3D Printer Advice

[engunneer]

that particular combination of requirements will be hard to find. $10k is not much for a "commercial" 3D printer. You'll also spend more on material on the more expensive printers.

2151 in 2012 had 17 3D printed parts on the robot, and none broke during competition, including the custom pulleys. All were printed on my $700 makerbot cupcake, and none were printed with support material. They are published to thingiverse if you want to check them out.

One of the things you can learn from 3d printing is how to design for the manufacturing process. If you have a milling machine, you are constrained to certain rules. If you have a 3D printer, you are constrained to other rules. You need to learn to design within the rules of your process.

What are you planning to print? The newest makerbot machines and some of the other "hobbyist" level machines are capable of dual material (either color or the second one can be dissolved), and has decent accuracy for under $3000. The build area is large enough to print a loaf of bread or a 2012 basketball. Get a large stockpile of material with another $500-$1000 and you can print quite a few things for your robot.