We use cookies to personalize content, interact with our analytics companies, advertising networks and cooperatives, and demographic companies, provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. Our social media, advertising and analytics partners may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. Learn more.
I currently have a 3D printer that is doing an adequate job for me as I have gotten used to its quirks over the last year or so. I’m constantly looking for an upgrade, but what I would like to have is just not out there. There are lots of choices for the hardware, but I want open standards with a great company to back it up.
An open standards 3D Printer from Inventables would certainly get my attention, and most likely my dollars.
I purchased a cheap XYZ 3D printer at Christmas time on sale. Now I’m hooked. But the model that I have is very limited when it comes to add ons and extra features. With that said, one of my next projects will be a DIY 3D printer. Since I already have the Xcarve, then I would definitely be interested if they made this option available.
You can already buy ~90% of what you need to build a 3D printer from the Inventable’s store…
Extrusions for the frame
NEMA Motors (2 for Y, 1 for X, 1 for Z)
GT2 belts
Motor Brackets
Bearings, couplers, pulleys.
Arduino
Power Supply
Nuts, bolts… etc
All that’s missing is some smooth rods, heat bead, ramps 1.4 board and some type of hot-end.
The trick would be to build something BETTER then your standard i3 Prusa (google ‘Folger Tech 2020 i3’ to see an i3 built using Aluminum Extrusion as the frame).
IMHO… It would be a very hard market to enter. Printrbot, Ultimaker & Lulzbot (Aleph Objects) already create award winning open hardware printers with amazing support ($1k - $3k). You’d also have to compete with the do-it-yourself-for-cheap companies like Folger Tech (under $300), or the never ending i3 clones coming out of China (Geeetech, Monoprice… etc @ $350).
Also a lot of good YouTube videos on building and reviews.
I was able to start printing after it was assembled. It included a roll of PLA and ABS plastic.
No calibration done just curious if it would work. Here was my very first print.
It depends on how you build it. The stronger the frame, the less vibrations and the cleaner the prints you get.
Most i3 kits that use Acrylic frames have sides attached to the front of the frame to improve rigidity. Acrylic also doesn’t warp/bend like the wood frame i3’s (MakerFarm).
Most of the i3 type printers i’ve seen that use 2020 aluminum for the Z tower look like this…
The one i played with didn’t have enough support to stop the print head movement from affecting the print quality.
Compare that with the Lulzbot Taz printers that use a box-frame to create the Z tower…
It produced the best quality print and was one of the fastest printers i’ve had a chance to play with (its also $$$)…
My next printer will probably be the Printrbot plus… same idea… big thick Z tower…
