Nicholas Seward's Collapsible 3D Printer

We've seen portable and foldable 3D printers before, but how about a collapsible one? Nicholas Seward has designed a 3D printer that can basically collapse upon itself and turn into an easy to transport machine about the size of a full-sized laptop. The printer has not yet been prototyped because Seward is still working on on getting the design just right. Read more about this creation at http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...eXZ-3D-Printer

http://3dprint.com/wp-content/upload...d-portable.gif
Pretty neat, huh?

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Originally Posted by Eddie

We've seen portable and foldable 3D printers before, but how about a collapsible one? Nicholas Seward has designed a 3D printer that can basically collapse upon itself and turn into an easy to transport machine about the size of a full-sized laptop. The printer has not yet been prototyped because Seward is still working on on getting the design just right. Read more about this creation at http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...eXZ-3D-Printer

http://3dprint.com/wp-content/upload...d-portable.gif
Pretty neat, huh?

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Looks neat but I have absolutely no need to transport my machine anywhere. I think the guy who put the handle on the top and the thing can print sideways is pretty far ahead of this guy, and it's alot more compact.

I have total faith he can get the collapsing machine done. I'd much rather a totally rigid frame though. A collapsing mechanism adds too many potential points of errors to induce into the print.

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Originally Posted by Geoff

Looks neat but I have absolutely no need to transport my machine anywhere. I think the guy who put the handle on the top and the thing can print sideways is pretty far ahead of this guy, and it's alot more compact.

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Are you talking about the Bukito? I have to stress that this is a very raw concept at the moment with the design goal of being able to slip it in a backpack without a deploy/stow operation.

Actually, now that I look at this, I'm a bit curious as to how the z-axis is strung up. Also, the z-resolution on this changes with height, a problem I think they ran into developing the Mondrian printer. I can't be sure, (I don't read French terribly well) but one iteration had a similar scissor lift mechanism for the z-motion, but then they went away from it, making me think that they probably didn't solve that inconsistancy.
While I'll remain sceptical on putting this in a backpack, I can absolutely see this form factor being desirable for use on a road trip in a camper van or on an RV where space is very limited for long periods, but can be expanded for a night or so. My parents are spending their retirement in an RV going cross country, and they often lament having to pay exorbitant amounts of money and sit waiting at one site for replacement parts when there is something broken that they can't bootstrap together a fix.

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Originally Posted by Feign

Actually, now that I look at this, I'm a bit curious as to how the z-axis is strung up. Also, the z-resolution on this changes with height, a problem I think they ran into developing the Mondrian printer. I can't be sure, (I don't read French terribly well) but one iteration had a similar scissor lift mechanism for the z-motion, but then they went away from it, making me think that they probably didn't solve that inconsistancy.
While I'll remain sceptical on putting this in a backpack, I can absolutely see this form factor being desirable for use on a road trip in a camper van or on an RV where space is very limited for long periods, but can be expanded for a night or so. My parents are spending their retirement in an RV going cross country, and they often lament having to pay exorbitant amounts of money and sit waiting at one site for replacement parts when there is something broken that they can't bootstrap together a fix.

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I was going to connect all the Z-lifts with one loop of string. If I do it right, I can use guitar tuners to adjust the corner heights.

The Z-resolution is okay in the worst case scenario. However, I have a trick up my sleeve to give me constant resolution. I will lay another scissor in the XY plane connected to one of the uprights. I will then be able to drive it as if I had a screw pointing in the Z direction.

I was actually a little embarrassed to have such a raw concept land in an article. I already have a laundry list of tweaks and fixes that will make this design more robust and much more appropriate for an end user. Here is a short list... 1) Box frame for the top and bottom. 2) Only M3 and M5 button heads will stick out of the box frame to help with backpack insertion. 3) Strings and pulleys will be hidden inside the top box frame. 4) Hot end will fold or detach. Magnets? 5) etc

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Originally Posted by Nicholas Seward

The Z-resolution is okay in the worst case scenario. However, I have a trick up my sleeve to give me constant resolution. I will lay another scissor in the XY plane connected to one of the uprights. I will then be able to drive it as if I had a screw pointing in the Z direction.

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It took me a little while to figure out exactly what you're proposing, but when I got it, my mind was blown a little.

Pretty good.

If you add belows to the sides you could even have a semi enclosed build. Nice.

Would be great. Workshop work and then take it to mates for robitics and rocket building. Building the dream!

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Originally Posted by Nicholas Seward

Are you talking about the Bukito? I have to stress that this is a very raw concept at the moment with the design goal of being able to slip it in a backpack without a deploy/stow operation.

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Actually I just realized, with the "print sideways" part he mentioned... I think he might be talking about the CoreXZ.
It would be kinda ironic if he is.