volume, this machine is sure to please those who can afford it (approximately $13,500). With a built-in computer, the GT30 is able to simply be turned on and begin printing. If a power outage hits, don’t worry; the integrated memory function enables the machine to continue printing where it last left off. The GT30 comes equipped with a large touch screen interface making operation a breeze. Below are some of its general specifications:

• Color: Black
• Build Envelope: 96 x 54 x 130 mm
• Printer Size: 940 x 490 x 300 mm
• XY-Axis Resolution: 30-50 microns
• Z-Axis Resolution: 10-200 microns (adjustable)
• Projector: 220V, 330W

Createbot TT200
Finally, the largest and most expensive of these new machines is the TT200. This industrial-grade DLP 3D printer is incredibly energy efficient and easy to operate. Priced at around $42,000, the TT200 certainly isn’t a printer for everyone, but would be the perfect fit for individuals and business who need intricate fine detail present within their prints–jewelers, for instance. Below you will find the general specifications for the TT200:

• Build Envelope: 200 x 112 x 200 mm
• XY-Axis Resolution: 11 microns
• Layer Thickness: 0.025-0.1mm
• Projector Resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Printer Size: 635 x 500 x 1330 mm
• Printer Weight: 95kg

Createbot is certainly making a name for themselves within the 3D printing space on a global front. In addition to 3D printers, they also offer filaments of all types and colors. It will be very interesting to see their users’ opinions on all of these 3D printers once reviews begin coming in.

Have you purchased or used any of these four machines? What were your thought? Let us know in the Createbot forum thread on 3DPB.com.