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Polaroid playsmart 3d printer specs


Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer review

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The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer turns out great prints, but it's pricier than many novice models

(Image: © Polaroid)

Tom's Guide Verdict

The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer offers a lot of features and performance for the price, making it a great pick for home users curious about 3D printing.

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Polaroid isn’t a name that springs to mind for 3D printing — at least not for U.S. shoppers — but the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer might change that. Polaroid has built a simple device that produces excellent quality prints using a variety of materials, as we discovered during testing our Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer review.

The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer costs $599. Like the Polaroid 3D Play Pen we tested for our 3D pen face-off, Polaroid's 3D printer is an exclusive at craft retailer Joann , currently offering the printer at an attractive discount as of this writing.

Without that discount, you’ll find less expensive choices for novice users among our list of the best 3D printers. But the Polaroid name and the quality output from the PlaySmart make this device worth a look if you want a 3D printer for the home.

  • Polaroid Play Smart at Amazon for $699

Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer specs

3D Printer Type: FFF
Layer Resolution: 50 - 300 microns
Materials: PLA, P-Wood, PETG
Controls: 3.5-inch LCD color touchscreen
Build Volume: 4.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 inches
Printer Size: 12.6 x 11.8  10.6 inches
Printer Weight: 11 pounds

Polaroid’s better known for its instant cameras, and the PlaySmart takes some design cues from that iconic product, using white and black plastic and the Polaroid logo. The printer might come across as dated to some, but it didn’t look out of place next to one of my vintage 1970s Polaroid cameras. 

The print area of the PlaySmart is rather small, at just 4.7 by 4.7 by 4.7 inches, for a total of 103 cubic inches. That’s a lot less than comparable printers like the Monoprice Voxel (329 cubic inches in total), but it’s the same as the Da Vinci Nano. Printing area is less of an issue than you might first suspect, though: it isn’t difficult to cut objects into parts and print one at a time if need be. 

(Image credit: Polaroid)

Above the PlaySmart’s print area is a small camera, used to monitor prints in progress and to produce timelapse videos. The filament is stored on a separate holder that also monitors how much filament you have left. It’s a nice touch, but one that feels somewhat redundant when you can clearly see how much filament is left on the roll. The PlaySmart works with filament from either Polaroid or third-party manufacturers.

Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer review: Controls

Next to the print area, the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer features an LCD controller, which is a small but easy-to-read touch screen. It is also responsive, and picking out on-screen options is easy to do. 

Still, you’ll find it easier to control the PlaySmart with the Polaroid PLAYSmart app, available for iOS and Android . This free app allows you to start prints from the library of manufacturer-supplied models, monitor a print in progress through the camera or run maintenance tasks. If you’re printing your own model though, you’ll need to use the control panel and the Polaroid SmartPrep software for Windows or Mac. 

(Image credit: Polaroid)

This simple 3D modeling program can load existing models in the .STL and .OBJ formats. You can resize, move, combine or otherwise manipulate your models, saving them and preparing them for printing. The print file can’t be sent directly to the PlaySmart printer, though: you have to save the print files to a USB drive, then connect this to the printer yourself and select it for printing. That seems like an odd requirement as the PlaySmart supports Wi-Fi.

Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer review: Print speed

The PlaySmart is a pretty fast printer: it cranked out a 4-inch high print of our Thinker model in 3 hours and 56 minutes in Draft mode. Changing the settings to Fine mode lengthened the print time to 10 hours and 13 minutes. That means the PlaySmart can quickly produce a rough print when required or produce a finer, smoother print overnight. 

The PlaySmart is a little faster than most printers we have tested, producing a draft print quicker than the Monoprice Voxel, currently our favorite 3D printer for beginners.

Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer review: Print materials

The PlaySmart can print using three different materials: PLA, P-Wood and PETG. PLA, or polylactic acid is the standard printing material that most 3D printers use. PETG, or Polyethylene terephthalate, is a plastic that is commonly used in plastic bottles and the like. It is lighter and stronger than PLA, but is also more expensive. P-Wood is a form of PLA that is mixed with sawdust to produce a wood-like feel. 

(Image credit: Polaroid)

These materials aren’t expensive: a 1KG reel of PLA costs $38 , while a similar amount of PETG  costs $48 and P-Wood is $55 for half a kilogram. You aren’t limited to these filaments, though: the PlaySmart can also use third-party filament, making this device more flexible than 3D printers restricting you to their manufacturers’ filaments.

Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer: Print Quality

As fast as the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer created prints, we also were impressed by the print quality of those models. The PlaySmart 3D printer yielded prints with clean, smooth details and very few issues. 

We test print quality by printing three models: a scan of Rodin’s Thinker sculpture, a geometric sculpture and a set of gears. Our first test model came out very well: the Thinker sculpture had excellent detail and smooth, organic-looking surfaces. The printer did a great job of reproducing the curves of the sculptures back and muscles. The layers of the print were rather obvious in all of the print modes, though: the print lacked the polished smoothness of SLA printers and some more expensive FDM printers. 

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Our second test model uses a geometric sculpture that really showcases the ability of a 3D printer to produce clean, sharp edges. The PlaySmart struggled a little here, with a print that had a lot of thin filaments of PLA between the edges of the print. Those filaments were produced by the material stretching as the print head moved between the different parts of the print. These are not difficult to trim off, though, and once removed the PlaySmart’s geometric sculpture print had sharp, smooth edges and well-defined points. 

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Finally, we printed a set of gears that are designed to snap together to form a set of hand-cranked planetary gears. The PlaySmart handled these without too many issues, producing a set of gears that fit together with only minimal cleaning. We did have to trim off a lot of the brim that held the print onto the print bed, though. 

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer review: Verdict

The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer offers a lot for $599: it can produce high-quality prints and churn out quick draft prints very rapidly. It also supports a variety of materials and doesn’t lock you into one supplier for your filament. 

But when comparing this device to other 3D printers aimed at novices for our Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer preview, Polaroid’s offering is relatively expensive. The Monoprice Voxel, for example, can produce prints that are nearly as good while costing $200 less.

Even at its regular price, though, you're getting a high-quality device for your money with the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer. And if that price drops below $599, then it becomes a very good deal indeed. Even when not on sale, though, the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer is a very good pick for home users who want to get started with 3D printing and want the very best prints, regardless of how much they have to pay upfront.

Polaroid Play Smart: Price Comparison

$699

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Richard Baguley has been working as a technology writer and journalist since 1993. As well as contributing to Tom's Guide, he writes for Cnet, T3, Wired and many other publications.

Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer | Desktop 3D Printer

Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer Review

Product Name: Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer

Product Description: The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer took some of the iconic designs of the Polaroid instant camera, including the black and white plastic body, brand logo, and the most popular spectrum color accent, which gives a vintage feel from the 1970’s Polaroid cameras. This budget-friendly machine offers a variety of great features and produces high-quality prints using different filament materials. Through the Polaroid PlaySmart mobile app and Polaroid SmartPrep software, it allows you to start printing, monitor the process, or perform maintenance tasks. Also, with the Polaroid Precise Filament Holder & Scale, you don’t have to wait and keep an eye if the filament is running out because it displays the amount of filament left on the spool.

Offer price: 400 - 600

Currency: USD

Availability: OnlineOnly

  • Build Quality
  • Performance
  • Features
  • Easy to Use

Summary

The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer is a compact and lightweight machine that comes at a reasonable price. It has a wide variety of filament materials, which gives you the opportunity to create different high-quality model prints in different colors. With amazing features like PlaySmart mobile app, SmartPrep software, and Polaroid Precise Filament Holder & Scale, expect nothing but great results. This desktop 3D printer is specially designed and made simple for beginners through its easy setup and user-friendly interface. PlaySmart is an impressive 3D printer that lives up to the great name of Polaroid.

Pros

Compact and lightweight
Easy setup and user interface
Built-in Wi-Fi camera
Precise filament holder
Multi-color printing

Cons

Small build area
Little pricey
Buggy app
Needs calibration after every use
Not a plug-n-play device

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User Review
0 (0 votes)

When you hear the name Polaroid, the first things that come to your mind are probably about Cameras and Films, right? Well, that’s not surprising at all, since the company has been in the high-technology industry for more than 80 years. It started as a small research and marketing company and became a popular camera brand in the market alongside Kodak, Fujifilm, Konica Minolta, and more. But with the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer, it might change the way you see the brand. According to the CEO and General Counsel of Polaroid, their first launch of a 3D printer and 3D pen has earned a lot of great responses from the customers. That is why, they decided to create another Polaroid Play line to match its competitors like the Flashforge, Monoprice, and Formlabs.

Overview

Polaroid announces its new 3D printer that comes with a touch of its traditional colorful shiny design. The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer took some of the iconic designs of the Polaroid instant camera, including the black and white plastic body, brand logo, and the most popular spectrum color accent, which gives a vintage feel from the 1970’s Polaroid cameras. This budget-friendly machine offers a variety of great features and produces high-quality prints using different filament materials. The print area is a bit small at just 4.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 inches but certainly not a deal-breaker. On top of the PlaySmart is the built-in Wi-Fi camera to monitor and record the printing process and progress. Then, next to the print area is an LCD touch screen controller that is very responsive and easy to operate.

Furthermore, you can control the printer using the Polaroid PlaySmart mobile app. By downloading the app through the App Store or Play Store, it allows you to start printing, monitor the process, or perform maintenance tasks right away. Although you might need to install the Polaroid SmartPrep software to edit, prepare, and save your model in either STL or OBJ formats to a USB drive. Another unique feature of the PlaySmart is its separate Polaroid Precise Filament Holder & Scale, which displays the amount of filament left on the spool. Now, you don’t have to wait and keep an eye if the filament is running out. Also, Polaroid PlaySmart works on three filament materials such as PLA, P-Wood, and PETG yet is compatible with third-party filaments.

Key Specifications
  • Polaroid PlaySmart mobile app
  • Polaroid SmartPrep software
  • Polaroid Precise Filament Holder & Scale
  • Heated print bed made of aluminum-magnesium alloy
  • 2. 2 pounds Polaroid universal PLA filament
  • 0.4 mm nozzle
  • 360-degree fan
  • 3.5-inch LCD touch screen
  • 4.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 inches print area
  • 50 to 300 microns layer height
  • 12.6 x 10.6 x 11.8 inches dimensions
  • 11 pounds of weight
  • Built-in Wi-Fi camera
  • USB and 2 GB SD card
  • PLA, PETG, P-Wood filament materials

Design

On the exterior design of the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer, it has the trademark spectrum color accents on the side and the brand logo in front. The overall look is similar to Wanhao Duplicator 10 and has the same size as the Monoprice Select Mini at 120 x 120 x 120 mm. But what separates the PlaySmart apart from other 3D printer is its app control, wherein you can easily send your model prints directly to the printer, control the temperature, and view the print progress via its built-in camera. It also provides 2 GB of internal memory to store your model designs and video recordings. In addition, the Polaroid has a Precise Filament Holder & Scale where it shows the current weight of filament left on the spool, so you will know when to change or replace the filament.

Setup

Good thing that the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer is already pre-assembled. All you need is to carefully remove the item from the box and ensure to position it on a flat and stable surface. This helps to minimize the vibration that will result in more accurate prints. So to start, follow the simple steps below to get it ready for printing.

  1. Remove all protective foam from the printer, as well as the tape in the print bed.
  2. Insert the PTFE tube at the end of the printer and extruder, then connect the power cable at the back of the printer and switch it on.
  3. Setup the Polaroid Precise Filament Holder and Scale by putting the filament and two double-A (AA) batteries to power it on. Twist-off the end of the filament or cut the tip at an angle before inserting it into the extruder.
  4. On the LCD screen, select “Filament”, then “Load” to automatically load the filament. If required, press “10mm More” to extrude more filament.
  5. Press “Confirm” to complete the process.

Features

Polaroid PlaySmart Mobile App

Controlling the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer using your mobile phone is made possible through the Polaroid PlaySmart mobile app. You can download it for free at Google Play Store or Apple App Store and connect the printer via cloud technology. Through this app, sending 3D models to print, monitoring the printing process, and controlling multiple printers is done from just one app. To start, select the “Model Library” on the screen, choose from 15 different designs, and press print. Now, you can easily begin, pause, or end the operation while on the go.

Polaroid SmartPrep Software

Using the Polaroid SmartPrep software will be the best platform for editing your design up until the printing of designs. It allows you to print multiple models or download and print models from the library for free. Just don’t forget to save it in STL or OBJ file before transferring the files to a USB drive. It also has an advanced setting that you can play around when creating a model. However, the SmartPrep software is available for Windows OS only, so if you are using macOS, then you might have to work with Cura software.

Multi-Color Printing

Even if the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer has only one extruder, you can still print your print designs in multi-colors. Start by selecting the “Multi-Color” in Polaroid SmartPrep software. Then, set the print model’s height, so the printer will automatically stop when it is time to change the filament color. And right after you save the file, it will show how long it takes to finish the model and how many filaments you need. With these features, you don’t have to worry about running out of filament during the printing process anymore.

Performance

After several tests, we can say that the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer is pretty fast. Upon trying the Draft mode, it took us almost 4 hours to print a 4-inch model. But after switching to Fine mode, it lasted for about 10 hours. Compared to Monoprice Voxel, PlaySmart is a little faster for printing drafts, which is great for beginners. Also, the print quality of PlaySmart is really impressive, the print models came out natural-looking with their clean, smooth, and excellent details. However, it lacks the polished looks we get from an SLA (Stereolithography) printer or more expensive FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling).

Conclusion

Start putting your designs into life with the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer. It is a compact and lightweight machine that comes at a reasonable price. Learning how to use the printer along with the Polaroid Precise Filament Holder & Scale is made simple through its easy setup and user-friendly interface. And with amazing features like PlaySmart mobile app and SmartPrep software, expect nothing but great results. This desktop 3D printer is specially designed for beginners and amateurs who want to take 3D printing to the next level. Through a variety of filament materials, it gives you the opportunity to create different high-quality model prints in different colors. Sure, other cheaper 3D printers provide good prints but this one is best for anyone who wants to learn 3D printing easily and hassle-free. The bottom line is, PlaySmart is an impressive 3D printer that lives up to the great name of Polaroid. If unsure this is the right 3d printer for you, check out our 3d printers section where we are sure you will find a 3d printer to suit your needs.

0/5 (0 Reviews)

Polaroid Offers PlaySmart FDM Desktop 3D Printers

News

This is Obsidian, this is Yan, this is Duplicator! No, it's a Polaroid.

A well-known manufacturer of photographic equipment, and more recently also equipment for 3D printing, announced at CES-2019 a compact desktop FDM 3D printer Polaroid PlaySmart.

“Since we launched the Polaroid ModelSmart 250S 3D printer and Polaroid Play branded 3D pens at CES 2016, we've had great feedback from users in the UK and Europe interested in affordable 3D printing hardware. We are now proud to offer our first small format desktop 3D printer for the European market, bringing the possibilities of 3D printing to an even wider audience. The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer is an easy-to-use, affordable entry-level solution for homes, schools and businesses,” said April Lunde, CEO of Polaroid.

But the new 3D printer has little to do with Polaroid itself. The trained eye of 3Dtoday participants can easily guess the shape of the Chinese 3D printer Wanhao Duplicator 10 in the new proposal. So it is, although it is not yet known who exactly acts as an OEM. In general, the history of this long-suffering device, which turned from Kodama Obsidian to Furling Tech YAN, then to Duplicator 10, and now also to Polaroid PlaySmart, is entertaining and instructive. Once again, we will not retell, just leave a link to the material with a detailed debriefing.

Well, we can only be happy for Furling Tech, which managed to win back on licenses after crowdfunding failures. There is only one small "but": Kodama Obsidian was originally offered on Kickstarter for $99, but it's worth clarifying that this offer was only for early customers and applied to printers in the basic configuration. Polaroid, on the other hand, offers a completely “fancy” option, but already for 450 euros.

Includes 5" touch screen, 200 megapixel remote camera, 0.4mm quick-change nozzle, 360° airflow on models, heated A/M platform, spool stand with built-in scale (to know how much material remains on reel), the ability to transfer data both via USB and via SD-cards, and wirelessly (Wi-Fi), a mobile application, 2 GB of internal memory, as well as a motion tracking system based on Smart Eye technology. The latter allegedly will allow you to identify failures and marriage, comparing the results with digital models. The size of the construction area is 120x120x120 mm with a layer thickness of 50 to 300 microns.

Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printers are scheduled to go on sale in March this year. Additional information is available on the official website at this link.

Do you have interesting news? Share your developments with us, and we will tell the whole world about them! We are waiting for your ideas at [email protected].

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They have been with us for many years, decades, which I would dare to rely on, but 3d print It was not possible to reach all the houses, although the reason seems obvious and logical : Not all of us need to craft items at home. However, in professional sector These articles are given so many uses and usefulness that one could write long paragraphs about it. If you have an itch curiosity on this topic, here we will show you selection of 3d printers.

3D printers can be a great resource for businesses and individuals. PC Mag

  • Factors to consider
  • Our selection of products will help you select the most suitable printer for your needs.

Factors to consider

Since we are facing a product that is not too well known to the general public and who you are certainly not too familiar with, we thought it appropriate to bring you some key know the aspects in which to pay attention to time to buy one of these printers. If you like, we start to solve any of them .

Printing materials: plastics, resins and metals

Company 3d printers They use, as it does with conventional inks, the main ingredient of to give life to the creations of their users. Generally, the most affordable printers that can be purchased at any specialty store usually use flexible materials Like PLA filament which is a biodegradable thermoplastic or ABS filament commonly used in pipes or in the famous LEGO. However, resins metals these among professionals are also materials to consider, depending on the project you want to undertake.

Printing system: how our new machine will print

0043 ways to create objects . We don't want to get into technical details, but you should know that you can make inkjet print just like regular printers work, except that layers of the chosen material will be superimposed here. There is also photopolymerization , which turns a liquid polymer into a solid under the action of ultraviolet light or photon absorption. Finally, stereolithography also known as SLA, is used with resins.

Ultimate packaging: keep track of the product you receive at home

It may seem like buying one of these devices is all about bringing it home and plugging it in to start using it, but it's not. You should notice very well in description manufacturer because some models yes they come almost ready to use from the first minute, but others need almost a separate process to finish building the printer from scratch. Be careful with this item because it can ruin your mood.

Connectivity and functionality: details to take into account before you get started with your new

3D printer Finally, it is obvious that you must consider factors typical for the time to buy any technology product . Take a look at features of and see if the printer you are interested in has Connections Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, Touch screen to customize every process, security system to avoid accidents or what resolution they work with so that your creations have the maximum possible amount of detail.

Our selection of products will help you choose the most suitable printer for your needs.

We don't want to spread too much, so here we leave you products what we think might be tools both to people who want to start in the exciting world of 3D printing, like those professionals who want to improve the advantages of their current team and strive to give a leap in quality .

March 2

The first item comes with innovative design for what these types of products usually are, as it presents us with a printer with two powerful tones, red and black, and color touch screen, 6.08 inches in size, which will allow you to handle the device easily. Also included is the CHITUBOX Slicing software, which will allow you to create and upload your own models so that you can later shape them in our reality. Their print speed is 30-50mm/h, you can load designs from external drive photopolymer resin It will give you excellent performance.

Anycubic Cobra

We return to restore the rough aspect in this type of device, although it is also easy to assemble the first time you want to use it. This article, thanks to its metal frame gives excellent stability to the device during printing. By the way, it has Touch Screen 4.3 inch LCD and is compatible with flexible materials such as PLA, ABS, PETG or TPU. He has an average speed of 80 millimeters per second and has build volume 220x220x250 millimeters.

Creative Ender 3 Pro

Although the design of this product is far from the sophistication of the previous model, the features of the device must be taken into account. In this case we are talking about a printer with the high heat capacity of the material you want to use, the ability of to resume printing in case of any problem such as a power outage, and although it comes unassembled, it is very easy to put together and start using. This model also allows you to use flexible materials Same as threads .

Anycubic Photon Mono 4K

If you're looking for a printer to impress locals and strangers alike and take your first steps into 3D printing, this is one of them. is one of the best options. UV radiation what it has in common and its 6.23 inch screen makes it special. The stem is adjustable and allows you to increase the build volume up to 132x80x165 millimeters. print speed of this printer is admirable, reaching 5 centimeters per hour , which could print a 12 cm object in two and a half hours. this printer accepts all kinds of resin can regulate UV radiation from 30% to 100%.

Anet Morpilot Storm G1

We continue with the large printer with dimensions of 44.1x42.4x49x2 centimeters, but which in turn offers the user the ability to create large objects, reaching 22x22x25 centimeters. you can use filament What is material that powers your creations and them Touch screen It will help you adjust print settings, nozzle temperature or build speed. It turns out that the printer is easy to install and that it fits the purpose of little can discover a world of printing that will surprise them.

Polaroid PlaySmart

The company The world's most popular photography company also has a place in its catalog to offer its users the opportunity to create amazing objects , as you can see in the video that we leave you with these lines. Is 3D printer weighs less than 5kg has 3.5 inch LCD screen and is compatible with filament PLA, PETG and P-Wood. You can transfer your creations via the SD slot via the USB port or via your mobile app .

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