If you’re looking around for 3D printers that are not way expensive and open source friendly then you should check out the Printrbot Simple Kit.
Whilst at The Gadget Show Live I found this Printrbot Simple kit selling for just £300.
Yes, it’s a kit and will need you to assemble the laser cut wooden sections and piece it all together but that only means you’ll get a deeper understanding of how the whole thing works.
You can, of course, spend some more money and get a ready-built one if you are so inclined – but more on that later.
The printer doesn’t have it’s own software but it will play nice with a bunch of open source goodies, such as:
- OpenSCAD to design objects (and save them in STL files)
- Slic3r to generate G-Code from the STL files (G-Codes define the path in space that the printer head should follow during the print out process)
- Repetier to load STL files, to interface to Slic3r, and to drive the printing process by connecting directly to the printer using the USB port
- ParaView to visualize STL models and to do small retouches.
If you fancy something more metal – then the good news is that there is a new model with an aluminium and steel frame.
It measures a little larger than the current laser-cut plywood Simple and is able to support prints up to 6?x 6?x 6? – The wood Simple is capable of 4?x 4?x 4? prints.
The increased print size is due in part to new Z-axis rods, grown from 8mm to 12mm.
The metal Simple has started shipping as of today (April 10th) and costs $699 in the limited edition Hot Red and $599 in Black, Silver or White.
0 comments:
Post a Comment