3D printing is not a technology destined for the future, in fact you don't need to travel further than Centurion to come across CAD House, a company specialising in 3D printers. Best of all - you can actually build one yourself.

The company is an authorised importer of UK company Bits From Bytes' RapMan 3.1 3D printer (see ad below), and as far as keeping the TechSmart crew enthralled, this printer was up there with any of this year's best gadgets.

Meet the RapMan

The RapMan 3.1 3D printer looks a bit like an oversized Meccano project. With four motors, a controller board and the print head, the RapMan prints whatever CAD (computer-aided design) drawing it's provided with via the SD card slot.

For the RapMan the actual "printing" is done via plastic filament that gets fed and melted into malleable "strings" through the 0.5 mm heater nozzle, working much like a glue gun. Once the machine has constructed a "raft" at the base (a flat sheet of plastic filament that can be torn off once done), work on the actual product can start. The machine "prints" via an adaptive layering process, building the 3D product layer for layer starting from the bottom up.

It's an extremely interesting procedure to witness, and for TechSmart's visit, the RapMan was busy with a blowable whistle. It deftly constructed the whistle layer upon layer, taking close to 45 minutes to "print" the unit.

Print in 3D

The RapMan 3.1 3D printer can print projects 275 x 275 x 210 mm in size, with some of CAD House's clients using 3D printers to construct concept architectural models, engineering parts, parts for model airplanes and toys. Demonstrating its versatility, a Pretoria-based artist also creates amazing sculptures and jewellery with it.

For those looking to build the RapMan 3.1 3D printer from scratch, the device costs R9900, which includes a detailed set of instructions as well as a one year warranty on the product. Call CAD House for more information on the RapMan (or a fully constructed version), on 087-944-2072/3, or visit www.3d-printer.co.za.

This article first appeared in the October 2011 issue of TechSmart magazine.