By virtue of its multi-material capacity and in particular the capability integrate silver printed circuitry within the PLA matrix the Voxel8 3D printer holds a special place in the 3d printer lineup at present.
Raising $12M is no mean feat either and investor list is impressive. As well as investing in the venture, or perhaps as part of the deal, Autodesk’s involvement included bundled software with the printer. Autodesk’s 3D circuit design software Project Wire is included with the printer package.
Voxel8, the startup behind the first multi-material 3D electronics printer, has raised $12 million to bring its printers to the desks of engineers and designers everywhere.
ARCH Venture Partners and Braemar Energy Ventures led the Series A round, joined by Autodesk, through its Spark Investment Fund and In-Q-Tel.
The result of a decade of patented research by co-founder and Harvard Professor Jennifer Lewis, Voxel8 printers are able to print fully functional electronics by incorporating materials such as conductive inks, flexible silicones and high-strength epoxies.
The majority of 3D printers today are built with FDM technology, co-founder Dan Oliver explains, which creates single-material plastic objects by pushing a solid plastic filament through heat.
The Voxel8 is slated to ship in late 2015 and pre-order’s are underway from the company website.
thumbnail courtesy of techcrunch.com
