If you were hoping to pick up Brook Drumm’s new Printrbot Simple at Maker Faire Bay Area this year, well…you’re too late. The Printrbot Simple beta edition sold out Saturday afternoon. Still, with alpha availability slated for June, you don’t have too long to wait.
Printrbot’s latest model is true to its name. The kit can be assembled in under two hours with only a screwdriver and an Allen wrench. Simple and inexpensive, the Simple lowers the entry barrier for 3D printing further than ever before. Which has been PrintrBot’s goal all along.
12 thoughts on “Printrbot Simple Debuts at Maker Faire”
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Why do extruder printers have to print from bottom up. Why can’t they print the object upside down from the bottom down? Then you wouldn’t need any supports for overhanging parts, because the sagging plastic would sag against the nozzle which holds it up as it deposits the next layer.
you’ve literally answered your own question there. you don’t want the last layer resting on the hot tip – not only will it melt the prior layer it will prevent the next layer from being extruded onto the model you are making.
The weight of an overhanging filament on the tip is neglible, so I don’t think the extruder tip has any troubles pushing the next layer up, and the hot tip is only hot on the inside of the tip. The overhanging part is resting on a bead of plastic which is already cooling down. All you have to do is move the extruder slowly enough that the overhanging filament doesn’t droop, and then return the same way to build up a stronger ledge.
So build one
NOOB asks why not rotate the object in your file then print it? The printer will not know (or care) it is printing your object upside down. I would print an inverted pyramid upside down – pointy end up. Am I missing something?
Challenge accepted?
http://i.imgur.com/eQyWmoC.jpg