After a couple of weeks of intense work, we finally make our new MakerBot Thing-O-Matic 3D printer Up and Running!.
This amazing piece of equipment for rapid prototyping, was give it to the REAL robotic group by Angelicum as part or the Alicanto Mission. This is going to allow us to quickly make new plastic parts and components for the Dandelion Rover and for future projects.
There are other 3D printers out there, but with the price of the MakerBot products, you get an amazing 3D printer kit that is an excellent mix between a high end machine and a "home made" kit that is open for custom improvements for additional features (stronger motors, additional axes, more room for bigger parts, etc.)
The MakerBot guys allow you to choose between the bare bone kit and the pre-assembled one for an additional US$1k. As we like to learn how things works and to save some money, we choose the dissembled kit...when MakerBot says "disassembled" they really mean it :-)
Even some circuitry need to be assembled, so we start to work...
...wait, there is still more!!, not even close to finish...
The last picture shows the printer almost done, some twists here and there and we was ready for the typical calibration test!..here a video:
Yeah!!, we have a printer!....Here is the nice small plastic box finished:
Now, lets make it worth the cost and do some nice plastic components!!! ..stay tune for more amazing printing...
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