Polaroid unveils PlaySmart 3D printer at CES 2019

Polaroid will be releasing their PlaySmart 3D printer on March 1st in the UK and Europe. It was unveiled at CES 2019, printing objects for attendees to examine. The PlaySmart is compact but feature-rich, with wifi control, a webcam, and a filament scale that tracks the remaining filament on a spool.

Here are the specs of the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer:

120 x 120 x 120mm build volume

50 to 300 micron layer heights

2 GB memory for models and videos of the prints

One-Click printing of models stored in memory

200 MP wifi camera for remote monitoring

3.5-inch touchscreen that guides users through setup

360° fan for quick cooling

Print from SD, USB, or the mobile app

Aluminum-magnesium alloy heated print bed

Quick-release 0.4mm nozzle

Compatible with PLA, ABS, PETG, wood, and more

A Smart Eye and Smart Failure detection algorithm will also compare the model with the actual print, canceling the print if the two don’t match. I’m not sure how live viewing, failure detection, and print recording can all take place at the same time, but that’s on Polaroid to figure out. Though there’s only one extruder, models can be 3D printed in multiple colors by instructing the software to pause for a filament change. The PlaySmart is also an aesthetically attractive machine, unlike many 3D printers at a similar price point, which will be €449.

It seems Polaroid learned some lessons from their first foray into 3D printing with the ModelSmart 250S, which was cumbersome and required overpriced consumables. The PlaySmart weighs only 5kg and uses regular spools of filament because literally nobody wants to buy proprietary filament cartridges. April Lunde, CEO of Polaroid stated, “We’re excited to bring to market our first small format, desktop 3D printer in the UK and Europe, opening up the world of 3D printing to even more users. The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer is an easy-to-use and affordable option to introduce 3D printing into any home, classroom or business.”