Printy Update: An Open Source DIY 3D SLA Printer

[Gr3ymatter]

Hey Guys,

This is an update to my initial post here: http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...h-First-Prints

Here are some updated pictures of the internals and some more prints!!!!! http://imgur.com/a/xMKZH





​BOM COST
The number one ask has been about the BOM cost. Right now everything for this DIY printer costs roughly $800. We hope to bring this number down and thus are revising the BOM and trying to finding sources for cheaper components. As an open source platform we want this to succeed and since the number one concern about SLA printing has been about price, this is an important metric for us.
How It Works
Printy is an SLA 3D printer that has a print volume of 100mm x 100mm x 100mm. Its a top down printer which prints by curing resin with a laser beam. The beam is focused on the resin through an acrylic sheet that is at the base of the VAT which contains the resin. The beam is controlled with the use of mirror galvonometers.
Printy runs on open source software - currently we use Repetier Host and use Slic3r for slicing. We have built upon the existing marlin firmware and modified it to work in polar coordinates for the laser beam.
Currently it takes around 6 hours of build time to construct it and around 30-40mins of calibration.
Our Ask
Based on your interest i want to spend the time and make this printer become a successful open source project.
But i can't do this without your help.
So i have one ask - to help me understand what you guys would like to see in Printy. It would suck if i put in the time to write instructions, put together a BOM with sources and put it up and it not being something you guys were looking for and all that work be for naught.

• What are your pain points with SLA printing? What sucks about it?
• If you could prioritize only one of the following what would it be? Print Quality? Speed? Price?
• As i mentioned earlier - our current build time is 6 hours. How do you feel about that?
• What about affordability? i can't guarantee i will be able to bring the BOM cost down as it all depends on the various sources i can find that work with the printer. How do you feel about the current price? What would you like to see?
• I also really want to understand what you guys currently use 3D printing for. Its fun way to learn about what you guys are into and it'll also help us decide if we should mess with various parameters such as build volume etc for those of you who do larger prints.

I am really proud of the design and the way the first few prints are turning out (I haven’t even started optimizing settings yet). I firmly believe in open source (heck, most of my learning experience has been through open source projects) and I really think with a few tweaks this could be the best damn open source DIY SLA desktop printer out there. If you have any input, nows the time to share to influence this project.
So i hope you can help me out by participating in this experiment
On to the fun stuff!!! MOOAAAREEEE pixxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://imgur.com/a/xMKZH

I also posted this on reddit if you guys wanted to check it out there.

[curious aardvark]

what's BOM mean ?

Also why use a brim on the rook - the base is completely flat anyway.

Impressed with the prints :-)

Things I would want in a cheap(ish) sla printer:
Variable resolution (realise this might not be possible)
speed - would be good, but I've got fdm machines for quick stuff.
Ability to use cheap resin - when such a thing becomes available.
Cheap, long lasting vats (this seems to be an issue with commercial sla machines)

Other stuff as I think of it.

You could break the frame down into sections that could be easily 3d printed, Say max height 145mm.
I don't know what getting stuff laser cut for me would cost - that said, I could get the frame made in aluminium for not a lot of money. That's a metal that's very similiar to Alu-mi-num, but pronounced Alu -mi-ni-um ;-)

[wirlybird]

I am game, what do you need? Do you want someone to try to build one?