Skip to content

TechRepublic

  • Top Products
  • AI
  • Developer
  • Payroll
  • Security
  • Project Management
  • Accounting
  • CRM
  • Academy
Resources
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • Newsletters
  • Resource Library
  • Forums
  • Sponsored
Go Premium
Popular Topics
  • Top Products
  • AI
  • Developer
  • Payroll
  • Security
  • Project Management
  • Accounting
  • CRM
  • Academy
  • Project Management
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • Big Data
  • Tech Jobs
View All Topics
Go Premium
Hardware

Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

By Lyndsey Gilpin May 6, 2014, 3:44 AM PDT

Image
1
of 10

micro-and-cat.jpg
micro-and-cat.jpg
Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

Micro 3D Printer

Micro 3D Printer

We wrote about this one after Maryland-based M3D raised more than $2 million in the first two days of its campaign on Kickstarter for the seven-square inch Micro desktop 3D printer. It has now raised over $3 million in funding. The printer was so popular because of its tiny size, ability to easily print small items, and its simple user interface. Right on the screen, people can choose from objects to print or download directly from open source websites that have designs.

formlabs.jpg
formlabs.jpg
Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

Formlabs Form 1

Image: Formlabs

Formlabs Form 1

Formlabs, a MIT Media spin-off, created the Form 1 3D printer, which raised $3 million on Kickstarter and then $19 million in Series A funding. The printer comes with software and a post-processing kit with tools to clean the workspace and organize for the next time you use the machine. It was one of the first low-cost desktop 3D printers when the campaign closed in October 2012. The Form 1 is a stereolithography printer, which uses higher resolution and thicker structures than fused deposition modeling.

Image: Formlabs
buccaneer.jpg
buccaneer.jpg
Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

Buccaneer

Image: Buccaneer

Buccaneer

In the summer of 2013, Pirate 3D built a home 3D printer for consumers called the Buccaneer. The printer pulls designs directly from the company’s store, Treasure Island, and connects with a PC or mobile device to print from anywhere using wireless internet. The Buccaneer is about $400. Pirate raised more than $1 million on Kickstarter, though their original goal was only $100,000.

Image: Buccaneer
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-3-20-34-pm.png
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-3-20-34-pm.png
Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

Rigidbot

Image: Rigidbot

Rigidbot

Around the same time as the Buccaneer came the Rigidbot, which debuted on Kickstarter as well. It also raised over a million dollars. The printer comes assembled or as a kit, and is expandable to several different sizes. The first order has already sold out and the next round ships in July.

Image: Rigidbot
lix.jpg
lix.jpg
Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

LIX 3D printing pen

Image: LIX

LIX 3D printing pen

The LIX works like a 3D printer. There is no ink; instead, it uses plastic filament that melts to create structures of any size and shape. The pen is powered by a USB 3.0 port, and the filament is fed through the top of the pen and it takes 60 seconds to heat up. The Kickstarter campaign has raised almost a million dollars and still has three weeks to go, at the time we’re writing this. The LIX is marketed as the smallest 3D printing pen in the world that can create rigid, freestanding structures, and the company plans to start shipping in the fall.

Image: LIX
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-4-37-58-pm.png
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-4-37-58-pm.png
Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

RoBo 3D

Image: RoBo

RoBo 3D

The RoBo 3D printer is low-cost, open source 3D printer that originally sold for about $500 on Kickstarter at the end of 2013. It came either assembled or as a kit, and is now avaialble on the company’s website for $799. The RoBo team marketed it as a competitor to the MakerBot Replicator 2, which seemed to bode well because they raised $650,000, which was well over their goal of $49,000.

Image: RoBo
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-4-06-04-pm.png
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-4-06-04-pm.png
Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

Printrbot

Image: Printrbot

Printrbot

The Printrbot was one of the first 3D printer kits that users could build at home, launched back in 2011. The creators were inspired by the RepRap design — building a self-replicating machine. The kits run at about $600 assembled, and there are several generations on the site.

Image: Printrbot
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-5-06-22-pm.png
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-5-06-22-pm.png
Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

Pegasus Touch

Image: Full Spectrum Laser

Pegasus Touch

The Pegasus Touch 3D printer raised more than $700,000 over its initial goal in February of 2014. The first machines are already shipping to the first backers. The printer was manufactured by FSL3D, a leg of Las Vegas company Full Spectrum Laser that is trying to rival MakerBot’s models with this new printer. The Pegasus Touch runs at about $2700, so it isn’t exactly comparable to any of the other printers on this list, but it did very well on Kickstarter for being so expensive.

Image: Full Spectrum Laser
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-4-59-46-pm.png
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-4-59-46-pm.png
Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

B9 Creator

Image: B9Creator

B9 Creator

The B9 Creator had less than 400 backers and raised more than $500,000. It was marketed as a DIY 3D printer that uses open source software and a photo-initiated polymer resin basin. It comes as a kit that can be assembled with basic tools. The website says the printer moves faster than a fused deposition modeling printer, and the product has been shipped.

Image: B9Creator
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-4-51-30-pm.png
screen-shot-2014-05-05-at-4-51-30-pm.png
Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

Peachy Printer

Image: Peachy

Peachy Printer

The Peachy Printer is a photolithographic printer. It uses a controlled beam of light to cure light sensitive resin into hard objects. A laser beam moves along the X and Y axes to create the shape of the object, and the Z axis uses a drip system with an electrical connection and salt water, which determines the height of the object. The printer connects with the company’s software called Blender, which uses an audio wave file to direct electromagnetic mirrors. It’s a strange way to 3D print, and we’ve never seen anything of the like, but this project was fully funded after 30 days. It raised more than $650,000, well over its $50,000 goal. Watch this video to understand more about how it works.

Image: Peachy
  • Hardware
  • Account Information

    Share with Your Friends

    Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter’s 10 most successful projects

    Your email has been sent

Share: Crowdsourced 3D printers: Photos of Kickstarter's 10 most successful projects
Image of Lyndsey Gilpin
By Lyndsey Gilpin
Lyndsey Gilpin is a former Staff Writer for TechRepublic, covering sustainability and entrepreneurship. She's co-author of the book Follow the Geeks.
  • Account Information

    Contact Lyndsey Gilpin

    Your message has been sent

  • |
  • See all of Lyndsey's content

Daily Tech Insider

If you can only read one tech story a day, this is it.

TechRepublic TechRepublic
  • TechRepublic on Facebook
  • TechRepublic on X
  • TechRepublic on LinkedIn
  • TechRepublic on YouTube
  • TechRepublic on Pinterest
  • TechRepublic RSS
Services
  • About Us
  • Newsletters
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Site Help & Feedback
  • FAQ
  • Advertise
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • Careers
Explore
  • Downloads
  • TechRepublic Forums
  • Meet the Team
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Resource Library
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Editorial Policy
  • Legal Terms
  • Privacy Policy
© 2025 TechnologyAdvice. All rights reserved.
CLOSE

Create a TechRepublic Account

Get the web's best business technology news, tutorials, reviews, trends, and analysis—in your inbox. Let's start with the basics.

Already registered? Sign In
Use Facebook
Use Linkedin

* - indicates required fields

CLOSE

Sign in to TechRepublic

Not a member? Create an account
Use Facebook
Use Linkedin

Lost your password? Request a new password

CLOSE

Reset Password

Please enter your email adress. You will receive an email message with instructions on how to reset your password.

Check your email for a password reset link. If you didn't receive an email don't forgot to check your spam folder, otherwise contact support.

Back to login
1 Finish Profile
2 Newsletter Preferences
CLOSE

Welcome. Tell us a little bit about you.

This will help us provide you with customized content.

No thanks, continue without
1 Finish Profile
2 Newsletter Preferences
CLOSE

Want to receive more TechRepublic news?

Newsletter Name
Subscribe
Daily Tech Insider
Daily Tech Insider AU
TechRepublic UK
TechRepublic News and Special Offers
TechRepublic News and Special Offers International
Executive Briefing
Innovation Insider
Project Management Insider
Microsoft Weekly
Cloud Insider
Data Insider
Developer Insider
TechRepublic Premium
Apple Weekly
Cybersecurity Insider
Google Weekly
Toggle All
No thanks, continue without

You're All Set

Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye out for a confirmation email from our team. To ensure any newsletters you subscribed to hit your inbox, make sure to add [email protected] to your contacts list.

Back to Home Page
×