Expected to begin shipping in early 2015 at an estimated cost of $5995, Autodesk’s Ember 3D Printer is almost ready to be launched into design studios, workshops, schools and other facilities who are looking to be involved with the software giant’s Spark open platform for 3D printing.
Along with the Ember printer, the Spark open platform also includes an investment fund for investing in entrepreneurs, startups, and researchers who “push the boundaries of what is possible”, as well as a software platform that improves upon the existing interoperability of stakeholders including software designers, hardware designers and material suppliers.
The end goal of the Spark open platform is to not only push the boundaries of what is possible for 3D printing, but also create a more accessible pathway for consumers, designers, engineers and makers.
The Ember 3D Printer not only marks the first 3D printer from Autodesk; it also marks the first piece of hardware that they’ve released, ever.
At its core, the Ember is a high-resolution resin-based unit that is powered by a DLP light engine. Known for being of higher resolution and quality than extrusion-based 3D printers, the digital light stereolithography capabilities will bring more detailed prints to users needed more accurate results from their digital 3D models. The smooth qualities of the finished prints also make them ideal for using in further fabrication processes such as mold making with minimal preparation.
Last week, Autodesk engineer Matt Hovanec released a timelapse video on YouTube that shows the soon-to-be-released Ember in action:
While the “early 2015” date is still unknown, you can stay updated on further Ember release notes over at Spark.
