Known as the Dreambox, this creative device is the first ever 3D vending machine in the world! Created by UC Berkeley alumni, David Pastewka, Richard Berwick and Pavan Ravipati, as well as current senior Will Drevno, the Dreambox is able to print everything from models to keychains and even to functioning whistles. Printing faster and at a lower price than other 3D printers allows the Dreambox to be fully accessible to students.
Printing is made very easy with the Dreambox. The customer goes onto the Dreambox website, www.3dreambox.com, creates an account and either uploads a picture of what he wants to print or selects an object that is already on the website. The customer then pays and clicks “print”. The Dreambox is then signaled to print and it begins printing by building the 3D object layer by layer.
Then after the object is completed, it is pushed down a chute by a shovel into one of the four lockers. The object is then stored until the customer picks it up.
In the future, these Dreambox co-founders hope to print in a variety of materials, not just plastic. They also hope to expand Dreambox to various universities as well as into coffee shops for convenient printing.
Be sure to check this printer out in Etcheverry Hall on the UC Berkeley campus!
Resources:
Cover photo: http://technabob.com/blog/2013/03/09/dreambox-3d-printer-vending-machine/
http://www.mobilemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Dreambox-640×359.jpg
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