Ourobotics Low-Cost DIY Renegade Open Source Bioprinter

Ourobotics is an Irish company that is developing bioprinters. They published an open source low cost bioprinter based on some standard RepRap parts named Renegade that can be sourced for some 900 USD. I doubt that someone will 3d print a kidney on it in a home workshop but some interesting biohacking project could come up in the future.

Ourobotics also developed high-end bioprinter that can print with 10 materials, has enclosed warm chamber for keeping the cells alive and costs some 12500 Euro.





... here it is printing an ear:




Ourobotics homepage:

https://www.weare3dbioprintinghumans.org/

PDF with build instructions based on a common RepRap:

http://www.3ders.org/images2016/ourobotics-bioprinter-instructions.pdf

More detailed article about the project:

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20160204-ourobotics-releases-completely-open-source-renegade-3d-bioprinter.html

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Fabcore Open Source 3D Printer

If you are still interested in new FDM 3d printer development projects here is Fabcore from France. It is open sourced and still under development.

Technical specifications:

• 200 x, 200 y, 200 z
• Drive core in x and y axis
• Step version available at Fabrap
• Extruder GT2
• Hotend 0.4mm, 1.75 pla
• Can be customized for ABS

Video of Fabcore in action:




Fabrap homepage in French:

http://fabrap-3d-printers.com/

Files to build it can be found on Thingiverse:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1116747

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Materia 101 3d printer is open source child of Arduino and Sharebot

Arduino and Sharebot, both based in Italy, partnered up to develop and deliver new open source printer: the Materia 101. Arudino is a major major player in open source hardware community and their name on a 3d machine will draw some major attention.

• Printing technology: Fused Filament Fabrication
• Printing area: 140 x 100 x 100 mm +/- 5mm
• X and Y theorical resolution position: 0,06 mm
• Z resolution: 0.0025 mm
• Extrusion diameter: 0.35 mm
• Filament diameter: 1.75 mm
• Optimal temperatures with PLA: 200-230°
• Tested and supported filaments: PLA
• Unsupported but tested filaments: Cristal Flex, PLA Thermosense, Thermoplastic Polyuretane
• (TPU), PET, PLA Sand, PLA Flex
• External dimensions: 310 x 330 x 350 mm
• Weight: 10 kg
• Usage: 65 watt
• Electronical board: Official Arduino Mega 2560 with Open Source Marlin Firmware
• LCD display 20 x 4 with encoder menu
• Preloaded with PLA printing presets
• Extruder block with filament pressure regulation
• Price: under 600 euros ($755) in kit form, and under 700 euros ($883) assembled.

I don't understand why is the print volume so small? Why? 

Materia 101 on official Arduino blog: http://blog.arduino.cc/2014/09/30/arduino-materia-101/

Here is video of it in Italian:

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RepRapPro Ormerod 2 3d printer just released

RepRapPro just release Ormerod 2 3d printer which features many improvements over the first version and the lower price.


Oremerod 2 tech specs:

• Full open-source self-replicating RepRap
• New 32-bit Arduino-compatible Duet electronics enable control via a web-browser
• Wiring loom for simple plug-in connection – no soldering
• IR probing for self-aligned printing – no bed adjustment required
• Build volume: 200x200x200mm
• Overall size: 500x460x410mm
• Weight: 6 Kg
• Printing materials: ABS, PLA, 1.75mm diameter thermoplastic.
• Build surface: PCB-heated bed to reduce complexity of assembly and to ensure parts do not warp.
• Computer interfaces: USB and Ethernet
• X-carriage: Three Z-adjustable deposition head mounts; one head supplied
• Motion: Linear ball bearings on X, Y and Z axes.
• Pre-soldered electronics with built-in microSD card slot for standalone printing.
• Enhancements to the printed parts to improve the ease of assembly of the X and Y axes

There are many improvements over first Ormerod 3d printer:

The Y carriage belt location and retention are improved by using printed parts rather than the laser-cut parts. This makes for easier belt tension adjustment. 

The Y motor is now the same way round as the other two axes, which means that the Y axis can be zeroed more simply (previously the axis was designed with a high-end stop switch). 

The heated bed support is a three-point support which makes bed level adjustment easier. 

The infra-red Z/Bed probe is now differential, meaning that readings are taken with the IR LED on and then subtracted from readings with it off. This gives much less interference from ambient light and it is more accurate.

The extruder has much better access for cleaning and it has a locked drive stack that improves reliability. 

The power supply is for worldwide universal voltage and is integrated into the machine compactly so there is no power distribution PCB needed, and there are no trailing wires other than the mains lead and the communications. 

There are better integrated and simpler wiring looms, so still no soldering, but even easier wiring assembly. 

 There is an improved web interface, and you get even higher quality prints from better motion control. (All the new software is backwards compatible with Ormerod 1 so Ormerod 1 owners benefit from that too.)

There is simpler assembly and the build instructions are even more detailed.

Ormerod 2 is priced at £449 plus VAT (if applicable) for the full kit and £389 plus VAT (if applicable) for the the hardware only kits.

Press release:

https://reprappro.com/2014/09/11/ormerod-2-reprap-3d-printer-released-449/


All the documentation, assembly guide, calibration guide and operation manual can be found at:

https://reprappro.com/documentation/ormerod-2/

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Plan B open source 3DP powder based 3d printer with detailed construction guide

Let the powder revolution begin!!!

Plan B is an open source 3DP printer and it prints with gypsum powder and a special binder. It is developed by Yvo de Haas (22 years old). 3DP printing requires no support material and prints at higher resolution than FDM printing. Printing in powder has the potential to be cheaper than most techniques, though more research into materials is needed and current objects printed on Plan B have a rougher surface. Models can be further strengthen with glue

Powder 3DP printing has some advantages and disadvantages when compared to FDM process:

Advantages over FDM printing:

• Higher accuracy due to finer and more controllable nozzles. Even old and dated cartridges have a higher resolution (>96DPI, 0.26mm) than most FDM printers;
• No support material is needed. All parts are always supported by the powder from the previous layers;
• Excess material can be reused;
• 3DP has the potential to be faster than FDM. 3DP prints with more nozzles with simpler movements than FDM. Plan B isn’t yet though;
• 3DP offers a few unique materials and options for 3D printing.
• It has the possibility print full color in gypsum and powdered sugar;
• It can print in ceramic powder that makes models that can be fired in a kiln;
• By binding in stainless steel powder a model can be created that can be infused with bronze in a kiln;
• It should also be possible to bind graphite powder into a model that can be infused with epoxy, making graphite (carbon) parts;
• 3DP can print in almost any material that can be supplied as a powder.

Disadvantages:

• Due to the powder, 3DP printing is messy;
• Parts require post processing. Before processing, the parts are weak and brittle;
• Powder printers need to be filled completely to work;
• 3DP can only print in one material at a time;
• Hollow parts need escape holes to evacuate excess powder;
• Thin walls and rods are weak and might break during cleaning.

Plan B technical specifications:

• Build box dimensions: 150mm x 150mm x 100mm (l x w x h)
• Layer thickness: 0.1mm to 0.25mm
• Inkjet resolution: 96DPI (HP C6602)
• Build material: Currently only Zcorp Gypsum and binder without color (this list will expand)
• Step accuracy (X/Y): 0.05mm
• Speed: 60mm/s (higher with future firmware)
• Printing speed: Up to 30mm per hour (higher with future firmware)
• Power consumption: Up to 160W (around 90W average)
• Printer dimensions: 550mm x 350mm x 450mm (l x w x h)
• Printer weight: 16kg
• Frame material: Aluminum and 3D printed plastic
• Linear guides: LM8UU on 8mm steel rods
• Number of motors: 6 x NEMA 17 stepper motors
• Other features: LCD screen, Keypad with rotary encoder, SD card reader
• Price of materials 1000 - 1300 euro

Plan B currently prints only in Zcorp gypsum powder with no colors. Here are possible future materials that could be used in it:

• 3DP printing gypsum, a fancy mix of gypsum and different powders bound with a binder that contains mostly water and some unknown chemicals
• Ceramic powders with Maltodextrine added, bound with rice wine or vodka [source];
• USG hydroperm or other high quality dental plasters, bound with rice wine [source];
• Sugar and some form of binder.

I'm still not fully clear on what is the binder used in this project, it looks like some mixture of water, glue (which one?) and alcohol (what type)?

Plan B hompage: http://ytec3d.com/plan-b/

Detailed instructions on how to build Plan B and operate its software:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Plan-B-an-open-source-3DP-powder-and-inkjet-3D-pri/?ALLSTEPS

Plan B powder DIY 3d printer

Plan B is improved machine when compared to Focus powder 3d printer made by the same creator or its previous iteration the "3DP Printer". Improvements over Focus are:

• Dual feed hopper design and driven spreader increase the speed of the new layer process significantly;
• The motors are removed from the moving parts, giving the gantry a higher speed and accuracy;
• The aluminum frame is stiffer, thinner and makes the frame heatable (all fragile parts are thermally insulated from the frame);
• Better piston guidance gives the Z-axis more accuracy and reliability;
• The frame can be manufactured on a laser cutter or a flowjet

Plan B is work in progress, probable future improvements on it will be:

• Different cartridges. The HP C6602 cartridges used on Plan B are not used because they are the best, the cheapest or the easiest to control. They are used because there is nothing else, it is the only Arduino controllable cartridge. At 96DPI and 12 nozzles, it is about the simplest a cartridge is going to be. There are plenty of other cartridges available, such as Piezo inkjet cartridges, which give great control over droplet size, The HP C51640, which has roughly the same type of control, only at 300DPI and around 100 nozzles, and CISS (continuous ink supply system) cartridges, which store the ink in an external tank, making it easier to replace the ink and refill it during printing.
• The firmware lacks (among other things) acceleration. Motors are either on or off. The only place where the printer uses acceleration is when accelerating the X-axis for printing. Motors could easily move at double the speed when all axes had acceleration, while not really affecting the printing quality (inkjet doesn't lose resolution when printing at high speeds).
• The software is a temporary solution right now. It works, but it is far from perfect. New software needs to be written that slices a file directly from an STL file (is under construction).
• The printer should be isolated. The pistons heat up, but all of the walls are made of aluminium, acting as a giant heatsink. By insulating the printer, it will use a lot less energy heating the powder. It will also heat the powder more evenly, since it doesn't drain any of the heat at the walls.
• Add a rough layer to the pistons. The pistons are based on FDM printbeds. This is wrong for 3DP. 3DP needs rough surfaces to grip the powder. At thin layers, the powder will actually break up when the spreader moves over.

Looks like 3DP powder machines are mature and here to stay. I welcome this new developments and healthy synergies with FDM. I hope this project will motivate other to develop new powder based 3d printers.

PS: you will have to disassemble, clean and refill with binder an inkjet cartridge (HP C6602). The details are the instructions. On a personal note: I HATE inkjet cartridges and the business model so it is a good use for this stupid product.

Here are some objects printed on Plan B:

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TeeBotMax open source folding 3d printer you can easily build yourself

TeeBotMax in folded position 

Emmanuel Adetutu developed TeeBotMax foldable and portable DIY 3d printer with very detailed build guide. It is open source, the cost to build it is very low and assembly is easy.

Technical specifications:

• Build envelope: L 20cm x B 20cm x H 25cm
• Printer Assembled: L 50cm x B 40cm x H 53cm
• Printer folded: L 53cm x B 40cm x H 18cm
• Filament: Compatible with 3mm/1.75mm, ABS/PLA
• Print Speed: 120mm/s
• Nozzle: J head type 0.4mm
• Tested Layer height/resolution: 0.1mm
• Power supply: 12v 20a
• Build time: one day
• Weight: 7kg
• Cost to build: 350 - 500 euro range depending on source of parts

http://tutuemma.wordpress.com/3d-stuffs/teebotmax/

All the files can be found at GitHub: https://github.com/EmmanuelAdetutu/TeeBotMax

Very detailed PDF build guide: http://tutuemma.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/teebotmax_build_plans.pdf

http://reprap.org/wiki/TeeBotMax

Here is the video of the build guide:

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LittleRP affordable open source DLP 3d printer

LittleRP is a low cost open source DLP 3d printer where you can configure it and adapt it to fit a variety of needs. It is compatible with a range of vat designs, linear motion components, and DLP light sources. The higher the resolution of the DLP projector, the higher resolution of this 3d printer will be.

LittleRP technical specifications:

• Build Volume: 60mm(X) 40mm(Y) 100mm(Z)
• Build Speed: Approx 2 minutes per 1mm at .05mm layer height. A 40mm tall object would take approximately 80 minutes to complete.
• Electronics: Arduino compatible microcontroller, GRBL Firmware
• Software: Envision Labs Creation Workshop (STL Slicer, Projector Controller, Gcode Sender)
• Available Resins: Most general UV Curing Resin such as MakerJuice (SubFlex, SubSF), MadeSolid (MS resin)
• Resin Vat: PDMS (Standard), Teflon
• The basic LittleRP kit uses a non-peeling vat, and is intended for jewelry, miniature figures and similar styles of prints. For printing larger or more solid prints the company offers a tilting upgrade. The tilt option will allow you to print much larger models and print them with a larger variety of resins. The optional tilting vat will be available for $149 and all LittleRP printers are upgrade ready before shipping.
• The non-stick coating of the LittleRP resin vats only requires $1 of material to re-coat compared to $8-10 for larger printers.

http://www.littlerp.com/


From the LittleRP page:

LittleRP, an affordable, open source 3D resin printer that lowers the barriers to entry for those looking to get into the exciting world of stereo-lithography printing.

The LittleRP has been designed from the ground up to simplify the resin printing process. Our focus on smaller high quality prints means complicated peeling mechanisms are not required.
Being open source is one thing, but we wanted to make the LittleRP easy to self source. Lasercut materials and standard T-Slot extrusion means building your own from scratch, or simply modifying an existing LittleRP is an exercise you can take on yourself!

Inexpensive quality stereo lithography prints are possible thanks to the use of high quality components such as linear slides and integrated leadscrew steppers. The LittleRP might be inexpensive but corners were definitely not cut.

LittleRP was known as the LittleDLPer / LittleSLA, but the name was changed due to some trademark
issues.
It will be on Kickstarter soon where you will able to get Extra Early Bird LittleRP Kit for $475 and for $499 for later supporters. The Kickstarter kit comes in Complete, Complete HD and Projectorless options. The Complete kit includes everything you need to get printing, whereas the Projectorless option requires you to supply your own DLP projector.

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DropLit sub $600 DLP 3d printer kit made by SeeMeCNC

Description with technical specifications from the DropLit page:

Meet DropLit™. Our next generation of 3D printers for makers/hackers/tinkerers. With our world famous laser-cut frames and stainless steel hardware this kit has all the quality people have come to know and trust with our other SeeMeCNC™ desktop 3D printers. Our aim in offering the DropLit™ is to provide a solid foundation for the rapid advancement of the next technological leap in desktop 3D printing. We have one of the most amazing and active communities out there when it comes to delta based 3D printers and look forward to contributing the knowledge that we've all gained and applying it to desktop resin printing.

Droplit™ is an open-source desktop resin based 3D printer *kit* that includes the mechanical parts needed to build and run the z stage. It does not include the projector, you will need to purchase and likely modify a projector separately. We do not provide the projector or any specific models to use, however you can visit our Forum for topics involving which models people have used and what modifications they have done.

Specs (Subject to change):

• Build Diameter: appx. 3"
• Max Build Height: appx 6"
• Layer Height: User defined (avg. .050mm - .1 mm)
• Power Supply: ATX PC style PSU (included)
• Electronics: Ardunio UNO + GRBLShiled
• Firmware: GRBL
• The Z axis stage is driven by an M5-.8 screw and uses our own design of an anti-backlash nut and spring assembly to hold less than 5 micron accuracy. The nut design can be downloaded and printed here or found on our GitHub page for the DropLit™

We have tested the DropLit™ with a projector with the following specs:

• 1024x768 or better native resolution
• 17,000:1 contrast ratio
• 3,000 Lumens output
• DLP only, LCD will not work
• Uses Osram 190w P-VIP lamp (removal of the UV filter required)

DropLit homepage:

http://seemecnc.com/products/droplit-diy-kit

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