This 40-foot-tall delta 3D printer can build homes out clay

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Big Delta can build low-cost, 3D-printed homes in areas struck by natural disasters. 

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It’s no question, 3D printers are getting bigger. While more and more companies are seeking massive build volumes, they will all pale in comparison to the latest design from WASP (World’s Advanced Saving Project). And we’re not talking about a large desktop machine, either. Standing at 40-feet tall, the Big Delta 3D Printer is capable of constructing entire houses — something that will be extremely useful in areas struck by natural disasters and throughout Third World countries.

Evident by advancements in recent months, 3D-printed buildings are bound to become ubiquitous over the next few years. And not only will the gargantuan delta-style printer be able to extrude habitable objects, it will be able to do so at very little cost by using local materials like clay.

Given its sheer magnitude, Big Delta is supported by a sturdy, 20-foot-wide metal frame. Although the printer will prove to be especially valuable in times of crisis, WASP says there’s already a growing interest in using it in places with a rapidly growing population. Considering that the United Nations estimates there will be a need for almost a hundred thousand new homes throughout the world each day for the next 15 years, the ability to quickly and inexpensively create homes will be paramount.

“Building Big Delta is much more than a dream come true,” its creators explain. “Estimates foresee a rapid growth of adequate housing requirements for over four billion people living with yearly income below $3,000.”

If you recall last year, the company unveiled a 20-foot-tall printer that could spew out filaments including mud and other natural fibers. Now, the team has taken their efforts one step further with the record-setting machine Big Delta. The printer uses a rotating nozzle that also doubles as a mixer, which enables it to keep the materials homogeneous for extrusion. These materials can then be treated and structurally reinforced with small amounts of chemical additives. What’s more, it reportedly only requires less than 100 watts of power to operate.

“[We] propose a vision that goes well beyond that of low-cost housing. We are talking about the Maker economy, a new model where everything can be self manufactured through shared solutions, These leverage on 3D printing and are tied to meeting life’s primary necessities: work, health and housing,” the team adds.

While few details about BigDelta have been made available, WASP will demonstrate the 40-foot-tall, 20-foot-wide beast of a printer at Maker Faire Rome. Interested? You can follow along on their website here.

Maker creates an impressive Steampunk-inspired 3D printer

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This 3D printer would surely make K. W. Jeter proud. 

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First coined by author K. W. Jeter, steampunk is best defined as a sub-genre of science fiction and fantasy literature that commonly features some aspect of steam-powered machinery, especially in a setting inspired by industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century. Over the years, there has undoubtedly been a rise in the theme’s popularity, as seen across Maker Faires and in a number of slick DIY projects like this wristwatch. And, while we’ve seen countless devices arise, one space that seemed to go untouched was 3D printing. That was until now.

That’s because John Davis recently devised a steampunk-inspired iteration of the Printrbot GO, which essentially consists of the printer housed inside of an antique wooden suitcase from the 1920s. Aside from the inclusion of an LCD display, it’s safe to say that it looks a machine straight out of the “Wild, Wild West.” Job well done!

The unit itself is equipped with antique bronze extruder gear, a set of spur wheels, a Frankenstein-style knife switch, and a pair of leather straps, among a number of other features to round out its aesthetics.

“Since before I even owned the GO, I had a vision in my mind about turning it into a steampunk steamer trunk kinda thing, and critical to that vision were suitcase belts,” the Maker writes. “I can’t imagine a single feature (well, in addition to darkly stained wood) that says ‘olde timey’ like leather belts up the sides of a piece of a luggage, so I knew I needed to get something like that working for me at some point.”

Beyond that, Davis located some old-school weather dials that once measured temperature, humidity and barometric pressure and repurposed them to monitor the 3D printer’s performance. These were placed on the other side of the suitcase, away from an LCD that he modded the gadget with. The Maker also decided to enhance his contraption’s display, swapping out its original bluish screen for one that was amber-colored to provide that full Steampunk visual effect.

And, of course, the alternative world-esque device is driven by a Printrboard electronic set (AT90USB1286) and powered by an X-Box 360 PSU. Impressively, Davis was even able to add a Raspberry Pi with OctoPrint to allow for wireless control and remote monitoring of his prints (by webcam) via his smartphone. The Pi was mounted inside the front right hand panel, which enabled him to attach the camera onto the side of the gantry.

Those looking for the perfect Maker Faire accessory can head over to Davis’ exhaustive project page here, which breaks down the build step by step.

Building a 3D-printed, Arduino-powered dog feeder

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Maker creates an over-engineered, automated treat feeder for his pup using Arduino and his Ultimaker 2. 

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We’ve seen some pretty sweet pet projects as of late, and this recent one from JonPaul Laskis surely doesn’t disappoint. The Maker has designed an over-engineered DIY solution to feed his pup a treat after every meal.

Upon finishing his dinner, Laskis would always give his dog a Dentastix treat to help maintain his oral hygiene. However, the treat wasn’t always delivered at the same time, which as any pet owner knows, isn’t something our furry friends enjoy. This inspired him to build an automated machine that would dispense a treat for his impatient pup without requiring his assistance.

How it works is pretty straightforward: The dog places its paw on a lever, which activates the machine. From there, the device will decide if a treat will be granted or not. (The machine is programmed to only dispense one every eight hours.) When not in operation, it will remain off to conserve battery. The feeder is able to keep track of the appropriate times and the amount of treats remaining in the tube before rotation by storing these values in the EEPROM of an embedded Arduino Uno (ATmega328). These values reset after each treat.

Laskis designed his project in SolidWorks and 3D printed each of its plastic components in lime green PLA with his AVR powered Ultimaker 2. In addition to these parts, the automatic feeder is comprised of a dozen six-inch-ling clear acrylic tubes and a laser-cut sheet metal base.

Want to make one of your own? Head over to the Maker’s Thingiverse page to get started. Meanwhile, you can see it in action below!

Check out the world’s first 3D-printed hotel suite

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A hotel owner in the Philippines has 3D printed an entire suite — jacuzzi and all. 

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It goes without saying that 3D printing will revolutionize architecture. However, despite recent projects that range from a 3D-printed estate in New York to an apartment building in China, none of these structures have actually been put to use for residential or commercial purposes. That was until now. First reported by 3DPrint.com, the Lewis Grand Hotel in Angeles City, Pampanga is now home to the very first 3D-printed suite in not just the Philippines, but the world.

The idea to 3D print an entire room was proposed to hotel owner Lewis Yakich by none other than 3D printing specialist Andrey Rudenko, who you may recall from his 3D-printed castle. The 1,500-square-foot suite features two bedrooms, a living room and a spa with its very own 3D-printed jacuzzi, of course.

“The Philippines is actually a great place for concrete printing because of the weather,” Yakich tells 3DPrint.com. “Currently everything is made out of concrete, and it’s a third-world country so it can do a lot of good in disaster zones, etc.”

Construction of the 3D-printed space has been completed, measuring approximately 35 feet x 41 feet with 10-foot ceilings. In total, the project took roughly 100 hours to print, though not continuous due to the installation of plumbing, wiring and such.

Yakich, who also happens to be a material science engineer, worked with Rudenko in designing the massive 3D printer that spews out a mixture of sand and volcanic ash. While it took two months to develop the first printer, they believe the method can now be replicated to build it in about two weeks. According to 3DPrint.com, the machine has been created in such a way that it can easily be assembled or disassembled and then moved to another location.

It should be noted that this is only the beginning of Yakich’s plans to introduce 3D-printed, fully-functional buildings throughout the Philippines. He has, in fact, secured permission from the government to build 200 living quarters for low-income families, which is made possible by the 60% cost savings of 3D printing opposed to traditional methods of construction. He even hopes that this number will grow to 2,000 houses in the coming years.

“I plan to roll over some of the cost savings of using a 3D printer to give a more quality house for the low-income homes. It would be great if I could give them all mini mansions! The people here would go nuts over my homes,” he adds.

As for the printer itself, even despite its size, it still uses the same Arduino Mega (ATmega2560) and software that you’d find in many of today’s more popular desktop devices. The RepRap-inspired unit boasts large motors that enable it to extrude layers 30mm wide and 10mm tall. Want to see more? Be sure to check out Rudenko’s official page, or watch the mesmerizing 3D printer in action below!

[h/t 3DPrint.com]

Sinterit unveils its game-changing SLS 3D printer

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Can this startup’s $8,000 3D printer change the game? 

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While FDM and SLA technologies seems to be the most popular choice for desktop 3D printers at the moment, that may soon all change. That’s because one startup, founded by a trio of former Google employes, has announced a low-cost SLS machine dubbed the Sinterit Lisa.

Selective laser sintering is in a league of its own when it comes to yielding high-quality, high-definition results. These machines avoid the extrusion process entirely, and instead, construct objects by selectively solidifying very fine powder materials of nylon, layer by layer, using a laser. Unfortunately, as incredible as these devices may be, the cheapest SLS printer on the market today cost roughly $180,000 — that was up until now.

Sinterit’s impressive gadget resembles a PC tower decked out in vibrant colors like those iMac G3 computers from the late ‘90s. Leading up to its launch, the startup has kept themselves under the radar with a minimal website and have only shared a couple of detailed prints. Well, after several months of research and development, the team has finally debuted its affordable (in the scheme of SLS printers) device, which is targeted at small businesses and the Maker community.

As seen in a number of their sampled items, nylon SLS prints tend to be far more durable and sturdy than conventional FFF prints, and feature far smoother surfaces with intricate detail. The Sinterit Lisa’s 5W laser diode head enables users to create objects with a layer thickness of 0.06mm to 0.15mm and at a speed of 15mm/h.

It should be pointed out that the project has come a long way since its conception, having initially began with a prototype that its creators describe as a “laser on a RepRap.” In time, this has morphed into a full, self-contained ecosystem with Wi-Fi connectivity, its own polyamide powder material and custom software called Sinterit Studio 2016.

What’s more, once a 3D design has been sent to the Sinterit Lisa, the printer’s autonomous operating system handles it from there. Meanwhile, an internal camera module allows a user to observe the process. It is also capable of printing multiple file types, including STL, OBJ, 3DS and FBX.

Some of its key features include:

• Build volume: 13cm x 17cm x 13cm (5.1” x 6.7” x 5.1”)
• Print scan speed: Up to 500 mm/second
• Print bed temperature: Up to 180°C (356°F)
• Laser power: 5W
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi

The printer is expected to ship sometime in January 2016 and will be equipped with a heated multi-zone print bed, a heated feed bed and a heated cylinder. For the time being, the Sinterit Lisa can only accommodate black polyamide 12 powder as its printing material; however, the team notes that more colors and filaments will be made available soon.

Sound like a piece of machinery that you’d love to have on your Makerspace workbench? Head over to its official site here.

BLTouch is an auto leveling sensor for 3D printers

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Your 3D printer doesn’t have an automated bed leveling system? Not to worry! 

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As any Maker will tell you, having to manually level the bed of your 3D printer can be a rather tedious task. Between ensuring that it’s level and that the print nozzle is the right distance away, this is a headache that most of us would like to avoid. Unfortunately, despite all the technology being crammed inside these printers, many of today’s device still lack an automatic bed leveling system — a problem that Charles Lee is hoping to change.

BLTouch is an auto leveling sensor that can be easily installed on pretty much any open source FFF 3D printer, and will work with a range of materials from glass to metal. The unit consists of an ATtiny13A, a solenoid and a push pin, and uses the same servo signal as its previously attached servo motor.

“You can connect BLTouch with an existing servo motor connector (three-pin) and Zmin connector (two-pin). If your 3D printer does not have the auto leveling function, then you should have it updated, and add the two connectors which are enclosed [with our product]. In this process, soldering might be needed,” Lee explains.

The BLTouch is noiseless when in standby mode as well. Instead of emitting those annoying “servo motor” sounds like other leveling systems, this sensor makes just a small clicking noise as the push pin moves. The device also features an power saving system. While in idle mode, the power flow of the solenoid remains below 15mA, and around 800mA while in use.

Additionally, the push pin is capable of self-testing and will blink an LED light should a problem be found. According to Lee, the machine could be disassembled using nothing more than an Allen wrench, and any issue can likely be solved by simply wiping the pin.

Interested? Head over to BLTouch’s Indiegogo page, where its team is currently seeking $20,000. Pending all goes to plan, delivery is slated for November 2015.

Tunell Monitor stops filament feeding problems

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This upgrade can save prints that would otherwise be lost to a filament jam, tangle or empty spool.

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We’ve all been there — you’re just about to finish 3D printing an object and the machine runs out of filament; your filament gets stuck because the spool was loaded incorrectly; or your hot-end gets jammed due to accumulation in the nozzles. When these problems occur, the job is usually lost due to air-prints.

Looking to put an end to such scenarios, the ToyBuilder Labs crew and Aaron Tunell have developed what they call the Tunell 3D Printer Filament Monitor. This device will spot a filament feeding problem right as it happens and pause the machine so that you can fix it immediately, instead of having to throw a partial print away. For long-running prints, this indispensable add-on will pay for itself in no time.

The Tunell Monitor uses a mechanical 24 PPR (positions-per-revolution) encoder to detect filament travel as you print. If the filament stops moving for longer than the (adjustable) timeout period, a fault signal is sent to your printer.

Beyond that, the device features a connection point for an external pause button and an alarm/relay/signaling LED, as well as FlashForge Creator, Wanhao Duplicator, and MakerBot Replicator with a four-pin latching cable. Powered by an ATmega168 MCU, the Tunell Monitor is Arduino programmable via an ISP hardware programmer, like the AVRISP mkII. It is compatible with a number of MakerBot printers running the Sailfish firmware upgrade, in addition to Marlin-based units with an available end-stop and expansion I/O pin, and other printer controllers that support external pause signaling.

Tired of wasted print jobs? Check out the Tunell Monitor on ToyBuilder Lab’s official site here.

Now you can 3D print your own gummy bears

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A German company has developed a 3D printer that allows you to create your own gummy treats. 

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If you’ve ever wanted to be Willy Wonka, you’re in luck. Recent advancements in 3D printing have ushered in a number of new machines capable of spitting out various materials, like chocolate, sugar, batter and now, gummies. The brainchild of candy company Katjes, the self-proclaimed “first printer for food to reach the consumer market” was revealed at Café Grün-Ohr in Berlin, Germany.

While from afar, The Magic Candy Factory may appear to be just an ordinary FDM-based printer, a closer look inside will reveal that it’s not extruding plastic, but gummy goodness instead. Users can choose from one of 10 fruity flavors and seven colors, or combine multiple ones for a “rainbow blend,” as well as pick from a variety of shapes to make their own bear, worm or whatever they desire.

To produce the candy, a cartridge is placed inside a chamber located above the printer’s nozzle. A customer uses an iPad interface to customize their confectionary creation and then proceeds to hit “print.” From there, the chamber heats up, along with the tasty contents inside, and expels the preprogrammed shapes — including an octopus, a butterfly and a strawberry — through a pump syringe layer by layer onto a plate. The candy cools down and hardens before being consumed. The entire process takes about five minutes for a 10g gummy design.

(Images: Katjes, Ruptly)

This 3D-printed wearable is part wristwatch, part breathalyzer

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Maker designs a wearable device that lets you know the time and if you’ve had too much to drink.

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While it may need some refining before you ever wear it for a night out on the town, this recent wristwatch from mechanical engineer David Ng is pretty cool nevertheless. Admittedly, seeing it takes up nearly five inches of real estate along your lower arm, the device is more of a gauntlet than a bracelet.

The watch is comprised of a seven segment LED display, a three-axis motion sensor, an alcohol sensor, a real-time clock module and an Arduino as its brain. Powered by a USB power bank, the electronics are all housed inside a 3D-printed case and band.

The display is controlled by the motion sensor, which triggers the lights on as he lifts up his arm to read the time. When his arm returns to the resting position, it automatically switches off. Not only can a wearer use the device to check the time as it gets late, but can do a quick breath check before leaving a bar or party to ensure that they are in okay shape to drive home. If the alcohol content in their breath is a wee too strong, an alarm will sound alerting them that it may be best to summon a taxi or Uber ride.

3DSimo Mini is like a Makerspace crammed into a pen

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The 3DSimo Mini is a next-gen pen that not only draws in 3D, but solders, burns and cuts as well. 

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Although they may not have taken off as quickly as its desktop counterparts, 3D printing pens have certainly attracted quite the attention in recent years. Since 3Doodler first launched back in February of 2013, several other startups have emerged with hopes of pioneering the space. The gadgets, which feature a hotend that is capable of extruding filament like the heads found on any FDM machine, are used to add a third dimension to drawings in thin air.

Among the first of those looking to take 3D pens mainstream was 3DSimo, who some of you may recall from its Indiegogo debut two years ago. Now, the Czech startup has returned with a new and improved, and much smaller, model of its handheld device that not only prints but can offer a plethora of other tools as well. The aptly named 3DSimo Mini incorporates an LED display that shines through a minimalist case, while boasting a much lighter and more compact design than its predecessor — without compromising speed or strength of the feed mechanism. With its ergonomic shape, Makers can easily handle the pen as they doodle.

What’s nice is that, unlike some of the others available today, the Mini is not limited to materials thanks to adjustable temperature and speed. Meaning, users can draw with a variety of 1.75mm filaments ranging from the typical ABS and PLA, to FLEXI and fluorescent, to Laywood and Thermochrome.

And proving that it’s more than merely a 3D printer, the all-in-one device can expand its capabilities through a set of convertible tips, including soldering metal, burning wood and cutting foam. For instance, Makers can easily throw on an extension piece to transform the Mini into a soldering iron by setting the temperature up to 490°C, depending on the melting point of the metal, or etch designs on wood and leather. Not to mention, it can even cut any sort of thin material whether it’s Balsa wood or rubber.

Though it is equipped with an LED screen, the Mini also connects over Bluetooth to an accompanying mobile app that allows users to control the temperature, speed and various material profiles. Based on an ATmega32 MCU, the pen is rechargeable via microUSB and packs a clip-on 2000mAh battery that can last for roughly an hour.

Interested? Head over to 3DSimo’s Kickstarter campaign, where the team is currently seeking $35,000. The Maker-friendly instrument, which will come with all four of its interchangeable extensions, is expected to begin shipping in March 2016.