Obvious 3D printer technology based on 08. Counterweight

Kev Man (talk) 07:33, 1 December 2015 (PST)

Tmjohnst (talk) 07:37, 1 December 2015 (PST)

Ztverran (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)

Ideas to improve 3d printer (Counterweight):

Use Mesh design for end effector to reduce weight while maintaining structural integrity
Enhance material availability: Make structures out of particle board to reduce weight and use any available wood
Reduce Parts: End effector has helicopter style top to suspend instead of metal bars
Reduce cost-printer: Mesh design for all 3d printed parts and structures to use less material
Reduce cost-material: Inject with gas to expand volume(more surface area for less plastic)
Easier to assemble : attach helium balloons to top so cannot drop and easier to maneuver to fix/build
Use carbon fiber frame to decrease weight.
Use lighter motors to decrease weight.
Add flat steel plate to base to decrease vibration somewhat.
Modify end effector to only mount the hot end (alternative material to take care of heat)
Add vibration reducers (similar to hunting bows) to lower rod vibration and thus the rod can be made of a lighter material.
Use smaller motors to decrease weight.
Use less robust board to decrease weight slightly.
Use a combination stepper driver and computer to decrease overall weight (combine melzi and BBBlack)
Use microphones to detect mechanical click to reduce wiring to leveling switches.
Combine heated bed with the frame to reduce weight.
Add heating to the whole frame to omit heated bed somehow (circuitry needs to be modified).
Combine frame with vertical beams to reduce weight - or omit vertical columns entirely like on some cartesian printers.
Extrude with a through-the-center stepper to decrease parts used in extrusion.
Omit top doughnut entirely - vibration introduced but weight decreased.
Use carbon fiber rods instead of aluminum to decrease weight.
Combine extruder and hot end into a plastic pushing monster to decrease metal and mechanical parts - momentum is increased and accuracy falls.
Use more snap-together parts to decrease bolts and nuts - less metal, less weight (slightly).
Print with a smaller extruder motor to decrease weight.
Use shorter linear bearings to slightly decrease weight.

Less infill for parts that don't need it
Different infill: lighter, stronger infill material
Use different material for structure of printer: some sort of light, hollow, plastic tubing
Change guide rods to carbon fiber
Printed parts of printer with less infill
Make everything out of carbon fiber
Drill holes in support material
Print with lighter material
Plastic hardware
Build a smaller printer
Print a smaller part, sections if needed
Use less bed adhesion (glue) or use blue painters tape
Make part hollow and put hydrogen or helium into part
Make inside of part a vacuum
Move printer to moon
Attach helium balloons to top of printer