At Zeni Kinetic, the very first fully functioning Origin: Type Zero 3D printer was rolled into the store’s State Street showroom.
“There aren’t really any other printers at this price that are built this well, and that’s what makes us stand out,” says electromechanical assembler Chris Gonzalez.
Though Zeni Kinetic opened in Oct. 2014, owner and founder Nicco Macintyre is no stranger to the 3D printing business. Nicco has worked extensively in prototyping and product development. “The term 3D printing started being used for rapid prototyping five or six years ago, and it’s basically spawned an entire industry, making this sort of technology accessible to people,” he explains.
Zeni Kinetic currently offers 3D printing services, as well as 3D printer production and sales, and all is done in-house. A large array of brightly colored prints—ranging from basic boxes to models made in the images of real people—lay on a table near the front windows, enticing passersby and only hinting at the endless creative possibilities available to customers.
Nicco lists a robotic camera dolly as one of his favorite print jobs to date. “The conventional way using a machine to cut plastic would be $1,500. We print these now for about $12 a piece,” he says.
Printing prices depend on factors such as materials, size and type of fill. Filament options include PLA, made from corn starch and are completely biodegradable. Printer prices vary with, among other things, build space dimensions and number of extruders, as well as whether the printer has a heated bed and/or an LCD screen. “We use a lot of open source programs to try to keep costs down,” says Chris.
Since its grand opening, the store has been the destination of many field trips, and several teachers at the University of Utah have pre-ordered 3D printers. With discounts for students, teachers and nonprofits, and plans to host classes in the coming months, it is clear that Zeni Kinetic prioritizes making the newest technology available to the community. §
629 S State St, Salt Lake City. Hours, Mon – Sat, 10 am-8 pm; Sun 12 pm- 6 pm
