▼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.

Invert the action(s) used to solve the problem (e.g. instead of cooling an object, heat it). • To loosen stuck parts, cool the inner part instead of heating the outer part. • Bring the mountain to Mohammed, instead of bringing Mohammed to the mountain.

Make movable parts (or the external environment) fixed, and fixed parts movable. • Rotate the part instead of the tool. • Moving sidewalk with standing people. • Treadmill (for walking or running in place.)

Turn the object (or process) 'upside down'. • Turn an assembly upside down to insert fasteners (especially screws). • Empty grain from containers (ship or railroad) by inverting them.

Matthew Olson (talk) 06:50, 4 December 2018 (PST)

1. Moving platform instead of the extruder headMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
2. Printer bed is a flexible material with treadmill base, and can advance to gently remove parts and be ready to begin next print on fresh bedMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
3. Attempt to extrude upside down with cooling fans to reduce drooping of hang off and bridging sectionsMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
4. Created cooling feature on bed to cause the part to retract and pop off without the use of toolsMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
5. Use new filament that sheds heat quickly to avoid the use of fansMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
6. Use low melting point plastics to speed up the heating processMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
7. Use materials that have a melting reaction when cooledMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
8. Have frame flexible and able to be expanded and contracted for the required print sizeMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
9. Printer and Miller in one to make more intricate partsMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
10. Moving bed with multiple extruders for multiple colorsMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
11. or multiple materialsMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
12. Have the entire frame on wheels and can use a larger print bed that it drives around on, increasing the print volumeMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
13. Have both the platform and bed moving to increase printing speed and keep jerk reduced on print headMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
14. Design rotation printer, prints on a central axis using pole or stick and the part rotates around the axis while being printedMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
15. Print head is built on the side of a printer instead to make vases and such quicker, again rotating printMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
16. Using extending rods vs ball joints to increase print sizeMatthew Olson (talk) 07:07, 4 December 2018 (PST)
17. Mount extruder motor above and centered over print head to reduce bowden sheath length Matthew Olson (talk) 07:12, 4 December 2018 (PST)
18. also to reduce friction for flexible materials Matthew Olson (talk) 07:12, 4 December 2018 (PST)
19. Moving bed for auto leveling prior to printing Matthew Olson (talk) 07:12, 4 December 2018 (PST)
20. Design printer that prints part then can flip it to add detail on bottom side, for parts that do not have a smooth surface Matthew Olson (talk) 07:12, 4 December 2018 (PST)
21. Make hot end act as a welder, where the filament is loaded next to it and is fused in place, not melted and pushed through Matthew Olson (talk) 07:12, 4 December 2018 (PST)
22. Send multiple strands of filament to the hotend to modify color Matthew Olson (talk) 07:12, 4 December 2018 (PST)
23. Tilting print surface for complex parts Matthew Olson (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
24. Flexible print bed for unique bases Matthew Olson (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
25. Flexible print bed for specific mating parts Matthew Olson (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)

Tacopaul11 (talk) 07:21, 1 December 2015 (PST)

Nicolas Winkler (talk) 07:24, 1 December 2015 (PST)

1. Motors on Extruder rather than base
2. Use pellets or liquid instead of filament
3. Motors on moving parts instead of base(on the pieces that connect to rods)
4. bed moves instead of extruder
5. ball bearings on extruder and magnets on poles
6. Non-fixed bed instead of fixed for better leveling
7. Only use recycled materials instead of filament
8. Use Quick Cooling filament that is extremely sturdy
9. Print upside down
10. Instead of printing, mill it
11. Make base move instead of bed (X and Y)
12. Use a combination of printing and milling for better precision
13. Reuse milled filament
14. Combine and Delta and XYZ
15. Use a moving print surface for multiple colors (one on each side of base)
16. Base is top and bottom is print surface encased in foam for sound isolation
17. Power for head through connection rods.
18. power for resistor through connection rods
19. power for fan through connection rods
20. recycle power from extruder for other uses in printer
21. Use power from environment to heat extruder (sun, ect)
22. Use tears of students as lubricant for print rods to make it quieter.
23. Use camera to get feedback on print into system
24. Use ir sensor to get feedback into system
25. allow print surface to tilt for additional leveling features
26. Magnetic properties Dmswanso (talk) 07:52, 1 December 2016 (PST) (talk)
27. Revolving printer for overhang Dmswanso (talk) 07:52, 1 December 2016 (PST)
28. Rods connected to bed Dmswanso (talk) 07:52, 1 December 2016 (PST)
29. Don't have to fight gravity Dmswanso (talk) 07:52, 1 December 2016 (PST)
30. Easier to change extruder heads Dmswanso (talk) 07:52, 1 December 2016 (PST)
31. Multiple heads for extruder, more objects and faster Dmswanso (talk) 07:52, 1 December 2016 (PST)
32. Easier feeding of material Dmswanso (talk) 07:52, 1 December 2016 (PST)