Giant, Amazingly Fast FDM 3D Printer Created in South Africa

[Brian_Krassenstein]

This is pretty incredible. A man named Hans Fouche, out of South Africa, has built his own giant 3D printer based on the Fused Deposition Method. The printer is "garage sized," and can print the entire frame of a RepRap Morgan 3D printer in only 3 pieces. Some of the ground breaking features of this device are as follows:

• Can print large objects like clothes hangers, lawn mower wheels, etc in one piece
• Extremely high speed. Can print an entire Lawnmower wheel in under 60 minutes
• Does not require 3D printer filament. Instead you can through ABS plastic granules into the machine.
• Print with a nozzle 3mm thick

http://3dprint.com/2951/giant-3d-printer/

Check out a picture of Fouche's amazing 3D printer below:

[Hans]

Hi Thanx Brain!

[kanningphish]

Quite amazing Hans. Do you plan on releasing the files for this printer anytime soon?

[eain]

Could you guys include source links on stories, please?

[Hans]

Could you guys include source links on stories, please?

Hi, I have posted a lot of photos on
https://www.facebook.com/fouche3dprinting
Hans Fouche

[Hans]

The printer is very much in prototype form at the moment. Machine number two will be better and closer to a production machine.

[Egon van Engelen]

Great work Hans, I really like your approach! Smart move of filling the machine with granules instead of filament, so it just melts out of your hot-end without the need of a extruder?

[Hans]

Great work Hans, I really like your approach! Smart move of filling the machine with granules instead of filament, so it just melts out of your hot-end without the need of a extruder?

Yes.... ;-)

[Egon van Engelen]

Yes.... ;-)

Just curious, mind sharing on how you control the flow?

[Hans]

Just curious, mind sharing on how you control the flow?

;-) I dont !
I have got a fixed speed 220v AC motor, linked via a reduction gearbox, to the extruder.
I control the speed of the nozzle, and the layer thickness, to suit the extrution rate.
At the moment 700 mm/min with a 2mm layer height seems to work nice.
Hans
(A variable speed drive for the motor is on my wishing list!)