Happy Hump Day! In today’s blog We look at a few of the 3D pens starting to hit the market or will hit the market in the near future. I have seen the 3D pen headlines several times and have been curious to see these in action.  So, let’s get started!

Last year the 3Doodler was introduced on Kickstarter and raised an impressive $2.3 million of their $30,000 goal! The 3Doodler uses prevailing 3D printing techniques…a hot element tip to melt plastic at 270 degrees C. Ouch! And the pen must be connected to an outlet for power. This project was funded and went into production, hence, it can be found on Amazon! If you are interested in learning about the 3Doodler pen this link provides video and an article about the company and their product.
This year brings us a new technology of 3D pens which use ultraviolet light rather than the typical plastic melting techniques to create plastic projects. These devices are typically cordless, do not have the extremely hot melting tips, no odor from heating plastic, and are safer for children to use. The new technology uses an ultraviolet plastic or ink which hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light. The new pens are much safer and can even be used to print directly onto the skin with special inks.

One such device is the CreoPop which will begin shipping in April of 2015. According to the www.3ders.org website article, the CreoPop will be able to print with magnetic, conductive, elastic, and body inks. In addition, it operates on batteries so there are no pesky cords with which to deal.

Lastly, on Kickstarter, a new pen deemed the Polyes Q1 will enter the market place. The manufacturer, Future Make Technology based in Delaware, will be hitting the Kickstarter web site in November, 2014. Not much has been advertised about this particular pen other than photos and a power point presentation which can be viewed here .

All in all, the new 3D pens are giving us yet another avenue to explore our creative sides. I still prefer to use a software package, design my item, and print it on a machine. However, the 3D pen will likely be a favorite for artists and children because of the freehand nature of the device.

Until next time, Happy Printing!