3D Proto, creator of dual parking extruder, made an excellent video about how to install and use inductive distance sensor with Mk3 aluminum hot bed. This combination enables you to reach much better quality of ABS prints. With inductive distance sensor bed leveling you can:
Save lot of time by not having to have to mess with springs and screws on your print bed. Run the auto leveling routine before every print or just one time for each start-up of the printer.
Less issues related to non level print beds like parts coming up on one corner and nozzles jamming because the print started too close.
Inductive distance sensors are very cheap so it makes me wonder why are they not used by more 3d printers for automatic bed leveling? If you wont to see full guide on how to install and use it with Marlin go to:
This is probably the cheapest DLP SLA 3D printer that you can build yourself for some 500 USD including the projector!
"Little Dipper" has a simple design that anyone can replicate with some basic DIY skills and it makes prints with reasonable quality. The most expenisve par is the projector which you can get dfor some 350 USd new, but you could probably get it used somewhere. Other parts include simple z axis movement (screw or belt driven) on wood frame and Ramps 1.4 or Arduino controlled electronics.
Simple plastic vat and z axis screw drive
Objects 3d printed on Little Dipper
Objects 3d printed on Little Dipper. You can see the layers, but the quality is still great for the price.
Objects 3d printed on Little Dipper
Little Dipper DIY DLP Sla 3d printer. You can see all the elements with DLP projector on top.
Here is the project description from the makers:
How it works? A DLP projector is used to cure UV setting resin one layer at a time while a moving axis drops incrementally into the vat of resin. A projected slice cures each layer and builds the part. This style of resin printer is different from a FormLabs 3D printer and some others in two ways.
It uses a DLP projector rather than a laser to cure each layer.
It shines the light source from the top rather than up from the bottom.
Advantages over laser based bottom up and DLP bottom up designs:
Simplicity
Lower start-up cost
Modifiable to bottom up
Fast build (~1 evening)
Major Components and Materials:
DLP projector There are 2 known choices, although others may work.
Acer P1283 DLP Projector
Acer H6510BD DLP HD projector
Linear Slide/Axis
Almost any linear axis that is belt driven or screw driven will work. Project uses a minimal version of this: http://www.openbuilds.com/builds/v-slot-lead-screw... A more budget minded and adventurous person could even choose a drawer slide, but you may find that rigidity and smooth sliding in the z-axis will be a useful feature.
4x4 sheet of 1/2in MDF or equivalent material and hardware
The version shown here is as simple as it gets. 2 pices of MDF cut to provide a mount for the axis, projector and stable footing for the machine. Pretty much any kind of enclosure can be designed for this 3D printer. Your main objective is frame rigidity and ambient light blocking.
Ramps 1.4 or Arduino based electronics capable of running at least (1) nema 17 stepper motor
This build features a RAMPS 1.4 board, stepper drivers and an Arduino Mega 2650 with standard Sprinter firmware. There are some basic modifications needed depending on the hardware you choose. None of these modifications constitute needing to know anything in-depth about programming. The firmware used is modified for 5/16 standard threaded rod and has end-stops disabled. You can modify this firmware using the Arduino environment to further suit your needs.
UV Resin
Makerjuice.com, Madesolid.com are the two most seemingly popular and affordable options for UV resin suitable for DIY resin printers such as the one featured in this build. This build has been tested with G+ from Makerjuice. Funtodoo, Form1+ and Spark/Ember resin formulations are likely suitable.
Build Platform and Plastic Tupperware vat
This build includes plans for a build platform that fits a specific set of Tupperware available at "wallyworld". The benefit to the type chosen in this build is that you get a variety of sizes that scale easily, so that extensive design modifications are not needed. You will also need additional containers for post-cure/clean up of your resin parts.
All the recent developments in SLA 3d printing make me think that it is the future for home and hobby 3d printing. We need more affordable resin materials and more low cost parts.
UPDATE:
Thanks to Reddit commentator "Panaetius" here is a link where you can start to research on how to hack or prepare a DLP projector for using it for SLA 3d printing. It describes basic concepts and example of modifications to color wheel focus / lens mechanism and UV filters.
Here is a new RepRap 3d printer project: the Funbot i1 developed by Cliff Mellangård from Reprap österlen in Sweden. Funbot is still in development phase, but it looks like nice working machine. The project goal is to make simple, cheap and easy to make DIY 3d printer. One of the key advantages of the Funbot design is that it uses 10 mm chromed copper water pipes that are uses commonly for plumbing and can be cheaply found at any hardware store.
Funbot print volume is x = 155mm y = 170mm z = 120mm.
As I'm in constant communication with Cliff who is making new updates on a frequent basis, I'll report on new developments as they are published.
All the details, files for making your version and detailed video construction guide can be found at:
Here is video of Funbot i1 in action showing the print quality:
Update (13.1.2015.): Some new upgrades on the Funbot (Cliff wanted me to add: x axis is 165 and y axis is still 170 but sadly so is the z axis only 115 mm now):
Update (28.1.2015.):
Here is a very useful video tutorial from Funbot project about common problems with RAMPS 1.4 and a how-to guide for beginners.
Update (7.2.2015.):
Cliff is continuing to improve his design (print volume is now 165 on x and 170 on y and 120 on z) and released a new detailed construction guide videos (you can find all assembly videos on his channel):
Here is user news flash with the extruder mount simplification:
Funbot community is growing and first makes were posted on Thingiverse:
Here is a NEW update! Cliff is a hard worker and very frequent updater :-) This update includes simplified frame calibration and option to rotate the extruder 90 degrees that make it more solid when feeding tight rolled rolls of PLA filament.
Update (16.2.2015.):
Here is new update from Cliff of Funbot, he made 3d printable DIY bushings...
Update (21.2.2015.):
Thingiverse user anntho madea more "steampunk" version of the Funbot:
Here is video showing the design progress and evolution of Funbot project. It is a video with music background with no narration, but if you interested in design and development process of an open source 3d printer you will notice the iterative process.
Update (23.2.2015.):
MadMike8 from USA made a Funbot version with bronze bushings and bowden extruder:
RAMPS version 1.4.2 open source controller electronics board is available.
From product page (google translated from German):
The new RAMPS 1.4.2 promises significantly fewer failures and has other improvements , such as 2 motor connections per socket or a labeling slots . The RepRap Arduino Mega Pololu Shield (short: RAMPS ) is the centerpiece of a RepRap 3D printer . On the board there are all electronic components such as mosfets transistors , fuses, plug-in connections for the Pololu stepper motor drivers, etc. Previous versions of the shelf had the problem that the electronics are often failed.
The RAMPS 1.4.2 is equipped with automotive fuses instead of the usual thermal fuse now. These new backups are less sensitive to heating . In order to enhance availability, the strength of the traces of 35 microns were increased to 70 microns and its course optimized. The limit switches now have a capacitor that prevents accidental turn off .
Further improvements can be found at the bases for the Pololu motor driver . You have the RAMPS 1.4.2 through two ports and can use it to drive two motors per connection . There is now a slot for external reset, which has advantages when the RAMPS is installed in an enclosure , since you do not have to do without the reset button . By labels on the slots for a warmed bed , fan and extruder also the wiring is simple .
Our RAMPS 1.4.2 is of course open source. The board is a fork of the open-source project of ultimachine / Ramps 1.4 ( https://github.com/GermanRepRap/Ramps-1.4.2 ) and retrieve in Github .
It can be applied to all RepRap 3D printer with RAMPS electronics, such as the PRotos V2, use and runs on RAMPS 1.3 and 1.4 firmware with no change , so it can easily be exchanged for existing RAMPS .
The following connections are provided:
2 * extruder heating 1 bed * Heating 3 * Temperature sensor for Extruder 2 and 1 bed ( No more board longer necessary ) 5 * for Pololu motor base 6 * opto end stop (3 * Min, Max 3 * ) 1 * Connection option for SD card reader and LCD 1 * Connection for external reset 1 * Connection for FAN adapter.
Full open source documentation if you want to build it youself:
