MUPPette Flying UAV 3D Printer Unveiled

[Brian_Krassenstein]

The beginning stages of the MUPPette flying 3D printer have been unveiled. This printer is being created by three designers working for a company called Gensler in Los Angeles, California. The MUPPette 3D printer uses an unmanned aerial vehicle, a gimble for stabilization, and a 3D printer extruder to print PLA plastics from the air. The purpose of the project, which has been going on for 13 months already, is to create a 3D printer which has no build size constraints. There is still a lot of work to be done, with Gensler planning to work on this thing for several years to come.
Further details on this amazing machine can be found here: http://3dprint.com/4111/muppette-3d-printer-flying/

Check out the picture of the video of the MUPPette below:

[3D OZ]

"There is still a lot of work to be done" said Captain Understatement.

In 13 months they managed to get a copter off the ground carrying an extruder which then extruded totally indiscriminately. Pointless.

Just as useful as taping an extruder to your Cat!

[MrSmiley666]

Just as useful as taping an extruder to your Cat!

Dogs would probably be a better build platform. i cant get my cat to do anything.

[f.larsen]

"There is still a lot of work to be done" said Captain Understatement.

In 13 months they managed to get a copter off the ground carrying an extruder which then extruded totally indiscriminately. Pointless.

Just as useful as taping an extruder to your Cat!

I'm at work right now, and I just BLURTED out a stream of laughter, that was well said. Still giggling - extruder on your cat.

[Larry]

Although they may still have a ways to go I do feel that they are onto something. Why do I feel this way? Because Drone and 3d printing technologies are expanding extremely quickly. Look how far we have come in only 2-3 years.

[brbubba]

Although they may still have a ways to go I do feel that they are onto something. Why do I feel this way? Because Drone and 3d printing technologies are expanding extremely quickly. Look how far we have come in only 2-3 years.

That's like saying puppies are good and coffee is good, let's combine them! ha ha. I think we can all safely say that 3D printing via drone will never become a viable reality in our lifetime.

[Feign]

I think we can all safely say that 3D printing via drone will never become a viable reality in our lifetime.

I say we let it be this generation's Flying Car. People who understand enough about either field know that the core concept of a quadcopter printer is hopelessly flawed, but it sounds so good to the layperson that it might inspire them to learn more.

[dmanexe]

The key problem here is that 3D printers have tolerances of millimeters, which can fail a build. You have to stabilize the extruder in real space, within millimeters, and that's something that these multi-rotors just can't do.

[f.larsen]

I think the key problem is time, then weight, then tolerance.

Drones do not last longer then 30 minutes. Okay, so you put a bigger battery on it, well that adds weight, which means you have to have bigger motors which also adds more weight. It's a curve that doesn't give you the return you would want. Then, you strap on a different battery to run the extruder, heating and stepper motor, have you felt how heavy those are, even for an octocopter this weight will be important.

This is when I agree with dmanexe, tolerance of a millimeter. All of us try really hard to minimize the wobble and vibration on your 3d printers and those are sitting on solid ground. Now you have a device that is subjected to winds and extreme vibration. Did you even watch the video, it was all over the place. Yes I know it's in it's infancy and accuracy will come with time, but then I refer to my original point - time.

At this time it is a neat concept. It's hard enough to get people to buy into a desktop 3d printer. It's hard for people to purchase a quadrocopter, nevermind a octocopter. Putting both together is extremely niche.

I'm glad it's considered a research project.

[CaptainObvious]

Have to agree with f.larsen, this thing is useless.
If you need to print something so large that you have to use a multicopter then it will take a lot longer to print than the flight autonomy of the machine. You'll need a swarm of drones to get anything done in a reasonable amount of time and then in between the complexity and cost of that you'd be better off building a honking big printer in the first place, or perhaps something like a robot arm on wheels with an extruder that could move around a large print.