LOUTH-BASED Mcor Technologies has just launched its latest 3D printer, the Matrix 300, which is deliberately priced to be much cheaper than traditional high-end 3D printers so that smaller businesses, universities and schools can produce elaborate 3D models without incurring massive expense.
The Mcor system prints detailed 3D models on plain A4 paper in a way that is claimed to be 50 times cheaper than existing technologies.
The M300 uses water-based adhesive, which is said to be a more environmentally sound way of assembling the 3D models it produces. “We’re up to 50 per cent less expensive than the competition in terms of running costs,” said Mcor marketing director Deirdre MacCormack.
“Where we’re different is we concentrate on bringing the cost of consumables down.”
The hardware has been redesigned to be smaller than earlier models, so that it fits on a desk. It also has an improved user interface to make the printing function easier and a faster output time than previous versions, said Ms MacCormack.
“It will be our flagship model but there are other machines in the pipeline,” she said. “Research and development is ongoing in terms of improving the speed of the machine and features that people want.” Since starting the company in 2005, the founders, Conor and Fintan MacCormack, spent three years on research and development before releasing the company’s first printer last year.
Such was the demand, Mcor’s website received two million hits in the week following the initial launch, said Ms MacCormack.
Mcor has applied for a worldwide patent for its technology and several others are at the development stage, she added.
Mcor develops the software needed to tell the printer how to translate a user’s 3D design into a physical model.
It originally intended to manufacture the printer hardware itself but to better meet demand it signed an agreement last month with the Irish operation of Benchmark Electronics, an outsourced manufacturing provider.
“That means we can scale much quicker and volume won’t be an issue,” said Ms MacCormack.
Mcor predominantly sells in Ireland and the UK but the company is in talks with several large distributors to broaden its reach in other countries from next year.
The company employs 10 people and expects to recruit additional staff in engineering and sales roles. It expects to earn revenues of €3.5 million next year, rising to €10 million in 2011.
This summer the company raised €400,000 in funding from private investors and before the end of the year it hopes to receive further investment of €350,000 from Enterprise Ireland.
