This isn’t your neighbors 3D Printer.

Enrico Dini, the designer, has big dreams for his printer.

Dini’s machine marks a vital step change from the shoebox-size 3D printing of today, to tomorrow’s ability to print complete structures on site. Although others have been working hard on the prototype, Dini’s machine is ahead of the pack, with the Architectural Association beating several others to get to the first marketable version.

The conceptual leap from modelling to manufacture may seem small, but making it has taken seven years of Dini’s personal endeavour in the face of bankruptcy and, when his ex-wife said she doubted his ability to complete the project, it cost him his marriage.

The brilliant idea creates rock solid material from sand and ink. It first lays down a layer of sand then a layer of ink.

Dini said he wants to use the printer to build houses on the moon or a cathedral. Below is his first printed building — a very small building.

[Via Blueprint Magazine]

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According to a MakerBot press release it works just like a glue gun.

To get a sense of how it works, imagine an extremely accurate, programmable glue gun. The Cupcake CNC starts by drawing a picture of the first layer of your object in plastic. It then raises the extruder up 1/3rd of a millimeter and draws the next layer. When all the layers are complete, you’ve manufactured a 3D object from your own or an open source design.

The device serves — a DIY kit itself– as a good glimpse into the subculture of do-it-yourself technology. While it’s not financially connected to Make Magazine or the popular open-source Audrino chip and operating system, MakerBot’s founder Bre Pettis has plenty of connections. Pettis created videos for Make Magazine and the MakerBot printer runs on the Audrino system.

The first few printers that come up on a Google search are $14,900 and $35,000, and the cheapest one on EBay is 4,999.98, so at $950 the MakerBot printer is a bit easier on the pocket book.

The printer can be used to make a robot shell for one of the many robotics kits out there or make a little gondola for a blimp kit.

At even the low price of $950, the MakerBot 3-D printer is a bit rich for the occasional tinkerer, but since the DIY movement is incredibly well connected, it could make a great addition to a local hackerspace and would be quite affordable if a few members split the cost. Renting out the MakerBot to other local makers could make up for a lot of the costs as well, though I didn’t find anything on Craigslist, talking to local makers could put one on the right track.

All in all, the MakerBot printer is a really interesting step in DIY tech and gets techies closer to putting their imaginations instead of their money into their new gizmo.

Below is some more video of the MakerBot printer in action at the 2010 CES.

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