Tag Archives: RepRap 3D Printer

SmartrapCore is a low-cost, open-source wooden box 3D printer

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SmartrapCore is the company’s second model and is even easier to assemble than the Smartrap.

As the popularity of inexpensive, open-source 3D printers continues to grow amongst the DIY community, Smartfriendz is hoping to help accelerate adoption with their latest device, the SmartrapCore. Touted as a “true RepRap printer,” it is capable of constantly improving itself by printing its own plastic parts and upgrades. Possessing the same ease-of-use as the French startup’s earlier Smartrap 3D Printer, Makers will be able to access online plans, instructions and assembly assistance through a series of tutorial videos.

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However, in an effort to differentiate itself from the Smartrap, the team started the project with a coreXY base. (Hence, the “core” in its name.) The 3D-printed components are placed inside and atop of a wooden box, then simply screwed in using wood screws. As for its hardware, like a number of other RepRaps available today, the SmartrapCore is based on an Arduino Mega 2560 (ATmega2560) and a RAMPS 1.4 control board.

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Smartfriendz shares that the machine is expandable from 20cm x 20cm to around 50cm x 50cm. More importantly, all designs are entirely written in OpenJSCAD along with various NEMA, rod, print and wood thickness sizes. All models are dynamically updated from parameters, while print plates will soon be automatically generated. Beyond that, the team has recently made improvements to reorient the stop on “new plate2,” as well as the J-Head attachment with its inductive sensor.

Interested? Not only can you now purchase the SmartrapCore online, you can also find its files on Thingiverse and Github.

This RepRap 3D printer can play Beethoven

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Watch this RepRap 3D printer perform Beethoven’s “Für Elise” using only motor sounds.

If you’ve ever used a 3D printer, you know all too well the distinct sound of the stepper motors as they rotate and change direction. Well, a Maker by the name of DeltaRAP recently decided to change that by modding his Atmel based RepRap 3D printer to emit the harmonic tunes of Beethoven. In fact, his machine could now play the world-renowned “Für Elise” in its entirety.

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Inspired by a video of a CNC milling machine making music from its motors, the Maker used g-code commands to convert the printer’s stepper motor movements into exact tonal sounds. After experiencing a few difficulties, DeltaRAP realized that his Rostock printer — which is powered by an Arduino Mega (ATmega1280) — could produce distinct tones after all, by moving the print head vertically. This would allow for a singular tone to play from the device, as it causes all three motors to move in unison.

“Delta style printers don’t rotate one motor if you tell them to move for example X axis by 10mm. The firmware instead recalculates the movement of each motor so the end result is the movement of the head by 10mm on X axis. The only movement that doesn’t have to be divided between all three motors is Z movement. We can use this knowledge to slightly modify the g-code and make [the] Delta printer a music player,” DeltaRAP writes.

Pretty cool, right? You read about the Maker’s entire mod here, and watch it in action below.