E3D BigBox

So what do you guys think of the BigBox?

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/e3dbigbox/the-e3d-bigbox-3d-printer

http://bigbox-3d.com/

http://disruptivemagazine.com/blog/disrupting-the-desktop-3d-printing-market-e3d-launches-the-bigbox-3d-printer-to-kickstarter-aiming-to-hit-both-quality-and-price/

Some interesting design choices and specifications:

• 24 volt
• direct drive extruder
• stainless steel threaded rod and brass nuts for Z axis
• claimed 50 micron print resolution
• 200 x 300 x 280 mm print volume
• fully open source design
• RUMBA electronics
• Z probe

I'm guessing this will have to be 1.75mm only (because of the direct drive extruder). I'm interested that they chose threaded rod instead of some form of lead-screw (I always planed to try a comparison test myself when I had time) you see a lot of discussion of this on the forums, but very little in the way of empirical evidence either way.

Print bed is mounted on springs, many people have moved away from that due to stability concerns, so I wonder how well that works with the bigger bed.

This looks pretty hackable anyway, so I'm thinking of getting the laser cut acrylic frame and building/modifying my own.

My 2p worth:

• 24V - good, keeps the current to the large heated bed down to a reasonable level (I am assuming the bed is not AC mains powered).
• Direct drive extruder - OK if they are using a motor with sufficiently high torque, which from my research suggests it needs a 48mm long Nema 17 driven at 80% or so of its rated current.
• Stainless steel threaded rod and brass nut for Z drive - works fine on my Ormerod as long as I lubricate it occasionally.
• 50 micron resolution - should be achievable, I think most good designs can do this
• 200 x 300 x 280 mm print volume - good! My Ormerod does 200 x 210 x 200, and although I find the height adequate, I often found the print area too small.
• Fully open source design - I wouldn't buy anthing that wasn't.
• RUMBA electronics - lets it down IMO. No digital control of stepper motor current, so you need to twiddle pots using a voltmeter if you want to adjust the currents. Slow serial-over USB interface with no flow control. No Ethernet or WiFi built in, so you have to pay £75 extra for the Octopi add-on to web-enable it (although that gives you a webcam as well). Not 32-bit, however 8-bit is fast enough for this type of printer. Firmware configuration is probably going to require the usual stupid edit source/build/upload cycle, instead of the config file approach used by the more modern 32-bit firmwares. I guess they wanted dual extrusion support without needing an add-on card, which limited their choice of electronics somewhat.

I like the integrated power supply. I can't comment on the plywood frame as I have no experience of anything similar.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2015 07:40AM by dc42.

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

My 2c...

• I'm not interested, just because of the plywood frame. I don't know about the acrylic frame, but I'd want metal.
• Rumba does at least mean you have enough motor drivers to run a Diamond hotend, I guess. Or are there 2 Z motors?
• I think the LCD is probably a waste of money... better to integrate the Octopi.
• Wonder how thick the rods are... 8mm or 10mm?
• Interesting that they use toothed belts to increase the precision.
• Wonder how easy it is to replace the hotend?

I was just saying that they look exactly like the printers that were being sold 2-3 years ago. Same laser-cut construction that printrbot and ultimaker abandoned in their more recent printers.

I guess it really just comes down to the price. A lot of the "high end" hobby printers are very similar.

I am currentl backing it. I do not really fancy the choice of acrylic and the RUMBA, but as being hackable somethings can be changed. However, replacing the rumba will probably be silly.
So the questions is, what printer/kit can be considered an alternative for large build, 24v, hot end reaching high temps (Assuming they manage to add the PT100) and bed of 120C?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2015 10:49AM by Fpex.

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So backers, what are your impressions so far with your BigBox printers?

I was up to back it, but then declined, and went for a own printer design. But I still follow the project since it's a interesting printer nevertheless.

Quote
frankvdh

[*] Interesting that they use toothed belts to increase the precision.
[/list]

Belts are actually a great choice especially for their ridiculously cheap price and a main factor in the success of the RepRap/desktop 3DP in my opinion. Little to no backlash. No z wobble issues if used there. My machine will repeat to less than .025mm (.001") in X/Y after decelerating from 100mm/s . the only way to get better than that is with high end ball screws, slides and a completely rigid frame