Seeking Advice on Printer Type to Buy

I'm new to desktop 3D printing, so would appreciate advice on what sort of machine to get. I'm an architecture professor and inventor, and plan to use the machine potentially with some students, though mostly for prototyping inventions. I suspect I'll want the flexibility offered by a two head machine so I can use support material, but I'm unsure of what the geometric limits are on non-supported printing. As far as I see, the RepRap kits are only one head, so I was looking at the RapMan 3.2 with two heads (second head for support material). Anybody used this machine, and if so, how does it perform? As far as I can tell the RapMan does not have a heated bed? If so is this a serious liability? Any other two-head kit options that might be better? i should also note that I really want a printer just to make prints, and likely don't have time to have the printer itself be a "project", so something that is a relatively easy build and setup is preferred. Thanks!

The heatbed will give you better attachment of the first layer.
It also will reduce warpping of the part.


RAMPS 1.4 does support dual extruders, But I don't know that there is an X carriage that allows you to mount 2.

Thanks much regarding the heated advice. I noted on another forum thread that Skeinforge supports dual heads for using support material.

Yes it does. You need to use the startSupport.gcode and endSupport.gcode to switch the extruder.

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

Bob, thanks much for confirming this.

Anyone by chance has experience with the RapMan (and possibly the dual head version)?