So I’m ready to build my next printer but now I’m not sure which way to go. I was starting to put together a parts list for something similar to the ingentis like what @Tim_Rastall is building but I also like the delta-bots. I want to have a min. build area of 12" cubed hence the original thought of building the ingentis. I want to build a printer that will be as much “worry free” as possible. I have seen the ultimakers run once they are set up right and they seem to be pretty “worry free”. What is everyone’s thought about the delta-bot printers. I saw the DeltaMaker at the Orlando Mini Maker Fair and they seem to have a nice design that produces good detailed prints. Also something to take into consideration is that I want dual extruders and I’m not sure if I can do that on a delta-bot (maybe if it’s a Bowden setup??). So I put this to you, my 3D printing family, which way should I go…give me your thoughts and pros and cons of each style.
Delta bots are easier to build and harder to calibrate. I’m not sure that help but it’s all I got at this point.
I’d still honestly go with something like the Ingentis. While deltas are great and all, and they can be hassle-free if you set up automatic build plate leveling, etc - they still suffer from an “issue” which causes their resolution to change depending on where the end effector is. Knowing that you pay a lot of attention to detail on your printer, you would probably notice the moire pattern that this creates. As the armature reaches an edge, it takes more steps to move the nozzle the same distance. Towards the center, it takes less steps to move the armature a specific distance. You can still get accurate, detailed prints from it, but it’s a little less straightforward if you’re going kit-form.
Honestly (disclaimer, I work for them now) the DeltaMaker is amazingly over engineered. But they did it that way specifically for that reason. They didn’t want anything coming out of alignment, etc. If you’re going for large build area, with the least amount of desk volume used in ratio to print volume, a overhead gantry style setup is going to be the best.
You also have to think about the kinds of things you want to print. Are you looking at mostly tall things? If so, that solidifies a delta. Mostly large (X/Y) things? Well, that kinda kills the delta because the wider you go with it, you’ve gotta go much taller, with much longer arms in order to be able to move those arms to the extents required to reach the edges.
I posted another post to the 3D printing community showing a visualization of what I’m talking about.
@ThantiK would having the 1/32 stepper drivers help with the resolution at the center of the build area?
Maybe what I’ll have to do is build both. (one at a time of coarse and ingentis first) that way depending on what I want to print I will have the option to go tall or wide.
Obviously higher resolution drivers help, but remember that you’re going to possibly be hitting limited step speeds as the frequency needed to reach the same speed doubles with every double of microstepping. Honestly it’s not that big of a deal imo, but to say it doesn’t exist would be misleading and I aim to provide the most complete set of knowledge about what I can.
+Mike Smith I’ve seen some lovely prints come off deltas and you can go up to 1/32 or 0.9 motors to double your resolution at the cost of top speed (steps per second is limited to 50000 in marlin). I’d be more than happy to support you through an Ingentis build but I also need to caution you that it’s still developing, I’m confident it’s going to work but I’m still refining the design. While I’m doing that, it not sensible to produce build guides beyond the the videos I’m creating as I go.
@Tim_Rastall thanks I appreciate that. I think that’s what I’m going to do is an ingentis build, so I would like to pick your brain a little. I like the design a lot but there were a couple of things I was thinking of doing a little different and maybe you could tell me if you already thought of them and if so why you went a different way. One of the things was to use a ball screw for the z axis and have the table overhang like what is on the ultimaker. I do like the idea of having a linear shaft on each side of the table to balance out the load like what you have but those ball screws aren’t cheap and I wanted to try and keep the price down to a minimum. Also I wanted to try and drive the x and y direct instead of geared. I want eliminate as many wear points as possible plus eliminate and areas that could have backlash. I want to build as “tight” of a system as I can.
@Mike_Smith Ok, the good news is I intentionally designed the Ingentis to be as modular as possible and to have some backwards compatibility to the t-slot tantillus.
So we’ll start with the easy one: I designed the Ingentis so it could still use the GoopyPlastic T-Slot Tantillus Corner Brackets. The 6900ZZ bearings I am using to support the 10mm external drive shafts are the same OD as 608ZZ (22mm) so you can Just print the Goopy corners instead and they have the direct drive motor mounts. You’ll have to design a 5mm-10mm shaft coupler but there are parametric ones out there I think, so shouldn’t be an issue.
For the z stage I have an early design with a lead screw driven cantilevered bed similar to the one you describe. I think it’s possible but the weight of the bed, was a worry. If I were to do what you describe, I would use 12mm shafts for the verticals and probably consider some all metal bearing mounts to fix directly to the t-slot cantilever frame, rather than using printed bushing holders. That way, you wont have any plastic parts to worry about bending/twisting under the stress of supporting a heavy cantilever.
Delta is good. Dual bowden will work ok I want to do a bigger delta using v rails
I am new to this area and will probably settle on a printrbot to start but i really like the speed of the deltabot. so i am aiming on my 2nd being one of those. preferably a large build volume also.