For all you 3D printer guys...

drknotter

Active Member
I just saw this article over on Make about a 3D printer that works with paper. It looks like the printer cuts and laminates individual sheets together to produce the print. They also have a prototype for color, too. Here's the article. Thought it looked like a cool technology that some of you'd be interested in.
 
At first I was thinking it was going to be like some robot that builds it pep-style, but I didn't think that would be possible. Apparently I was right about that.

I'd never even heard or thought of such a machine. It looks incredibly wasteful with paper though, to create such a small object. But it's interesting that there are alternative building products being tried.
 
At first I was thinking it was going to be like some robot that builds it pep-style, but I didn't think that would be possible. Apparently I was right about that.

I'd never even heard or thought of such a machine. It looks incredibly wasteful with paper though, to create such a small object. But it's interesting that there are alternative building products being tried.

I initially thought that as well, but then I wondered how recyclable the materials from traditional 3D printers are. I don't really know. With paper though, you can recycle all the scraps and presumably recoup some of the losses. Plus, the actual model is also recyclable (maybe? The glue might make that more difficult). In any case, I still think it's a neat technology. Apparently they've been around since 2008 also, don't know why I haven't seen this before now.
 
Very interesting idea to use paper like that. Had not heard of this method to be computer controled (have seen this done by hand previously).
I do think it is more eco-friendly than using the resins of traditional 3d printer, but still this method creates a LOT of scrap. Wish there was a material that could be used in traditional printers, like wood dust mixed with some eco-friendly glue/resin, that material being strong, but also biodegradable or even re-useable in the end. I don't know much about materials used nowadays for 3d printers, maybe such a thing already exists. And with all that sead, I still love my prop chemicals :)
 
I want to see a 3D printer that can make another working 3D printer.and then maybe I could have one.LOL
 
Modern 3D printers use ABS filament, which is recyclable :) -- then again that's only the most common type of 3D printers, other powder/laser based ones may be less recyclable
 
Here's an article/interview some of you might find interesting . . .

3D PRINTER USER PROFILE: ANDREW PLUMB

excerpt:
With the publication of our Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing we learned about a growing number of hackers and makers who use the technology while on the job or just tinkering. We’ll be interviewing some of these folks to learn how they use 3D printers.

Andrew Plumb of Ottawa, ON, is a good person to start with. He’s been a contributor to open source 3D printing technology as an active MakerBot Google group and Thingiverse participant. He even owned the 9th MakerBot! Let’s find out what Andrew has to say:


JB: What fascinates you about 3D printers?

AP: Being more heavily biased toward the (electrical) engineering talents than artistic, much of what fascinates me about personal 3D printers is finally being able to make things conjured within the confines of My Brain. I code up imaginary things and make them real!

Another aspect that captivates me is the community that has grown – and continues to grow – in the various open source branches of 3D printing. Initially that community was primarily found online in the RepRap and Fab@Home parent projects. My own “formal” entry into the extended community came by way of the first batch of MakerBot Cupcake kits in 2009. At the time, being open source meant – for me – that even if it turned out to be the first, last and only batch of Cupcakes I would still have the recipe to keep it running. Four years on, the resulting hacks and upgrades keep coming from the extended community, so that logic has continued to prove itself valid. The Cupcake is dead; long live the Cupcake!
 
To add a little to the discussion, powder based 3D printers like those made by ZCorp create no waste. Any powder that does not adhere to the resin can just be shoveled back over into the feed bin. And I don't know if it's still this way, but the spray heads for the resin on their machines are actually empty HP printer cartridges. They recycled HP's waste and used them for a completely different application.
 
To add a little to the discussion, powder based 3D printers like those made by ZCorp create no waste. Any powder that does not adhere to the resin can just be shoveled back over into the feed bin. And I don't know if it's still this way, but the spray heads for the resin on their machines are actually empty HP printer cartridges. They recycled HP's waste and used them for a completely different application.

Wow, didn't know that about the used printer cartridges, that's really cool! Sometimes I think that frugality, and not necessity, is the mother of all invention.
 
We go through a lot of paper where I work, and we were considering something like this if we could use wasted paper. That would be even better than recycling, as it wouldn't have to use all the energy to recycle the paper.
 
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