AnkerMake M5 3D printer Getting Strong Crowd Backing

We typically know Anker for its high-quality smartphone and laptop chargers, but the company has had success with other types of products such as Docking stations and audio accessories.

Now, it can add 3D printers to its list as the AnkerMake M5 is getting a tremendous number of backers on Kickstarter, raising more than $1M in the first hour after the project went live.

The chief feature seems to be its speed. Anker claims to be 5X faster than many competitors, which translates into a printing speed of 250mm/s. This would have a huge impact on a designer’s schedule as a seven-hour print job would now be done in two hours. And it can do that with a 0.1mm precision, says Anker.

Given that CAD engineers and industrial designers are highly creative and equally highly paid, a studio could see a quick return on investment if the printer can fulfill their needs. Anker says that its printer is at least as accurate as the Prusa i3 MK3 or the Makerbot Replicator 2 as measured by the FDM assessment protocol.

Finally, users don’t have to babysit the printing process because there’s a built-in camera that keeps an eye on the job and compares it with the 3D model to ensure that things are going according to plan (pretty smart!).

The main advantage of going through Kickstarter is to get the Super Early Bird type discounts that start at $429. In comparison, the normal price would be around $749, which is not horrible either. Keep in mind that Kickstarter is “funding” not a “shopping” platform, so there’s always a risk for the product to be delayed or not ship at all (read more here).

If you’d rather purchase it when it becomes widely available, visit the official Anker site from time to time.

Hubert Nguyen
Categories: Computers
Tags: 3d printer, anker, Kickstarter, Social Hit