A pen that draws in the air to turn ideas into 3D

We tested the Tiny Bot 3.0, from OnSet, a device used to create volumes using thermoplastic material; exploiting its possibilities takes time and practice, but its price is accessible

The 3D printers came to change the way in which the designers show their ideas.Pass a design to a model that is tangible and can be manipulated is a proposal enriching already being applied in different markets and it plans to increase its potential with the creation of new models and the print on another type of material.

With the many benefits, the use of a 3D printer tends to have also some setbacks. The first is the high cost of the equipment. Although they have come down in price in recent years, to some of the pockets can be an expensive product. Also have to know how to design in 3D in a program such as SolidWorks or 3D Studio.

An interesting alternative for those who want to get started in the materialisation of designs, are the pencils 3D design, using the same material, and they are more accessible.

In the nation we test the Tiny Bot, of the company OnSet, a product that is already available in the local market.

3D in no time

It takes five minutes or less to put up the Tiny Bot. When you open the small box should be removed the pencil, its cord and two rolls of thermoplastic material which includes to begin with the productions. The filament included is polylactic acid (PLA), but can also be used acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), which is more resistant.

To start using the stylus, you must connect the cable, with a USB connector on the other end. Goes to a power source (the charger of the phone or a PC).

After plugging in the pen, it will light up a red light that indicates that the small extruder located at the tip is heated. When the light turns green, it is ready for use.

To begin, you have to enter the filament by the back and press and hold the button and drag to slide the material until you reach the other end. When it starts coming out the tip, we will be able to stop pressing the button.

For design it is necessary to regulate the temperature according to the thermoplastic material used. You can select with a few buttons: PCL (polycaprolactone), PLA or ABS. The option chosen will be displayed on a led screen.

Then, we will be able to adjust the speed (and thus the flow rate of the material) with which the plastic will come out of the pen.

Then, with a press of the forward button, the material will begin to go out by the end and you will start with the modeling of the piece. There is that saying that it takes a bit of practice, so that the experience will result in something acceptable.

In the tests, we discard the first four designs until we were able to adjust correctly the speed and the output of the plastic. After that, we were able to make a beautiful flower with its stem, and also some doodles. It is important to note that, given the slow drying of the material, he made that design up without a good base results in the precipitation of the work. With the Tiny Pen it is easy to design on a flat surface, but to scale works up there to have a good foundation, and practice a lot.

One negative: the cable can be short and forces you to stay glued to the power source. A good idea would be the addition of an internal battery to add mobility and autonomy to the proposal.

The pen 3D of OnSet can already be purchased at a price of $1999.