New on Kickstarter, THE BEAST is a 3D printer with multiple extruders. Its makers claim the printer is so large, it can print a child.

With a name like THE BEAST, you’d be right to approach this 3D printer with some degree of caution. And well you should. The printing area is huge, boasting a 470mm x 435mm x 690mm of space, inside which a small child could easily be imprisoned.

But all that extra room isn’t just for 3D printing individual objects on a large scale; it can also 3D print up to four models simultaneously. THE BEAST features four Browden extruders, with separate filament feeds, so that it can print four models at remarkable speed.

Of course, four extruders could mean four times as many headaches for the unwary maker, but designers cultivate3D promise that THE BEAST has been thoroughly tested and is ready for continuous, large-scale production.

Making a printer this big naturally causes larger tolerance values and lower accuracy. But THE BEAST seems to excel in this area as well, with a best layer resolution of less than 50 microns, and a Z-positioning accuracy of only 1.25 microns. That’s very impressive for a printer that can produce items that reach up to 141 liters of volume.

THE BEAST comes from down under

THE BEAST is the work of two passionate engineers from New South Wales, Australia. The Kickstarter campaign for the printer has been 666% over-funded (perhaps by backers with horns and tails), and the campaign still has 23 days remaining.

The price of THE BEAST was kept down thanks to its use of open source software, with the focus of the team on the operational characteristics instead of the looks. Early bird Kickstarter backers can get the Beast for $2565. When it goes on sale, the assembled price will be $3299, but for people who like to build things on their own, there’s also a DIY kit at only $1850.

At that price, THE BEAST is a veritable steal. Just keep it a safe distance from small children and family pets.