Not another 3D printer company?!?!

Here's a cheeky suggestion,...

I'm a website designer without a 3D printer - You make 3D printers & don't have a website,.... fancy a swap?

info@avondhu-internet.com if you are interested

Chelsea - QU-BD Wrote:
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> We are working on it! We will have something
> available before the Makerfaire in may with basic
> information. We are trying to get everything
> situated for a Kickstarter campaign for the
> extruder at the moment. Right now there is just a
> splash page at [www.qu-bd.com].
>
> Yes, the tension is 100% adjustable, I wanted to
> show that there was positive displacement going on
> with our grooved gear even though from outward
> appearances it doesn't look very 'grippy'. It
> happily extrudes consistently at very high tension
> levels with ABS.

The 'plunger' that tensions the back side it a stainless steel rod that has a radiused edges with a flat front. I will get some pictures of it posted. Yes it does work with PLA also, however being that PLA is harder, it does take more tension in order to get the same amount of grip on the filament. We haven't had any issues with the PLA or ABS breaking during testing.

You say you are trying to cut the overall costs? I understand trying to improve the quality in everything but that 304SS screw looks like over kill to me. Thats gotta be like 50X more expensive to machine your own screws or have them machined than to buy simple all thread rod. Is the accuracy of a threaded rod not good enough for these machines?

Not trying to poopoo off your ideas or designs by the way. Just asking. Good luck on your new adventure into the business world.

"Overkill is underrated" - John "Hannibal" Smith

In all reality the z-axis positioning accuracy probably isn't a huge amount better than with a 5/16" all thread, however when designing our printer we needed it to be extremely rigid since it also can function as a CNC mill. Another consideration is that the X-Y axis in its entirety moves along Z (the bed is stationary) and the 5/8" rods help keep everything moving smoothly and aligned properly. Our X-Y axis alone weighs more than most printers; heavy duty would be an understatement.

-Chelsea

I've been constantly checking this post for updates. You've got me really curious with all these pictures of excellent high end parts AND at the same time stating your going to have really competitive pricing.... I will be very impressed if you guys pull off both claims.

Best of luck!

I just realized that you use 1.75 mm filament. Yes it would be much easier to deform that, the spur gear design may not be transferrable to 3 mm users such as myself. Sadly I think 1.75mm filament isnt rigid enough for use with a bowden tube, so I probably won't benefit from having that spur gear (and my comments about excessive tensioner force might be more applicable?). But that won't stop me from trying!

It does seem though that forcing the filament into that shape is the way to go. It almost looks like a timing belt, which is probably great for eliminating slippage/grinding. I do wonder though if that shape has the potential to introduce bubbles into the extrudate... since the filament has those large voids where plastic should be.

The heated bed that we are using is powered by a silicon rubber heater that is 12"x12" with an integral 100k thermistor, mounted underneath a ground flat and 12"x12" polished piece of basalt (volcanic glass). In free air the SRH takes about a minute (we haven't formally timed it) to hit 100 degrees C...and that is at 12v! The basalt base is 'sticky' when heated but the parts pop off without much effort at all after the cool down. The cool thing is that it takes a LONG time to cool down due to its density so it alleviates some stress on the parts. The only downside to the basalt bed is that it is HEAVY (almost 7lbs) and probably would not work well on printers that do not have fixed beds. We will be offering the 12x12 and an 8x8 heater for Prusas and the like separately. The 8x8 silicon rubber heater will retail for less than the current PCB heater.

I took a bunch of pics today to post soon!

-Chelsea

Here is a picture of the X-Axis subassembly. Its a little dark but you get the idea.

The smooth rod and 'ballscrew' are polished. The blocks that hold the lower smooth rod are both 304 Stainless Steel. The motor mounting bracket and the block that the X-Screw ties into, opposite the motor are anodized aluminum. The extruder mounts to the stainless steel block that is floating between the rod and screw and is hand-fitted to the rod and screw for unmatched accuracy.



-Chelsea

And a better picture of the X/Y Screw. It is 5/8" in diameter with over 12" of travel.

I have to say that the photo's look VERY impressive,.. but that makes me think your printer might be very costly,...

Can I be cheeky and ask if you've set a retail price yet?

I have stripped down old printers that used this type of quick screw, its begining to look like it will be out of my price range, but its looking like a real quality machine.

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Random Precision

I can say that it will be less than a Replicator and Ultimaker. We will have special perks for those that help us get going with our Kickstarter or IndieGoGo campaign.

There will be options for different screw types for those that are willing to trade ultimate speed for improved milling capabilities. These will be swappable for existing machines, so you won't be stuck with one or the other, just buy the other screw set and take the printer partially apart, its a <20 minute swap.

I can also say that we have confirmed that we can call it a true Reprap in that it can create all its own parts (except the cosmetic exterior panels which are larger than the build area at 14.75"x14.75"), although it will require the optional 4th axis to turn down the ends of the screws and smooth rods. We plan to have the 4th axis available on/before the World Makerfaire in September. Every part will be available individually so the more difficult parts could be purchased and the easier ones could be made for example.

-Chelsea

So,.. what will it cost me roughly???

We are working out all the the final pricing on the little loose ends (cable carriers, wiring, feet etc.) so we don't have a 100% final price right now but we will shortly; I don't want to give out an innaccurate price. The crowdfunding will be extremely important for this project as the materials and other items (electronics, motors etc.) are larger affected by the volume that we purchase. We need your help to make this happen! The good thing is that we already have a small space,CNC mill, CNC lathe and tooling so any money from the crowdfunding will be going 100% into buying materials for the finished goods. We hope to launch a crowdfunding campaign for the universal extruder by the end of the month and one for the printer right around the Makerfaire. We will be offering discounts to educational institutions as well as hackerspaces once we get rolling.

We need to start looking for distributors in Europe, Australia, etc. that we can ship parts to and have assembly completed there; shipping 50lbs+ worth of printer in a large box with a lot of empty air in the middle will not be inexpensive.

-Chelsea

I ca't wait,.. it looks like its going to be a real quality piece of kit!

Here is the rendering that we submitted for the Maker Faire that was made a couple months ago. We made this from our Solidworks model before the machining was complete.



There are 12 'corner blocks' used in each printer. This is a closeup picture of one of them. Each one is 2"x2"x1" in 304 Stainless Steel.


I will have some pictures of the assembled printer next to one of our Prusa Mendels for size reference.

-Chelsea

Look very nice!

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Chelsea, this is really looking good. I can't wait to look you up at the Makerfaire and see the printer in person.

I'm really looking forward to hearing more about this printer. I like what I've seen of the design so far, and it does seem to be uniquely rigid and robust compared to the other commercial offerings out there. It is really impressive that you are using stainless steel for the blocks; it does seem like overkill, but like you say, sometimes that is underrated.

The prospect of a $49 extruder is also very exciting. It seems like the extruder and electronics are really the most expensive parts of 3D printers these days, so it is nice to see that price falling!

I will echo what others have said and suggest that you don't price things TOO low, but I imagine you know what you are doing. I could see how, if you already happen to have capable CNC machines (and operators!), that the marginal cost for your parts really isn't too high. It's the difference between starting from scratch and already having a machine shop. It also sounds like you will be able to manufacture these things at high volume, and I imagine that there will be some significant demand.

It is sort of nitpicking but just thought I would mention that "QU-BD" doesn't really roll off the tongue. I hope you come up with a catchy name for the printer itself (sorry if I missed it), I think it would make a big difference with the marketing.

Good luck, if you can pull it off it sounds like it would be very high on my list of possible future 2nd printer for myself.

One last thought, it seems like the software situation is currently a weak point in the 3D printer world, and it seems like the Ultimaker gets some big benefits from using custom Netfabb software. It might be beyond your scope, but if you provided a capable, easy to use software package/interface, I think it would give you a big advantage.

Hello, I am looking to get a 3D printer for my high school! Can't wait to see results and hope it is super affordable!

We wrestled over the QU-BD name (pronounced *cubed*)...its really an acronym for 'Quintessential, Universal - Building Device' which we thought fit with it being designed from the ground up for both additive and subtractive manufacturing (maybe the first?). I think once people hear it as 'Cubed' not as Q...U...dash...B...D it will end up working out well. As far as the name for the printer, we have NO IDEA...any suggestions are welcome.

We hope that our extruder (or more accurately the Makerbot MK7 w/ Makergear spur gear tweaked a little bit) being produced for a low cost will help out the community as a whole as it should lower the entry price point for the DIY printers and also allow the people that are wanting to try dual extrusion or high-temp materials a less expensive way to try them out. Dual extrusion may very well be the future, but with the current $400+ price tag on just the extruders I believe is limiting early adopters. Dual extrusion for $98 may change that. I am really curious to see what the community can come up with!

Our pricing is making some assumptions as far as volume is concerned but we have it well sorted. We have very tight control over the machined parts cost since they are in house and we already have established relationships with material suppliers. Stepper motors for example we do have to purchase a certain number in order for everything to flow smoothly, however I believe our targets are realistic. Assistance from the community through crowdfunding will keep all the prices as low as possible. The more we can buy or machine at one time the lower the cost that we can pass on to the end user.

If the printer is as successful as we expect we will be dedicating resources to either improving the existing open source software or releasing our own open-source software for the community although hardware is our focus.

-Chelsea

Do both shafts for the "Y-axis" rotate - ie., are they both leadscrews? If so - then both leadscrews double-duty as the bearing shafts? Just trying to understand the rendering. Thx.

One shaft is a 5/8" polished rod that is smooth and acts as a bearing shaft. The other is a leadscrew identical to the one on the X-Axis. The screw thread is not shown in the rendering.

-Chelsea

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2012 08:40PM by Chelsea - QU-BD.

Whew! I've been so busy trying to get all the loose ends and mundane things (rental car etc.) ready for the Maker Faire! There are not enough hours in the day!

Here is the dual extruder that we will be offering (w/o motor) for $68. Of course there is a single version for $34 sans motor. The $34/$68 version INCLUDES a power resistor and thermistor. We will be offering a heater cartridge as an optional upgrade (should be about $10) for those that want a 'cleaner' package.

The motor mounting plate shown in the picture is the same as Makerbot's although we will also have one as a 'universal' mount for Prusa Mendels etc.

The white block is machined (not cast) UMHW, all the aluminum components are anodized black including the heatsink. The mounting bracket, filament guide and all misc. hardware is stainless steel.



I am working on editing the video and getting everything situated to get this moving on a crowdfunding site.

-Chelsea

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/2012 11:38PM by Chelsea - QU-BD.

Chelsea, that really looks nice! Cant wait to see you guys at makerfaire.

WOW! I want one already!

Here's the components that make up a single extruder with power resistor. The wiring and little electrical connectors etc. are not shown although they are included.

Looks very similar to makerbot MK7. Major differences other than gear?

Yes, it is VERY similar to the Makerbot MK7.

These are the differences:
- The price
- The grooved spur gear for filament driving
- One piece machined, extra slippery UMHW block instead of cast 2 piece plastic (ABS?) block
- The nozzle is made from 7mm hex stock instead of 6mm hex
- All the hardware is stainless instead of zinc plated steel
- All the aluminum components are anodized
- Domed 1/4-20 set screw for adjustment instead of fixed plunger
- Heatsink has slightly greater cooling capacity
- Power resistor or heater cartridge for heating
- Stainless mounting plate for Makerbots (shown) OR for Prusa Mendels etc. (not shown)

-Chelsea

What made you change the block from the previous design.

You can say its a makerbot mk7, it's open source.

Would the bigger heat sink make it less efficient?