CTC Unveils New “Giant 3D Printer”

3D printing is a global phenomenon. Whether you live in the United States, Europe, South Africa, or China, each and every day there are more and more companies and individuals getting involved with the technology. Whether you are a fan of it or not, 3D printing is here, and it is here to stay.

If there was one country where 3D printing seems to have been making the greatest impact, it would probably be China. In China, there are a ton of 3D printers, ranging in size from super tiny, to those capable of 3D printing entire homes. Over the past year or so, we’ve begun to see all sorts of companies unveil and launch new desktop 3D printers. Today, you can add yet another 3D printer to this ever growing list.

Zhuhai CTC Electronic Co., Ltd., has released a brand new FFF/FDM based machine which they call “CTC Giant 3D Printer”. In a press conference held this past Thursday, the company, which is no newcomer to 3D printing technology, announced the new product. CTC claims that this printer is developed by Ultimaker, although it may just be the case that it is based on their open source designs.

The Giant 3D Printer comes equipped with Cura for slicing, and features a build volume of 305mm x 305mm x 405mm. It also has Wifi capability, and is able to be utilized via both Android and iOS smartphones/tablets. This allows the 3D printer to be operated remotely without the need for a desktop computer. It also features an all-steel frame.

This machine can be purchased, starting today, June 1, and is available from JD, Tmall, and Suning for RMB 9,800 in China and $2,500 everywhere else. Below you will find some more specifications for this new 3D printer.

• Technology: FFF/FDM
• Build Volume: 305mm x 305mm x 405mm
• Positioning Accuracy: X/Y – 10 micron / Z – 1 micron
• Layer Thickness: 0.4mm
• Slicing Software: Cura
• 3D Printable File Formats: STL, OBJ, Gcode
• Printing Materials: PLA and ABS
• Nozzle Diameter: 0.4mm or 0.2mm
• Maximum Print Speed: 180mm/second

It should be interesting to see how well the Giant 3D Printer sells outside of China, as the RMB 9,800 price tag in China converts to just $1508, yet the printer is being sold for almost twice that abroad.

What do you think about this new machine? Is it worth the price? Discuss in the CTC Giant 3D Printer forum thread on 3DPB.com.