CUBE -The 3D printed 3D printer

thingiverse

This project has been a major accomplishment for me and it's finally functional after 8 months of dedication. The printer is made with a 3D printed MakerBot (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3285), which can be extended vertically by adding more z-elements, replacing z lead-screws, and incorporating wobble arrester bars for a total build height of approximately 800mm. This might very well be the largest multi-piece object ever printed, as it consists of over 15 lbs of ABS plastic. The printer's dimensions are impressive, with a footprint of 800x560 and a build envelope of 500x300x200+. The platform is heated using a custom-ordered 800W silicone wire wound element and features a Kapton sheet that's also custom ordered to fit the platform (500x300). NEMA 23 motors power the printer, while it uses MakerBot Stepstruder® MK6 Plus extruder and MakerBot® Generation 4 electronics. It can be interfaced with PC/Mac or MakerBot® Gen 4 Interface Board Kit v1.1. The motion is smooth due to linear bearings used in all axes. The build took eight months, used over 15 lbs of plastic, and cost approximately $3000. A video showcasing the printer in action can be found at http://hacknorway.com/wordpress/?p=82. For anyone interested, all pieces are available in a single file upload for ease of use. If you want specific STL files, feel free to contact me via email or through the commenting system on the website.