Leading e-commerce platform Amazon has launched its own brand of 3D printer filaments that can be sold and shipped worldwide.
While the current waiting time for the products is 1 to 3 months, the move is interesting because the filaments are available in the AmazonBasics range and bring them in line with common household items like batteries, HDMI cables and lightbulbs.
Could this be the validation 3D printing on desktop has been waiting for? Selection of AmazonBasics PETG 3D printer filaments. Image via Amazon
AmazonBasics 3D printer filament now available
Filaments of the Amazon brand are available as PETG, PLA and ABS plastics in various colors. A single coil alone carries 1 kg of material and is manufactured with a standard diameter of 1.75 mm.
The spool design includes a small window on the front that allows the user to check how much material remains to be processed. The material is also supplied in a resealable storage bag to protect it from damage / contamination when not in use.
A single spool of AmazonBasics filament can be purchased for $ 19.99, and a multipack of 5 filaments is available for $ 79.99 excluding shipping, which is roughly the average price for that amount of material.
Variety of AmazonBasics PLA colors. Photo via Amazon
3D printing on Amazon
The first commercial 3D printing activity on Amazon was announced in 2013 when the website opened its 3D Printers & Supplies Store, selling consumer machinery, accessories and consumables including filaments such as eSUN, BuildTak and 3D Prima.
Since then, the company’s calm commitment to technology has gradually been evident through a series of research and development projects.
While the filaments may not compare to an Amazon mobile 3D printing service or a top-secret 3D printed drone lab, it certainly got the community talking.
AmazonBasics PETG. Photo via Amazon
Finding a potential supplier
Currently, the filament of the AmazonBasics PETG 3D printer is listed with an average shipping date of 1 to 3 months. The other two types, PLA and ABS, are marked with “Temporarily out of stock”.
There are ratings for every material. Some are from high-ranking reviewers in the site’s “Top 1000”. Others come from members of Amazon’s Vine Voice program, which is invite-only and provides access to pre-release products in exchange for writing reviews.
Data on these reviews suggests the product was only released recently, apparently in early July 2018.
According to Terry, an associate at Vine Voice, “This 1.75mm PETG filament for 3D printing from AmazonBasics seems to print well with no problem as long as your print bed is hot enough.” Screengrab via Amazon
In the rumor recognized by Trochlea subreddit r / 3Dprinting, rumors also circulate about the supplier behind filaments of the Amazon brand. Some users recommend Hatchbox or AMZ3D, two of the most popular filament brands listed on Amazon, as potential suppliers.
Amazon itself, on the brand’s About page, reportedly made all AmazonBasics products in Taiwan and China.
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The picture shown shows the filament of the AmazonBasics 3D printer. Photo via Amazon
