XYZ came seemingly out of nowhere to capture the top spot in the 3D printing market. The Taipei-based company’s success is due in no small part to the fact that it’s managed to price out the competition. While companies like MakerBot are battling it out at the $1k and $2k price points, XYZ is routinely ducking under $300.
The company’s new da Vinci miniMaker combines its budget price point with a newfound focus on education – a segment toward which most consumer 3D printing companies are gravitating these days as home demand seemingly dries up. The move makes extra sense for XYZ.
As the company’s CEO pointed out on a recent trip to our office, the majority of its user base in China is based in school. The home maker community apparently hasn’t caught on in that country to the same degree it has here.
The da Vinci miniMaker carriers a $269 price point and a software ecosystem targeted at STEM education, courtesy of a new software ecosystem targeted at grades K-12 with 3D modeling, an online galley and a curriculum bundled in with purchase of the system.
The new printer is 30 percent smaller than the original da Vinci Jr., while maintaining the same compact 5.9” x 5.9” x 5.9” build platform. The system is available now and will be joined by a new 3D scanner arriving October 21 at the same price.