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We just came across a Kickstarter Campaign that has already raised well past $1 million – as of writing the campaign has raised a total of $1,208,011. Above is the The Micro, “The First Truly Consumer 3D Printer.”1 While there is certainly a lot to love about the Micro 3D printer, perhaps the most appealing aspect is the price tag. Currently, you can pre-order a Micro 3D printer for $299 as a Kickstarter pledge reward. At $299, even if it goes up a few hundred dollars after the kickstarter Campaign, The Micro is far an away the least expensive 3D printer you can buy.

Micro 3D printer

Among the many features, The Micro introduces 15 new innovations:

1. Most space-efficient 3D printer ever made.
2. Light-weight, portable design fits nicely on your desk.
3. Micro motion chip provides completely automatic leveling and calibration.
4. Most quiet 3D printer ever made.
5. Lowest power consumption 3D printer ever made.
6. Carbon fiber rods: light, sturdy, self-lubricating and long-lasting
7. Ceramic heater for rapid heat-up, power efficiency, reliability and safety.
8. Bold colors. Choose from Silver, Black, Blue, RedOrange, and Green.
9. New filament materials like Chameleon PLA.
10. Inspirational Micro filament spools.
11. Modernized touch-capable software.
12. Replaceable print beds for alternative materials.
13. Replaceable nozzles for experimenters.
14. Designed for fast assembly in the US for quality control.
15. An ABS-based print bed allows you to print larger ABS parts.2

Among the other notable features of The Micro: the printer weighs in at a mere 2.2 lbs; the device supports nearly all 3D filaments: ABS, PLA, Nylon, and more; it has a 50-350 micron layer resolution. The team behind The Micro – M3D LLC – is able to keep the cost of the device so low through three key innovations:

One is the Micro is so space efficient, that it is about 10 times lighter that other printers, reducing material and shipping costs. A second reason is our Micro Motion Technology, which includes sensors to measure and calibrate the printer automatically, and doubles as a quality assurance system to reduce the number of internal parts. A third reason is our product was designed for assembly in minutes rather than hours. 3

If The Micro can maintain the price point – or even go as high as $500 – then this is indeed “The First Truly Consumer 3D Printer.” Check out their Kickstarter Campaign for more info. Here is their Kickstarter Campaign Video: