| Revision as of 19:00, 26 April 2016 editMruizcamauer (talk | contribs)40 edits Reinstated previous longer version of page, similar to others in the list of 3D printer companies around the world in List_of_3D_printer_manufacturersTag: reference list removal← Previous edit |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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|+Kikai Labs |
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'''Kikai Labs''' was an Argentinian company that designed and produced several lines and models of ] until late 2016, when it went bankrupt due to lack of available financing for producing its products and government imposed restrictions in imports of essential components. |
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|Privately Held |
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!Industry |
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!Founded |
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|December 2004 |
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!Founder |
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|Marcelo Ruiz Camauër |
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!Headquarters |
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|Buenos Aires, Argentina |
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!Key people |
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|Agustin Bialet, Cristian D'Lucca |
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!Products |
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!Number of employees |
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|10 |
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!Website |
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|www.kikailabs.com |
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== History == |
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Kikai Labs is an offshoot of a software development company named . In late 2011 the company began to investigate 3D printing based on the RepRap project, and built several prototypes during 2012. |
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As such it was the first or second company in South America to commercially develop FDM 3D printers, and the first one in Argentina to do so. Trimaker, another company from Argentina, had earlier developed an SLA 3D printer. |
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The company started shipping fully assembled 3D printers in April 2013 from their office in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The focus of their printers has always been to target industry, entrepreneurs and education market, not the DIY crowd. The first prototype was designed by Federico Heinz, with the help of Agustin Bialet and Marcelo Ruiz Camauër. The Fabber M11 was designed by Damian Marquez. The Fabber C11 was designed by Lisandro Fernandez Galván. |
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"Kikai" means "machine" and "surprising or wonderful thing" in Japanese. |
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==Awards== |
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==Awards== |
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Kikai Labs has received the following awards: |
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The company has received the following awards: |
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* Sadosky to Best IT Enterprise (2012) - The Sadosky award is one of Argentina's most prestigious awards in Information Technology. |
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* RioInfo 2012 (Argentina) - Award given as the local winner in the Argentine chapter. The award was a paid trip to compete in the national RioInfo conference in Brazil.<ref name="award1">{{cite web|url=http://www.cioal.com/2012/08/15/kikai-labs-gano-el-premio-innovacion-en-bait-2012/|accessdate=26 April 2016}}</ref> |
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* Semi-finalist in Innovar 2013, 2014, 2015 - This competition, hosted by the Argentine government, showcases inventions and grants monetary prizes. Selected competitors, such as Kikai Labs, are invited to the exhibition.<ref name="awards2">{{cite web|url=http://www.innovar.mincyt.gob.ar/|accessdate=26 April 2016}}</ref> |
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== Products== |
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=== Maker T105=== |
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The very first printer, made in wood. It was rapidly superseded by the T125. Based on Marlin, RAMPS 1.4, MK2 heated bed, wood, 8mm rods. |
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=== Maker T125=== |
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An upgraded version of the T105, with a heated bed. A popular printer, it became the first personal-use commercial FDM printer made in Argentina. |
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=== Maker T140 === |
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An upgrade of the T125 introduced in mid-2014, it includes a display and SD card, allowing autonomous operation. Based on Marlin, RAMPS 1.4, MK2 heated bed, wood, 8mm rods. A solid machine still very much in use in 2016. |
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=== Maker T145 === |
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An upgrade to the T140, adding a full-enclosure, a panic button, an activated carbon filter for reducing ABS fumes. It was aimed at schools, primarily. Introduced June 2015. |
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=== Fabber M11 === |
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The Fabber line represented quite an advance over the Maker line. The printers are made of a steel chassis with a 3mm aluminum cover, acrylic windows, a coreXY mechanism, a 3.2" color touch panel display, 32 bit SmoothieBoard processor, the ability to work in Spanish, English or Portuguese, and most importantly, a fully-automated automatic callibration via a capacitive sensor. It uses a mirror print surface held in place with magnets (no clips!), and has a large build volume of 350mm by 200mm by 300mm (Z), or 21 liter capacity. |
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It was introduced in April 2015. |
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==Innovations== |
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* The Painter |
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Kikai Labs invented in 2014 a low-cost accesory for a RepRap-style 3d printer that colors the objets using low cost markers. This system permits a low-priced printer to make multi-material colored objects, even if only as a working prototype. This kind of capability was only available in industrial level printers costing over 50.000 USD at the time. The development consisted of a stepper motor holding a carousel of 5 magic markers and software to generate the needed gcode. Sample objects made with the "Painter": |
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* Automatic callibration via capacitative sensor |
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The Fabber line of printers introduced automatic callibration via a capacitive sensor working on a mirror printing surface. This required a strong software effort to detect the printing plane and to rotate the object in the gcode in 3D so that it is perpendicular to the printing surface. |
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* RioInfo 2012 (Argentina) - Award given as the local winner in the Argentine chapter. The award was a paid trip to compete in the national RioInfo conference in ].<ref name="award1">{{cite web|url=http://www.cioal.com/2012/08/15/kikai-labs-gano-el-premio-innovacion-en-bait-2012/|accessdate=26 April 2016|title=Kikai Labs ganó el Premio Innovación en BAIT 2012|date=2012-08-15}}</ref> |
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* Education Kit |
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* Semi-finalist in Innovar 2013, 2014, 2015 - This competition, hosted by the ], showcases inventions and grants monetary prizes. Selected competitors, such as Kikai Labs, are invited to the exhibition.<ref name="awards2">{{cite web|url=http://www.innovar.mincyt.gob.ar/|accessdate=26 April 2016|title=Concurso Nacional de Innovaciones / INNOVAR 2018}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=April 2016}} |
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In cooperation with INTI (National Institute of Industrial Technology, Argentina) it developed a 3d printing kit aimed at educators, particularly at the high-school level. This professionally designed kit allows the teacher to succesfully guide students in printing a model car, powered by rubber bands, and in the process analyzing the physics behind it, working as a team, working on optional parts using CAD, making laboratory measurements. etc. |
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== See also == |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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<ref>Source: founder of Kikai Labs</ref> |
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