RICHMOND, British Columbia — London Drugs is adding a 3D printer to its unique mix of pharmacy, health and beauty care products, and electronics.

Tiertime UP Mini 3DPrinter

The western Canada drug chain said Thursday that the Tiertime UP Mini 3D printer has been rolled out to 50 of its stores, enabling consumers to see the capabilities of 3D printing firsthand.

Entering the consumer market only in recent years, 3D printers allow three-dimensional solid objects to be made from digital models. London Drugs said the Tiertime UP Mini 3DPrinter, which uses UP Fila ABS Filaments, is as easy use to as a traditional inkjet printer and enables users can create custom parts, replacement parts, sculptures or more creative projects. Designers may also find the UP Mini useful for printing prototypes at their desk as they work on larger projects, the retailer added.

“You’ve likely learned about 3D printing from industry publications and seen the plastic-like output on display on your computer screens. Now London Drugs is making it easy for customers to see firsthand if this technology is right for them,” Cedric Tetzel, computers merchandise manager at London Drugs, said in a statement.

Consumers can visit select London Drugs stores for personal tutorials and demonstrations of the Tiertime UP Mini 3DPrinter, which carries a list price of $849.99 (Canadian). The drug chain’s computer departments will be demonstrating how easy the Tiertime UP Mini 3D printer is to use with in-store displays and will have experts on hand for questions. Tiertime UP Mini 3D printer replacement filaments are available at all London Drugs stores and via the retailer’s online store.

Though London Drugs offers the full range of drug store merchandise, and pharmacy is at the center of its operations, most of its stores have a footprint enabling them to offer a mix of products that’s among the most diverse in the industry — particularly a large electronics department, which has been a key shopper destination. Computers and computer supplies, software, televisions and home entertainment equipment, mobile phones and devices, household appliances, and a wide selection of cameras and photo equipment are found in almost every London Drugs outlet.

Earlier this summer, London Drugs also began selling a personal drone: the 3D Robotics Solo drone, intended for the capture of aerial photos and video.

“The drone category has been making massive strides over the last decade,” stated Colin Cottrell, electronics and audio-video systems merchandise manager at London Drugs. “We’ve been monitoring their evolution from toys into devices for amateur and semi-pro photographers. We believe that the level of sophistication has reached a point where they are an ideal tool for consumer and professional photographers, as well as remote control flight enthusiasts and even some industries.”

Overall, London Drugs operates 78 stores in more than 35 major markets throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.