Good people of Adafruit made this tutorial on how to enable your Printrbot extruder to properly work with Ninjafelx filament. All it takes is small 3d printable part and you are good to go ...
Someone posted a video that shows how he uses 3d printer to make a custom car part to do some automotive hacking. The part connects air intake and carburetor of two different car types. It links VW Syncro air box and Toyota 4Y carburetor into functional unit. It is a sort of car hacking. You use incompatible non-operational parts to make something new and functional.
Recently I paid 25$ for simpler and much smaller air intake plastic part for my Mercedes A class from 2001. Since it is an older car I had to search several used car parts salesman. Since Croatia is EU such car parts are easier to find now, but some years ago it was much harder and more expensive. I didn't even thin about printing the par myself since it didn't even cross my mind. next time I'll know better. There is booming used cars markets in developing countries that also need many spare parts and this is where 3d printers could be of some assistance.
Here is easy and simple small hack to prevent the dust from the filament surface to get melted on 3d printed object. You just use a piece of paper towel as cleaning filter on filament intake.
Another way to use high-end CNC machine as (low end) simple 3d printer. This project is done by Chin-Kai Chang, Rand Voorhies and Lior Elazary at University of Southern California(USC) iLab. ilab.usc.edu. Personally, I don't think it makes much sense to do it in their setup with this big expensive CNC, but maybe someone will find a use for their hack.
From project description:
This is a in progress project that we try to use convention CNC mill/router as a 3D printer. Here, we use Mach3 control software which reads g-code and control the CNC movement. In this setup, we don't need to change the original setup and be able to switch CNC/printing jobs easily.
Here is a post about Mach3 software addon that enables it to to all the 3d printing required processing and slicing inside the program:
1. Printer Head mount: We choose Makerbot Plastruder MK5(http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3290) as our print head. The mount plate and MK5 model can be found at thingiverse.com/thing:5221 2. Reprogram extruder controller board: In our version of firmware, we implemented a simple serial protocol that takes a serial command to set/read temperature and control DC motor speed. For example, send "T220" to set temperature to 220C and send "M255" to set motor pwm to 255. Send "R" to read current temperature and so on. In addition, we also use one digital I/O pin(D9) as motor start/stop input which will connect to the computer parallel port used by Mach3. You can find the firmware in download section(iLabProto.pde) 3.Create the Mach3 setting file. We create a new Mach3 setting file named "PCNC770M3_Metric_3DP.xml" which is a copy from original CNC setup. Also, we add a new macros folder "PCNC770M3_Metric_3DP" under "C:_Mach3_macros" with all the extruder related M-code(M101,M103,M104,M108,M113,M200,M201,M5) that will generate from skeinforge. In each M-code .m1s file , it looks like: ================================== 'M104 Macro Setting the temperature Dim P Dim Q Dim R Dim Temp as integer P=Param1() Q=Param2() R=Param3() Temp = R Message("Setting Temp to " & Temp) Call SendSerial ("T" & Temp & chr(13)) ================================== This allows Mach3 send serial command and talk to Extruder
4.Setup Mach3 serial and parallel connection to extruder controller board.
The idea to have both serial and parallel connection is because we assume there will be some latency of serial command in Mach3. So, we use the serial to set target temperature(M104) and motor speed(M108 because this command does not require very precise timing. Then, we use the parallel port to control the feeder to start/stop(M101/M103) as this command needs to run very fast. In the serial connection, we need to remove the green pin(RTS#) because when Mach3 try to send a serial command, it will also sent a reset signal which cause extruder MCU to reset and lost all current temp/motor setting. In this way, we can even use a serial terminal to check/set other status when Mach3 is running but not sending any serial command. Here, we hack the coolant pump signal(M8/M9) to replace our Motor start/stop command(M101/M103). We will replace all M101/M103 words to M8/M9 in the g-code later. 5.Generate the g-code from ReplicatorG, as a normal 3D printing procedure. We choose "Cupcake Basic" as our machine driver. 6.Run gcode-clean.pl perl script to create Mach3 usable code. Even we had implemented all the M-code in Mach3, the g-code still not able to run under Mach3 and requires some adjustment.
First, Mach3 doesn't use "S" word in M code because it conflicts with spindle speed code. So, we need to replace all "S" word to "R" word. For example "M108 S220" becomes "M108 R220". Second, skeinforge will generate G1 code with "X Y Z F" in each single line. This will totally mess-up Mach3's movement because CNC mill requires some acceleration and deceleration. The solution is remove all redundant feed rate commands and let Mach3 has enough time to accelerate/decelerate. For example: Original skeinforge g-code: ================================== G1 X-24.09 Y-12.52 Z0.52 F780.0 G1 X24.1 Y-12.52 Z0.52 F780.0 G1 X24.1 Y12.52 Z0.52 F780.0 G1 X-24.19 Y-5.27 Z1.16 F173.333 G1 X-17.28 Y-12.18 Z1.16 F173.333 G1 X-20.78 Y-10.37 Z2.02 F693.333 G1 X-20.78 Y-8.64 Z2.02 F693.333 G1 X10.41 Y-8.64 Z2.02 F693.333 ================================== After clean up ================================== G1 X-24.09 Y-12.52 Z0.52 F780.0 G1 X24.1 Y-12.52 Z0.52 G1 X24.1 Y12.52 Z0.52 G1 X-24.19 Y-5.27 Z1.16 F173.333 G1 X-17.28 Y-12.18 Z1.16 G1 X-20.78 Y-10.37 Z2.02 F693.333 G1 X-20.78 Y-8.64 Z2.02 G1 X10.41 Y-8.64 Z2.02 ================================== Third, replace all M101/M103 motor start/stop commands to M8/M9 as we use coolant pump signal to control the feeder. Notice that before you turn on the motor, you must use "M108 Rxxx" to set motor speed. If you do not set speed first, M8/M9 will not work because motor speed still zero. 7. Now everything is ready to run , all you need to do is hit start button in Mach3 and watch your CNC transform itself to a 3D printer.
New day, new low cost printer from Asia. The bad thing about many new devices as this one, in my opinion, is that it uses some sort of custom cartridges (update: the cartridges can be hacked now and counter reset: look below) and custom software. But on other hand, some people like that.
Da Vinci 1.0 technical specifications
Technology: FFF (FUSED FILAMENT FABRICATION)
Maximum build volume (WxHxD): 7.8W X 7.8H X 7.8D INCH (20 X 20 X 20 CM)
Printing Mode: FINE: 0.1 MM (100 MICRONS); STD: 0.2 MM (200 MICRONS); SPEED: 0.3 MM (300 MICRONS); ULTRA FAST: 0.4 MM (400 MICRONS)
Print Head: SINGLE NOZZLE (dual extruder models are announced by the company in the future)
Nozzle Diameter: 0.4 MM
Print Speed: 150 MM/s
Filament Diameter: 1.75 MM
Print Material: ABS
Panel Type: 4 X 16 LCM
Language: ENGLISH, JAPANESE
Connectivity: USB 2.0
Net Weight (Cartridges included): 51.9 IB/23.5 KG
Price: 499 USD
File Types: .stl, G code, XYZ Format
OS Supports: Windows XP (.Net 4.0 required), Windows 7+, Mac OSX 10.8 64-bit +
da Vinci proprietary filament can be reset and cheaper common standard filament used with cartridges and make the daily operation much cheaper. Here are tutorials, guides and software used for the procedure.
Da Vinci announced that hey will start to sell cheaper user replaceable ABS refill filament for their custom cartridges. It will be their filament and they will deliver it with a chip enabling the printer to recognize new spool. The refill will be sold in 25 - 27 USD range for 600g. The company also announced that they will start to sell PLA filament also.
Nice project. Take a TV, open it, stick Raspberry Pi running Raspbmc into it with some 3d printed brackets and you have your own DIY smart TV. It's not simple as that, but you get the picture :-)
"Carnivore" tapped the TVs logic board USB ports for power and connected RPi's outputs to TV's input ports which resulted in TV running a Raspberry Pi media center. Superior software on simple cheap LCD TV.
You need air cooling to print PLA but do you need fan for it? Chopmeister doesn't think so. He started a project of a fanelass cool air supply to the printhead. He uses a 3d printed radial air blower powered by small DC motor to pressurize the air which then goes trough silicone tubing to the printhead and cools the printed object.
Fanless 3d printhead cooling - air blower and silicone tubing guide cool air to the printhead
His next steps are to improve control electronics for the fanless cooler to make it more Plug'n'play.
Follow his progress and get detailed information at his blog:
In this video we demonstrate a custom eye tracker for Glass that can be built for $25 and using a Makey Makey with Glass. Glass supports touch gestures (e.g., swipe, tap, scroll), head gestures (e.g, tilt up turns display on, gesture down turns display off), and voice controls (e.g., "ok glass", voice input). By using the IMU sensors directly (as we show here) it's simple to extend the range of head gestures. There is a proximity sensor that is used by Glass to determine if the device is being worn. It is capable of recognizing wink/blink gestures but it cannot actually track the gaze of the user. We hope that these new input methods can be used to expand when Glass is relevant for use (e.g., with your hands full) or who can use it (e.g., users with disabilities). They are intended for developers and researchers, we don't intend for people to use our eye tracker while walking around. It's essentially a very cheap and easy way for all of us to have this feature before it is integrated into the device directly (eventually some manufacturer will do it) and if we find interesting use cases it may even advance the timeline for their inclusion. All of the code and 3D models are available in http://www.WearScript.com.
They just decided to make RepRap Prusa held together with duct tape. Duct tape holds the universe together so it is good enough to support the structural frame of Prusa Mendel. Great work guys! There is no end result video yet, but I'll keep my eye on it.
BuidRob made a custom Bukobot with independently movable dual print heads. It looks AMAZING!!! This could become a standard feature in the near future ...
Advantages of separate x-carriages:
The inactive extruder can be parked when not in use.
The inactive extruder can be easily capped when parked to prevent runout / ooze (which makes restarting the print more accurate).
Each x-carriage is almost half the weight which allows higher print speeds with less backlash.
The x-carriages can duplicate one another allow two copies of an object to be printed at one.
Update: As many readers noticed: USE EYE PROTECTION! LASERS ARE VERY DANGEROUS FOR YOUR EYES! ...
Update 2: I was just thinking that this is part of a larger trend of DIY desktop 3d printers becoming multifunctional machines that do more then just print. They could mill, route, cut, scan ... It could spawn whole new range of machines, true small scale desktop factories ...
With greetings from Croatia comes the DD1. Direct drive assembly upgrade for the Ultimaker, which enables you to get rid of the short belts on your X and Y axis. Idea behind it is to have one less source of potential backlash, and thus more precision. It is laser cut in plexy. Development is under way and first in-action videos with downloadables will be available shortly. Files are available for download at http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:58570
The mastermind behind it is Chopmeister, one of the lead Croatian 3d printing scene experts.
RichRap2011shows off his 3 extruder setup with a single hot-end combining nozzle, to 'mix' and blend colored filament plastic or different materials on a RepRap 3D printer. It was some time before new RepRapPro Mendel Tricolour which does not mix colors.
Hot Melt Glue Gun HMA (Hot Melt Adhesive) Extruder to make a 3D Printer. It is based on a $3 Walmart Low Temperature Mini Hot Glue Gun. The extruder is driven around by a 3 axis CNC router made from plans from http://solsylva.com/cnc/13x13x5.shtml . The whole thing is driven by an Arduino Uno with a custom set of Shields, a single stepper driver based on a ULN2803 and a parallel port adapter board to drive a 3 axis HobbyCNC stepper driver board. I am using the Teacup firmware that has been customized to driver the ULN2803 stepper driver for the extruder (E axis). All is orchestrated by Pronteface on the PC side with G-Code by Slic3r (converts STL 3D Model to G-Code for Pronterface).
Update: I was told in comments on Reddit that this is nothing new. Basically RepRap started its development with hot glue guns. There is much more information in "A history of RepRap development":