A Few Test Prints...

Hey guys, just a quick update here to show off some test prints. We are starting to use Slic3r exclusively over Netfabb for gcode generation. Its a bit of an uphill climb but it is what it is. We are working on generating Slic3r config files that you will be able to download for various print qualities. This way you will have a easy way of selecting print quality and ease your print jobs. These will be available for both the regular Fabber and the Fabber XL printers. There will also be config files that you can start with to modify for your custom printers. We will do our best to keep these up to date with Slic3r releases.

Mind you these are a work in progress but I figured you guys would want to see a few things the machine has made.

Things are moving along and as always you guys rock!

The Part where I move into a shop and Print a part of the machine with the machine

Sorry its been a bit since my last update but a lot has happened here. Based on the response to the kickstarter I moved back to jersey and have spent a ton of time setting up the shop and started to formalize this as a business.

We've currently purchased Maxifabber.com and gotten hosting and setting that up is taking a bit of time too. We want the site to be a complete resource for our printers including assembly instructions, recommended settings etc. It will have a wiki section for all the assembly and technical information needed, a forum so the builders and us can communicate with each other to help with building machines and showing off your machines. There is a shopping cart being implemented so you can purchase kits, printers, electronics, hot ends, and even individual plastic parts. We are also implementing a blog and our development blog will be migrated over to maxifabber.com also.

Mind you though this is all behind the scenes in progress and hasn't launched yet. But we are working on it and it will be up and running by the time you get your kits.

Also, thought you might like to see some video we shot last night. Its a bit shaky and its a cell phone video but it shows our first successful print (Maxifab case badge in low quality .350mm layer height but printed at half layers so double layers at .175mm) hanging on the prototype printer (we call it Kricket 1) as it prints its own Z Arm. Exciting stuff.

Any way stay tuned for future updates and once again I want to say thank you to all our backers. You guys absolutely rock. I'm blown away by the support you guys have shown us and we will not let you down.

We have officially built a plotter :)

Here's just a quick update, we did a few part swaps and have integrated the z axis into the machine fully and wanted to do a test run. Since I'm waiting on a few parts for the filament feed drive, we can't yet print in plastic but we decided to print in ink. So we jammed a sharpie into the print head taped some paper to the print bed and let her rip.

One of the coolest things? Its printing accurately to size, the actual part lines up perfectly to the printed image. Enjoy the quick show!

Thanks to all our backers again. You guys are great!

Some Prototype Video!

Here's just a quick update for everyone. We finally recieved our electronics for testing and have been hashing out the firmware. Below you'll see the gantry section being tested with the firmware as it is. This did allow us to see a few more places that some parts can be optimized but its a pretty good start. We start off moving at a relatively conservative pace and then gradually ramp it up to 300mm a second. Pretty respectable we think.

Mind you this is with only one full set of axis belts and only half of the other axis. Also they aren't completely tightened down. Basically they are just in there enough to work a bit but its by no means how the final machines will look. We were just excited to see it move so we tossed some belts on and gave it a shot.

Please don't mind the clutter in our prototyping space :)

Prototype Photos!

Prototype Photos!

I've recieved a lot of questions about whether or not we'll have a running model or if there are photos or video to show. Well there will be photos and video of the running model and here is the prototype as it stands.

The prototype differs from the kit in that the kit will come with phillips or socket head screws rather than hex head bolts, and the wood will not be 3/4 pine but 6mm birch plywood (1/4 approx) The differences on the prototype are due to the fact that these screws we had already and the wood was also on hand. Otherwise this is very representative of the Maxifab printer, however your plywood won't be stained :) .

My partner in this process remarked that building his ultimaker felt like building a birdhouse, but the Maxifab was more like building furniture. Its an order of magnitude simpler to build but just as accurate. Simple, tough, and versatile were my design goals and I think we hit it on all counts.

Left to do on the prototype are install the electronics (on their way), the hot end, and the filament feed drive as bell as the belts. Then Its tidying up the wires and that's about it. All told its about 75 percent of the way to completion. Expect more updates as the build progresses.

And as always I want to thank everyone that has contributed to this project so far! You guys are the best!

Ryan

PC World Article about Us!

While working something interesting earlier I recieved an email from one of team stating PC Worldhad posted about us. I check the link and was happily surprised. It's great article and the link is here.

Print a Dinosaur--or Mouse--With This Expandable 3D Printer

On a sidenote, I had a conversation today about whether our machine was a reprap or not. They seemed to believe that since the case on our kits is lasercut that automatically makes it ineligable for reprap status. They had trouble realizing that their laser cut because it makes construction easier for us since the parts turn out right every time. They seemingly couldn't wrap their mind around the fact that the walls of the machine could be made from anything. Literally anything that is large and square can be a chassis for the printer.

So to prove a point I virtually assembled a Maxifab printer from milk crates. Yes, I said milk crates. When I look around the house I see a lot of things that could be converted to a printer with the framework. File cabinet, end table, small chest, etc. A empty wooden crate could be converted into a large scale printer. Imagine shipping a few sets to the developing world and then using one of the kits to convert the crate into a printer. These kinds of things can easily happen with this design. Without further ado, here is the soon to be famous Milk Crate Fabricater. And yes I'm going to build one for real if only to prove the point.

Quick Kickstarter updates

Here's a few quick updates.

1. We now have a facebook page. Its located here.

2. We have 5 backers!

3. There are more new photos of actual parts assembled over at kickstarter. Check the updates page.

4. International shipping and metric concerns are addressed. I'm going to cut and paste the articles below.

Update #3: More info on international shipping and english vs metric.

Posted about 3 hours ago edit this post

Hey guys once again thank you for your pledges. I've recently recieved an email about trying to estimate overseas shipping. We are most likely going to use DHL to process the international shipments and on their homepage they have a rate quote link where you can get an estimate. You will need the following information. These will be shipped from one of 2 locations, either Tampa Florida 33647 or Spring Lake NJ 07762. Those would be the source location you can use for the estimates.

US shipments will go USPS priority.

Now for those of you who are international and have concerns about the english vs metric measurements. Everything is standardized one metric with 2 notable exceptions. The case screw holes are for US 1/4 20 screws but M6 should be fine. The only other english item is the 5/16 threaded z drive rod and that should be easily replaced with a m8 threaded rod. Given this may need a slightly different motor coupler but I highly doubt it.

Currently the walls are designed at .25" thickness but could be used with a 6mm wall thickness. The 6mm wall thickness with a 2cm M6 screw and locking nylon nut should work just fine.

Hope that answers any questions about standard vs metric you may have.

As always thanks for your support! You guys rock!

Update #2: Just a quick update....

Posted about 6 hours ago edit this post

Ok, guys. Thanks to our new supporters! Just wanted to let you guys all know that we have just set up a new facebook page. Its located here. Be sure to like us there and help us spread word about the Maxifab 3D Printing Framework! Thanks again.

http://www.facebook.com/maxifabber

Update #1: International shipping and design update.

Posted about 22 hours ago edit this post

Hello everyone! First off thanks to our supporters and potential supporters.

The design work is progressing well, with the help of my good friend Brian Cramer in NJ we're getting closer to finalizing more and more of the design. He's been printing a part here and there so we can test the dimensional accurateness of the different parts. Basically does this post fit that bearing, does the rod fit without needing reaming if not how much should it be upsized, that kind of thing.

Because of his help in this matter I now know that all the parts perfectly fit with the non printed components like the various bearings, rods and screws. Check the below pics to see our progress. and some test fits.

Based on a message I received I had to stop and ponder the logistics of international shipping and that required that I stop and actually figure out the weights of all the various components so I could figure out the shipping, Without having all the parts in hand but having some equivalents and a few test prints it seems the sum of the parts in the Maxifab printer equals about 6.5 -7ish pounds. Much lighter than I had anticipated.

To clear things up I have edited the rewards to show that the shipping in the US is included on all items. International rewards are going to be extra since there is no real way to estimate what shipping is going to cost to various countries. Originally I had thought to add a separate pledge tier to include a flat overseas shipping fee. But in retrospect that isn't really a great solution since the flat fee could be a lot higher or lower than the actual cost of shipping and I don't like the idea of ripping you off like that. But to estimate out the costs of shipping for a complete kit or assembled maxifab printer use 10 pounds and the origin being either from zip code 33647, or perhaps 07762. 07762 is a NJ zip code and based on the response I get here, there is a pretty good chance that the manufacturing and company will move to NJ where there are facilities available to us to use to produce your plastics, kits, and printers.

Anyway, thanks for the support and be sure to let your friends know about this exciting new product.