DisTech Automation Develops Prometheus System and Launches Kickstarter Campaign
DisTech Automation is a 3D printing technology company that designs high performance upgrades for FDM 3D printers. The “Prometheus System” is an inexpensive extrusion system that turns standard FDM/FFFdesktop 3D printers into multi-colour, multi-material printers.
Launching Success
Eric Sammut is a third-year Mechanical Engineering student at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Eric started DisTech Automation a year before school, selling high-performance hot ends (nozzles) for 3D printers. In 2015, he made $40,000 CAD in revenue.
This year, Eric developed a second generation product called the Prometheus System – a multi-filament 3D printing extrusion system that plugs directly into an existing open source 3D printing motherboard. In other words, multi-colour and multi-material 3D printing can be done with an existing 3D printer.
In the Spring, DisTech Automation received $5,000 in Youth Regional Advisory Services funding from Launch Lab. A large portion of the money was spent working with Make Hay Media to produce two Kickstarter videos. During the summer, Eric participated in Summer Company hosted by the Kingston Economic Development Corporation.
On September 6, Eric launched a Kickstarter campaign for the Prometheus System. Within 14 days, Eric raised more than $70,000, exceeding his original goal by $60k. The campaign ended on October 6. 286 backers pledged $76,215 CAD to help bring his project to life.
“The Kickstarter campaign represents a significant milestone for our company, and more importantly, for multi-filament 3D printing,” DisTech Automation states. “The Prometheus System will expand the capabilities of 3D printers around the world and will establish easy, affordable, and precise multi-filament printing as the new standard. We are excited to work together with you all over the next few months to make this product a reality and we look forward to building a strong community around the Prometheus System,” said Eric Sammut, CEO of DisTech Automation.
Eric is working on developing new products that will upgrade existing 3D printers to further expand their potential. In addition, the company has begun manufacturing for the Prometheus System and they are on track for Kickstarter delivery.