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The AnkerMake M5 3D Printer is Insanely Fast
Known for making chargers for smartphones, AnkerMake has unveiled plans for its first 3D printer. Unveiled through Kickstarter, the AnkerMake M5 has been surrounded by buzz, with the brand making some pretty lofty claims about their foray into the world of 3D printing. For an early bird price of USD$499, you’ll be able to see if Anker makes good on those promises.
Image: AnkerMake
One of which is its design, which features an integrated die-cast aluminium alloy structure and a Z-axis design that increases the weight of the base and reduces the centre of gravity of the machine. The design makes printing more stable for fast speed and turbo acceleration. The 60W heating rod quickly raises the nozzle temperature to 392°F (200°C) which makes sure the filament smoothly discharges while printing fast at 250 mm/s. Plus the double-cooling system uses a pair of fans that push out 1.3× the air output volume of other printers at max speed, this avoids stringing and helps quickly cool down your model.
Another of the AnkerMake M5’s most exciting features is its onboard machine learning system with computer vision capabilities that will watch the print through a camera. The AI Recognition System uses the powerful XBurst CPU to compare it against the digital model and determine if there are any flaws in the print. If there are any flaws in the print, the printer could stop the print or “theoretically at least” adjust parameters on-the-fly to salvage the job. Some other cool features include a webcam that lets you watch prints remotely and record timelapse videos of your creations as well as a backup system that saves the current layer if the power goes off, and then resumes the print when the power comes back.
However, its most exciting feature and most talked about feature is its speed. Anker claims the AnkerMake M5 prints five times faster than the competition thanks to its PowerBoost which optimizes energy with its Y-axis transmission system. Which uses a powerful stepper motor, double-belt driveshaft, and stabilized-motion algorithm to push out loads of extra power for high-speed printing.
Anker says that the AnkerMake M5 accelerates at 2,500m/s/s but it takes 25mm of movement to reach the max speed and then slow down to a stop again. They claim that you can take the printer out of the box, assemble it, plug in two USB-C cables and a power adapter, and it will automatically print at 250mm/sec. According to Eric Villines Anker spokesperson, “That’s our baseline for this.” You can back AnkeMake’s new M5 3D Printer on Kickstarter now, with early bird prices of USD$499, with retail set to swell to over USD$700.
Image: AnkerMake
Gabriel Jorge Gouveia
Gabriel Jorge Gouveia is a Sydney-based journalist who specialises in fashion, lifestyle and food reporting. He completed Bachelor of Communication Journalism Major at Western Sydney University and has had work published in the Fashion Industry Broadcast, Aussie Gossip and Beauty News Australia.
