▼This page was part of an MTU course MSE4777 OA and MSE4777 OB/MSE5777/EE4777/EE5777: Open-source 3-D printing

Please leave comments using the talk page. The course runs in the Fall semester. It is not open edit.

Broad and/or obvious patent claims for 3-D printing technology may hamper the open-source 3-D printing community's ability to innovate. Previous work on an algorithm protected 3-D printing materials. This page is part of a MTU Open Source 3-D Printing class project to investigate 3-D printing concepts using TRIZ and is presented here as a defensive publication of prior art to help identify obvious 'inventions' for 3-D printing.
Examiners: The ideas on this page dated Dec 3, 2015 and Nov 29, 2016 were developed by university students with less than a semester of formal 3-D printing experience (or by an instructor in class) and thus should be considered unpatentable because of obviousness to any person skilled in the art of additive manufacturing.
Appropedians: This page is open edit. Please fee free to add ideas and sign them below with ~~~~ or to use any of the ideas to built better open-source 3-D printers.

Tmjohnst (talk) 07:18, 1 December 2015 (PST)

Kev Man (talk) 07:49, 1 December 2015 (PST)

T.Billman (talk) 10:00, 4 December 2018

Nesting to Improve 3D Printing

1. Print using filament directly from filament extruder.
2. Gear reduction to do finer resolution parts.
   1. Introduces slack but can be limited with ball screws.
3. Extruder hidden within the frame.
4. Heated bed hidden within the frame.
   1. Half the printed bed captures the heat pad, and the top half conceals it.
   2. Reduces possible damage to the print bed; the printed surface can be printed again.
   3. Probably needs some sort of metal printed and ground surface for accuracy.
5. Delta rods shorten and lengthen to change movement speed for accuracy.
   1. Telescoping rods with servos controlling them with a rod threaded through the center.
6. Frame uses extendable vertical columns.
7. Belts use straps that can easily extend the belt's usable length.
8. Hide belt within frame to reduce exterior moving parts.
9. (Obvious) Use traps on ALL bolts to improve looks (countersinking).
10. Use sheathed bowden sheath with an interlock so that the sheath can be extended at will (for use with extending rods).
    1. Adds to expandability.
11. Use a filament extruder directly in place of the extruder head - directly print with recycled stuff.
12. Use a combined stepper driver and computer (Omit Melzi somehow).
    1. This is probably critical for continuing the development of our specific printer.
13. Add lights inside the end effector during print to conceal lighting (aesthetic).
14. Use extendable parts on the entire frame (like a step ladder or something).
    1. This is the basis for modular printers, so not anything new really.
15. Have a segmented bed that can expand with inserts (like a table leaf).
16. Use thicker vertical rods to omit exterior frame without introducing vibrations.
17. Use frame as part of wireways. Just add a vertical slot in the frame for the wires to be pushed into.
    1. Decreases the risk of snagging and ripping out wires.
    2. Makes the machine more portable.
18. Make the vertical parts of the frame interlock with the horizontal to improve ease of assembly.
19. Use snap-together locks in place of bolts to make the frame hold itself together (can't be done with wood probably).
20. Mount extruder on end effector (increase weight and momentum but decrease jams/clogs).
21. Add filter to extruder to filter and extrude in the same motion.
    1. Add a slot to push a chunk of foam into that the filament pierces through. This can easily be replaced and adds very little plastic to the overall build.
    2. Builds exist for this but it can be incorporated into the extruder assembly to reduce size.
22. Add vibration segments in the rods to reduce momentum vibration.
23. Add 3D-printed U-joints to the end effector and omit purchase parts.
    1. Purchase U-joints are expensive but are more precise, so some precision is lost.
24. Add cooling head next to hot end to simultaneously cool and extrude to decrease deflection.
25. Add wi-fi capability to the board to make machine wirelessly accessible.
26. Combine frame with beams to decrease segmentation.

1. Print objects as close as possible on one print bedT.Billman (talk) 07:13, 4 December 2018 (PST)
2. Print nested objects together as nested using soluble support material to decrease wasteT.Billman (talk) 07:13, 4 December 2018 (PST)
3. Use multiple levels with support structuresT.Billman (talk) 07:13, 4 December 2018 (PST)
4. Use raft frame to print at several levelsT.Billman (talk) 07:13, 4 December 2018 (PST)
5. Multiple fixed extruder heads with movable bed plate to create identical objectsT.Billman (talk) 07:13, 4 December 2018 (PST)
6. Adjustable rod length to add build higher on the build plate mid-printT.Billman (talk) 07:13, 4 December 2018 (PST)
7. Nesting a print bed on printer to allow for quick part removalT.Billman (talk) 07:13, 4 December 2018 (PST)
8. Multiple extruder heads with fixed be plate to use multiple materials on one objectT.Billman (talk) 07:13, 4 December 2018 (PST)
9. Adjustable extruder nozzle size (zoom lens adjustment) to create different extruded thicknessT.Billman (talk) 07:13, 4 December 2018 (PST)
10. Increase quality of filamentT.Billman (talk) 07:13, 4 December 2018 (PST)
11. Use alternative materials to improve strength and rigidityT.Billman (talk) 07:13, 4 December 2018 (PST)

1. Nest print bed into plate that holds electronics 07:17, 4 December 2018 (PST)

2. Nest lights to the top of the frame of the printer for better viability while working or printing Ejweiden (talk) 07:17, 4 December 2018 (PST)

3. Retracting power cord Ejweiden (talk) 07:20, 4 December 2018 (PST)

4. Retracting Ethernet cable Ejweiden (talk) 07:20, 4 December 2018 (PST)

5. Wireless (Wifi) Printing 07:27, 4 December 2018 (PST)