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.

▼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.

Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)

1. Over extrude when printing to make a strong part Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
2. Under Extrude when printing to make a wispy part Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
3. Over extrude a part, then mill to final dimensions Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
4. Over build a 3D printer frame to reduce the vibrations Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
5. Over build a 3D printer frame to increase rigidity Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
6. Over build a 3D printer frame allow more print heads going at once Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
7. Over build a 3D printer frame allow more for to be applied when milling parts to final dimensions Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
8. Over build a 3D printer frame to allow heavier extruders and heavier beds Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
9. Reduce the weight of a printer to allow for easier transport Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
10. Reduce the weight of a printer to make it easier to build Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
11. Reduce the weight of a printer to make it cheaper to build Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
12. Use stronger filament to make automotive or aerospace grade final parts Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
13. Use stronger filament to make medical parts Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
14. Use stronger filament to make parts for developing countries Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
15. Use Stronger resin to make flame resistant materials (Cermamic resin) Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
16. Use metal printing to make another printer Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
17. Use metal printing to make rockets for rocket based 3D printer for planets Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
18. Use metal printing to make mini robots for swarm 3d printing of structures Alwoern (talk) 07:24, 4 December 2018 (PST)
19. Use a stencil when resin printing to only fill in areas you need Alwoern (talk) 07:28, 4 December 2018 (PST)
20. Use a hologram stencil when printing in instant 3D resin printer Alwoern (talk) 07:28, 4 December 2018 (PST)
21. Make printers from waste materials to reduce cost Alwoern (talk) 07:28, 4 December 2018 (PST)
22. Make Filament from waste materials to reduce cost Alwoern (talk) 07:28, 4 December 2018 (PST)
23. Make Resins from waste materials to reduce cost Alwoern (talk) 07:28, 4 December 2018 (PST)
24. Make printers print hotter to use better polymers Alwoern (talk) 07:28, 4 December 2018 (PST)
25. Make printers faster using resin based holograms Alwoern (talk) 07:28, 4 December 2018 (PST)

Partial, overdone or excessive action

Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)

1. Use electric coils instead of magnets Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
2. Reduce number of metal rods (make one for each side) Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
3. Add one more stepper motor in order to move the printing bed Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
4. Create exchangeable printing beds to reduce the amount of support Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
5. Create exchangeable nozzles with predefined shapes of the holes Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
6. Preheat the whole spool in order to melt a large amount of plastic at the same time Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
7. Create a melting chamber to mix filament colors before printing Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
8. Design moving bed to use gravity to modify solidifying object Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
9. Use gears for extruder motor to change feeding rate Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
10. Use gears for xyz motors to increase precision Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
11. Use gas flow to create finer filament flow Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
12. Use pulsed extrusion moves to increase precision of printed object (analog of paper ink-jet printers) Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 07:14, 4 December 2018 (PST)
13. Use laser in calibration Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
14. Use "lubricant/sticky layers" with another kind of filament to print parts on top of each other Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
15. Use robotic arm to add metal/wooden/... other parts in between layers Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
16. Use metal particles to use magnetic field during print Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
17. Use curved coordinate axis (parabolic) to increase precision Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
18. Print without gravity (use magnetic field) Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
19. Use laser to sharpen or fine cut printed layer Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
20. Use support which could melt in normal environment Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
21. Use varying temperature range during printing Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
22. Use oxide film as a strength improvement Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
23. Use threads as a mesh Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
24. Deign nozzle diafragm to adjust nozzle size during the print Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
25. Rotate nozzle during print to increase precision Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)
26. Combine 3d printer with milling machine Aliaksei Petsiuk (talk) 08:49, 4 December 2018 (PST)

ngtanike (talk) 07:17, 1 December 2015 (PST)

• improve resolution (atomic)

Print with variable hotend nozzle sizes

• improve print speed (instantaneous)
• enhance material availability (all)

• reduce parts of the printer (1?)

• reduce costs of printer (free)

• reduce costs of materials (free)
• make it easier to use (McDonald's screen)

• make it easier to assemble (self)
• make it easier to maintain (none, unbreakable, self healing)
• make fully assembled products (anything - computer, car, smartphone, dinner)

• use functional printing materials (e.g. electronics)
• reduce waste (zero)
• use less energy (zero or ambient)
• quieter printing (soundless)
• ubiquitous printing (everywhere)
• print smaller (nanoscale)
• print bigger (apartment complex, Great Wall of China, planet?)
• enable auto calibration
• enable auto leveling
• enable auto monitoring
• enable quality control
• enable real-time feedback
• make it safer (infant approved)
• make is smell good (designer imposters?)
• make it from current waste products (CO2, flyash, spent fuel rods?)
• Improve filament lay down

1. Heat filament more Remichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
2. Cool filament once layedRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
3. make printer largerRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
4. make print bed moveRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)

#conveyer belt bedRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST) #wheel print bedRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST) #heated wheel print bedRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST) #Rolling dice print bedRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)

1. improve range of printer head movementRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
2. use taller printer columnsRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
3. make jointed armsRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
4. make flexible printing armsRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
5. use magnet field as printing armsRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
6. Floating print headsRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
7. multiple floating print headsRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
8. make printer assembly parts biggerRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
9. print small assembly parts togetherRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
10. make whole top and bottom of printer one pieceRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
11. Use tensile filament for bridgingRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
12. replace magnet attachements with velcroRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
13. replace magnet attachements with rubber bandsRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)

#add rubber bands to magnet attachments sitesRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)

1. heat bed then rapidly cool to release partsRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
2. Use magnetic to move bedsRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
3. Use two extruder motors to etrude two filamentsRemichae (talk) 07:51, 1 December 2016 (PST)
4. high resolution by printing more and removing