You may know Anker – makers of phone chargers and power banks. What you may not know is that Anker is entering the 3D printing game in a somewhat stylish fashion. Well, now you know.
Anker has launched their first 3D Printer – the AnkerMake M5 – which promises to deliver a printing speed that is over 5 times faster than some of the big-name brands. It also comes equipped with a 1080p camera, for those that want to share their creations with the world.
The printer launches on Kickstarter later today for an ‘early bird’ price of $419 (Roughly R6,300) and an estimated retail price of $759 (R9,655). When comparing prices to current 3D printers, the AnkerMake M5 falls somewhere in the middle of the road. It’s not cheap, but for what you’re getting compared to other 3D printers, it’s a step in the right direction.
Futuristic upgrades to 3D Printing
The main talking point of the AnkerMake is the speed at which it prints, offering users a quoted speed 5x faster than even the best printers on the market. Just pull it out the box and connect the 2 halves with screws, plug in the cables and you’re set. By default, the AnkerMake M5 prints at 250mm/sec. For reference, most printers recommended speed is between 50 and 90mm/sec.
You may be thinking, with speeds like that, a print would be shaken directly off the machine. According to Anker, the moving y-axis build plate uses a stepper motor with ‘high subdivision dividers’ and two belts instead of one.
Extra features
You’re not only paying for better speeds though. Anker boasts an AI Camera Recognition System that is designed with a 1.2GHz Dual XBurst and 0.24GHz XBurst 0 CPU powering the motor. If you don’t know what any of that means then don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. The printer uses the onboard AI Recognition to compare your print to the original design and keep it on track. Using the same camera allows one to check in with their print in real-time via the AnkerMake app. No more worrying about your print failing in the garage when you’re not home.
Using AI, the machine will also be able to detect when the print has gone wrong and sends a notification straight to the owner.
Setting up the print is as easy as clicking a few buttons. Seriously. Just import your model onto the app and you’ll have your finished print in a few short hours.
Whether you’re in the TV room or in Dubai, it doesn’t matter to the AnkerMake M5. Using the app, or a smart home assistant, you can set your prints up and control them from anywhere. You’ll also get a notification every time a print finishes, saving you time.
Socially viable 3D Printing
When it comes to the world of 3D printing, the timelapse of prints is almost as satisfying as the print itself. The only issue is, adding a camera to your printing rig can often cost you a lot of money and even then you might struggle to get the right angle. That’s not a problem with the AnkerMake M5. The camera automatically records time-lapses for your prints while allowing the user to post the video directly to social media straight from the app.
If you want to watch any satisfying time-lapses without paying through the nose for your own, use the #3dprinting hashtag to keep up to date with the 3d printing community.
Wake me up when August ends
Eric Villines (Anker’s Head of Global Communications) spoke to The Verge and confirmed that no matter how well the printer performs on Kickstarter, the printer will be made. The reason for the wait until September is simple; most of the software isn’t developed yet. Features like intelligent failed print detection and voice assistant functionality are promised to be on their way. “I like to say the hardware is at 75 percent and the software is at 2 percent.” said Villines. Hopefully, come September, this isn’t still the case for the AnkerMake M5.
Source: The Verge