ugee has released the Funbox, a 3D printer for kids.The company is a part of Hanvon Ugee Technology Group, a manufacturer and distributor of drawing tablets under the ugee, Xence Labs, and XPpen brands.ugee now promises a “first kid-only desktop 3D printer built on three core pillars: home-grade safety, one-tap easy operation, AI-powered creative play.” AI-powered play is something that fills me with dread, but safety is good.
The central idea is to help kids turn their 2D sketches into 3D prints.This could make 3D printing very accessible indeed.The company says that they have a “kid-tailored OS and original AI design generation” and is aiming the printer at “4-12 year olds.” Amy Yuan, Global Brand Director at ugee, said, “As 3D printing matures, we see strong demand for kid- and beginner-friendly printers with better safety and usability.
We deliver reliable safety backed by dual purification systems and UL certification to ease parents’ worries about children’s respiratory health.We aim to make 3D printing accessible to all, not just tech experts.We iterated products around safety, ease and fun: full one-tap operation from unboxing, streamlined workflows and kid-focused interfaces.
AI fuels easy creation, making home toy printing simple and delightful.Most importantly, children build creative thinking and problem-solving skills through play, fully aligned with STEAM education,” The Funbox has 12V power and meets IEC norms.It comes with a dual HEPA and activated carbon filter and an exhaust fan, and is made to adhere to international standards, such as ASTM F963-23 toy safety certifications.
With quite the fighting words, the company says that the printer is: “Different from open-structured rivals like Bambu Lab A1 Mini with exposed high-temperature nozzles and unfiltered exhaust, Funbox supports stable overnight printing inside closed carpeted rooms, eliminating parents’ core worries over indoor air pollution and accidental scalding.” The printer, made for “preschool beginners to teen hobbyists,” comes with its own UFun mobile application and reportedly prints at 500mm/s.It has different levels of slicing and uses a 2MP HD for remote monitoring and time lapses.There’s also a filament run out, spaghetti detection, and resume features.
The idea here is to “let kids operate independently.” The company has made AI ShapeGen tools where kids can use voice, text, or sketches as input for AI-generated files.Additionally, there’s a library of files available.The company will also offer STEM courses to “guide children to learn structural design and engineering logic during hands-on making.” Interestingly, the printer is open, and can take regular 1.75mm PLA, which should keep costs low.
The Funbox will be available starting July 15th on the ugee website.The price is supposed to be $329, but it is currently being offered for $269.If you buy now, you also get seven rolls of filament. So first off, it’s totally Kawaii, it’s super cute.
Plus, the filtration seems like a very good idea, and the app and file sharing tool seems like a very sensible thing to do.And if the AI creation tool lets you reliably make files well, then it could really be used a lot.I hope that they also have some CAD-like parametric tools as well.
Kids love putting their name on things and marking things, so this would be a good thing to have.I’m not sure about the build volume.Also, this is this firm’s first printer, so I’m always wary about this.
I don’t like the fact that there’s no dry box to keep the PLA from getting too much moisture.Not having this makes me worry a bit about how knowledgeable these guys are.I also don’t know how a nozzle clog will be cleared, so that’s something I’m curious about.
I like the safety focus generally and it all seems very sensible.Going after all the relevant certifications is surely a good sign as well.I’m a little less sure about toddlers, preschoolers, and four-year-olds.
I’m all for 3D printing and really think that kids can learn a lot about maths, engineering, making, crafting, failing, software, CAD, and solving problems with 3D printing.I’ve seen kids make incredible things with 3D printers, but four seems very young.What do you think? Would you give your four-year-old a printer? What is the right age to give kids a printer? I really think that a software-driven approach could make 3D printing much more accessible.
And I do think that strategically coming in with a kids made system is one niche that may let a firm take on the major 3D printer vendors.The fact that ugee is even trying this at all is interesting, and could point to more Chinese consumer electronics firms launching similar propositions.Could a xiaomi printer be a possibility? Having said this, the established players look formidable right now.
If this works and they are willing to risk the safety issues, then surely they will follow.Or could ugee build up experience and a market for children and then grow to be a real threat to our current market? Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.Print Services Upload your 3D Models and get them printed quickly and efficiently.
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