3D Printing

Palm-sized 3DSimo Mini draws, cuts, solders and burns

Palm-sized 3DSimo Mini draws, cuts, solders and burns
The 3DSimo Mini is small enough to fit in the palm of a user's hand
The 3DSimo Mini is small enough to fit in the palm of a user's hand
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The four primary functions of the 3DSimo Mino
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The four primary functions of the 3DSimo Mino
The 3DSimo Mini is small enough to fit in the palm of a user's hand
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The 3DSimo Mini is small enough to fit in the palm of a user's hand
An item made by 3D drawing with the 3DSimo Mini
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An item made by 3D drawing with the 3DSimo Mini
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The creators of the 3D-drawing pen known as the 3DSimo are back again, and this time they have a new device called the 3DSimo Mini. The device is smaller, of course, but the team is also expanding the functionality of it by adding a foam cutter, a burn tool, and a soldering iron. These functions go along with the return of the 3D drawing functionality from the previous model.

The 3DSimo Mini is small enough to fit in the palm of a user’s hand, whereas the original 3DSimo was quite large, to the point where calling it a "pen" was a bit of a stretch.

The main function of the 3DSimo Mini is still 3D drawing. It features an adjustable temperature, so it can handle a wide range of popular 3D printing materials including laybrick, ABS, PLA, PETG, HIPS, FLEXI, and laywood. From there, it’s just up to the user’s ability to determine the kinds of things he or she can draw.

An item made by 3D drawing with the 3DSimo Mini
An item made by 3D drawing with the 3DSimo Mini

The pen is controlled with a free mobile app that lets users fine-tune the temperature to meet the needs of the project and type of material with which they are working. It also has instructional videos and templates to help users make cool things with their 3D pen. The app connects to the 3DSimo Mini via Bluetooth.

Out of the box, only the 3D drawing tool will be included, but the 3DSimo teams plans to offer at least three different tools once the device launches. The plan is to have soldering, cutting, and burning tools available, and the company estimates that alternate tips will cost around US$15. Users in the Kickstarter campaign's comments section are suggesting alternate tips as well, and the team seems responsive and open, so by the time the device comes outs there may be more than these three tools available.

Also important to note is that, if the campaign meets stretch goals, some of the alternate tools may be included in the box, though there is no stretch goal listed to get the soldering tool as part of the initial shipment.

Currently, the project is a ways away from its $70,000 goal and even farther from its fairly lofty stretch goals that start at $160,000. Backers interested in preordering a 3DSimo Mini for themselves can do so for a minimum pledge $89 while the early special lasts. From there, the price jumps to $109. The team plans to deliver devices to backers in February 2016, provided it reaches its goal, of course.

The device can be seen in use, in the video below.

Sources: 3DSimo, Kickstarter


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1 comment
xs400
Nice, but needs some sort of a 3D frame/track to guide the pen, even if the pen is moved manually. Would be quite hard to build anything with just your hand holding the tool.