Objet Alaris 30 Desktop 3D Printer Creates Prototypes On The Fly

3D printers have been around for quite some time, but they're just now getting streamlined enough to fit in an office space. That's what makes the Alaris 30 Desktop 3D printer from Objet stand out.

The Alaris 30 uses a 3D CAD file as a base and then carves out the design from a piece of polymer. Industrial designers can now rejoice! This will seriously speed up the production of prototypes, which cuts costs, speeds up product production and gets products out to consumers faster and more accurately.

It works by shooting out photopolymer in thin layers into a tray. These layers are cured right away using UV light. As each layer stacks on top of each other, the form becomes complete. It builds the model right before your eyes. The Alaris 30 is not cheap, however. At $40,000 this is intended for industry professionals. And the 180-pounds printer is small enough to fit in an office. That's what's important here.

[via Gadget Lab at Wired]