A UNIQUE three-dimensional printer made by Irish company Mcor Technologies has gone on sale across Europe following two significant reseller agreements.
The Matrix 300 – which uses A4 paper and glue to create 3D models – is to be sold in 15 countries initially. It also featured at last month’s CeBIT technology exhibition in Germany.
While 3D printers are already available, high running costs have made them an unattractive proposition.
Mcor chief executive Conor MacCormack said using paper instead of plastic reduces costs dramatically, and should open up the technology to more users.
“3D printers haven’t had the level of penetration we and others would have expected, and cost is a big part of this,” said MacCormack. “With ours, you just need standard sheets of A4 paper and glue, so it is much cheaper.”
The Matrix 300 has been in development since 2004, when MacCormack and his brother Fintan established Mcor. Conor’s wife Deirdre is head of marketing. In 2009 the company received private and then Enterprise Ireland investment, at which point a production machine was developed.
The European retail price of the Matrix 300 will be €24,950, compared to a price tag just below €20,000 for standard 3D printer types. MacCormack said that difference would be quickly made up: eight litres worth of print volume costs €600 compared to €4,800 on a plastic-based device.
“We have a line about that; even at free our competitors are too expensive,” he said.
He said the device was also the first that could be described as “eco-friendly”.
However, Mcor’s competitors generate a significant amount of revenue from the sale of consumables, something the Irish firm will not be able to do.
MacCormack accepts this is the case, with the exception of the adhesive. The company has taken a “leap of faith” in the hope that the market will expand rapidly.
MacCormack is also confident that Mcor’s rivals will not be able to challenge their product because of this reliance on consumables, not to mention the international patents held in relation to it.
“Nobody knows how strong your patent is until someone tries to knock it over,” he said. “However, we’re confident that we are in a strong position and we also have a significant head-start in terms of research and development.”
