Photo for reference.
But has anyone built, a large scale printer, bigger then 1 square foot?
What are some of the more easliy scalable printer designs?
What where some of he challenges? What would you have done differently if you were to build one all over again? Im in the process of researching for building my 4ft square printer, and i needed some ideas. I have my own machining equipment that allows me to build custom fixtures and components. So this project might be easier for me then others.
Just to make things clear i have built 2 6ft tall Delta machines, already. For my project of building carbon fiber bike frames. This move to a even bigger printer, is so I have to print less parts.
The SeeMeCNC crew had their giant printer printing chairs, but that nozzle and printer compared to others is about man vs ants. Joe Spanier did have a nice printer.
My large scale printer is also a delta, 350mm diameter bed, 1.5m high, 750mm z height.
I actually haven’t resolved my big issue with it: should the extruder nozzle be large diameter (>=1mm) so that large prints don’t take a week or should I stay with the smaller nozzles (0.25-0.4mm) I’m used to for detail work and just deal with the long print times?
Or should I get wacky and figure out a way to feed a diamond hotend in there?
@Ross_Bagley I print with .4 nozzles running on e3d v6s. And honestly the longest my print has ever taken as about 24hrs. For a 3.5ft section of a bike frame.
If details are import in your work go for the smaller diameter. I own 2 volcanos as honestly I never use them. Sure they are faster, but they limit what I can print with them, (supports SUCK to remove).
Thanks all for the replies!
I’ve been looking at printers like the Big Rep 1 for inspiration. The only feature I know for sure that I want would be a stationary bed.
The less I have too worry about the weight x force needed to left up the platform the better.
Could anyone point me in the right direction for maybe a better design to follow?
The Kossel 25000 (johann’s next generation design) uses a larger dual metal plate vertex so that the boxes at top and bottom are 75mm high. It’s quite strong. The vertex plates can be made even taller, and scaling the box height with overall height helps the structure resist racking loads. There’s still an issue with vibration on those long vertical beams, but 20x60 or 40x60 extrusion will have that extra rigidity if the budget allows.
I went with 20x40 verticals and when I try to go fast (>200mm/sec speed, 3000mm/sec^2 acceleration) I see some ringing on corners that changes gradually with increased Z. I suspect that’s the flex and vibration on those relatively slender verticals making itself known.
I’m using a kit-built Reality CR-10 at 300x300x398 mm its pretty nice.
If you are going to stay with a 0.04, wouldn’t it be a lot faster to use multiple printers?
@Daniel_Kruger yes you are right that’s why I built another printer in the exact configuration. As you see in the pic above. It litteraly cuts my print time in half.
MAZZZZZIVE will be open in a couple weeks. This version was only a 14x14 square with a 7.5’ build hieght though.
@Nicholas_Seward had a really nice build build area printer though.
I am in the process of make a 50x50 delta printer to see how unstable it is but for what it is seen it will be very problematic hahaha
I have built a lot of really large printers. Stationary bed is the way to go. You can check out the Printrbot Big-E… it works. You just have to build big and learn from printing! That’s the way you can become an expert.
Brook
@Brook_Drumm
Yes this is what I was looking for!! What’s the advantages of going with this style of printer vs a corexy set up. Or similar to the big rep 1?
Price is the big one. Big-E is cheap to build and fairly easy. Your not gonna go fast, or have high acceleration. But like Brook said. It works!
In terms of accuracy both work fine correct? I would be running a duet Wi-Fi in order to ultiliz gird mapping with its IR sensor.
@Joe_Spanier I plugged my printer in to a Windows 10 machine when I got home and it just worked. I guess my problem was Windows 7. Go figure.
@Edwardo_Garabito1 My build deviates from the common suggestion to have a static bed. I have the bed move in the z. Leveling was easy enough. (I only use one Z screw. Everything is held square with old drafting table technology.) The printer is only about 1 foot bigger in each dimension then the print volume and the print volume can be whatever you want. We made it for about $1000. The frame can be made out of about any flatstock. The real important feature for me is that it can be assembled and disassembled in about 15 minutes and can flatpack in the back of my stationwagon. The one I built can do 24x24x30 inches. If I was to build a 4x4x4foot printer then I would buy 6 sheets of 5’x5’x.75" baltic birch and find someone with a big enough mill. We are working to get a parametric version published.
Nice! that figures. If you need help with a big router and arent from from IL I could probably help you out.
I’m in Brooklyn NYC if that helps
