The German toy manufacturer Fischertechnik, famous for their high-quality building sets are introducing a ‘Build, Plug and Print’ 3D printer construction kit said to be the world's first modular 3D printer system.  Available in August, the kit consists of 890 components and is priced at € 699.95. Unlike other 3D printer kits, the Fischertechnik kit requires no soldering skills or special tools and is the latest addition to their ROBOTICS line of kits.

The kit has been developed together with the specialist 3D printer manufacturer RepRap GmbH. Included with the step by step build instructions is information detailing the individual components and historical background to the technology. The 3D printer builds objects using inexpensive filament material and is therefore particularly suitable for beginners with no previous knowledge of 3D printing. Included in the set of parts are four stepper motors, three mini switches, a heated nozzle with temperature monitoring, pressure bed with pressure plate and a switching power supply.

The software library contains numerous ready-worked example objects and supports imported files from Internet databases. The 3D printer software supplied on a CD provides slicer and printer control especially adapted for the fischertechnik 3D printer and runs under Windows 7, 8 or 10.  Users with Linux or OS X operating systems can run the Fischertechnik 3D printers with the free software RepetierHost.