I would love to see a Lulzbot laser cutter/engraver. This is the one tool where there is still very limited options available and I would be all over this if Lulzbot made one.
Hereās my list:
- Resin 3D printer
- Laser cutter (CO2 40W range)
- PCB isolation router
- PCB laser ablation laser cutter (like LPKF)
Youāve got a Lulzbot TAZ line and a Lulzbot Mini line. How about a Lulzbot Macro (or Pro) line? Go for an 18" cube build area, a clip-in build platform that flexes slightly to remove parts, 30-50-micron minimum layer height, aluminum extrusion X-axis (a-la-Piercet), built in lighting, etc.
Offer Cat Guards, too, for all of your printers.
You could always add on a delta printer, though that would add complexity to your product line.
How about a Filament Storage Rack. Something airtight with slots for desiccant, and a humidity gauge. Or even a dehumidifier. Make it modular, so we can store 6-10 or multiples thereof spools.
I have a TAZ 2.1 and it still works so well that itās just a tool now.
My vote is for assistance with PCB manufacture. A kit that enhances the TAZ so that it can be a Pick and Place machine, perhaps even dispensing paste first would be the business.
top priority- I could really use a flexy-dualy v2 for my taz 5. v1 is no longer available, and v2 doesnāt seem to be out yet.
next priority- Iād 2nd the other folks who mentioned a CNC mill. There have been any number of attempts at a 4 or 5 axis desktop mill at a reasonably price-point, but none seem to have really stuck around and taken off.
Iād like to see a SLS or DLP type printer. Given the nice TAZ 5 CNC motion control system, I think it could be adapted to other types of printers with relative ease.
A pro level Taz
Larger build 18"^3
All metal components
Larger nozzle support up to 2mm
Dual nozzles
threaded rods on all axes
A FlexyDually v2 for the Taz 5 would be most helpful. Weāve been waiting a long time.
- Definitely model the independent dual extruders on the BCN3D Sigma printer (not sold in the US).
- Filtered enclosure for all models of your printers.
Hereās a couple of ideas.
How about a metal 3D printer based around wire welder technology?
How about a TAZ optimized for printing wax for investment casting at fine enough detail for jewelry, and also capable of printing larger objects?
How about an open source small injection molding machine?
The first one is for fun, the second two I would find very useful.
Scott
Here! Here!
Points 1 & 2 that 3dRiffs listed are very important to me.
Hmm, how about:
Mini 3D
-
- Mini 3D Dual Extruder
- 1.75mm Extruders
TAZ6
-
- Integrated RPi 3 with Octoprint
CNC Mill that allows side-milling
Circuit Board Fabricator
Surface Mount Soldering Machine
+1 for the Taz Pro idea. Larger build volume, tighter tolerances, more rigid frame, faster build speeds, dual independent extruders (each one controlled individually, similar to the BCN Sigma), E3D V6 hotends, more powerful control board (Smoothieboard, BBP, etc.).
The market has a big gap between high-end prosumer printers like the Taz 5/6 and the Stratasys/3D Systems machines. ~$5k
Iāll be your first customer to pre-order!
I posed the question to my my 11 year old son, and he quickly responded with, āA CNC or better yet, an All In One. With a laser cutter.ā, he added.
Background info: I purchased my TAZ4 a couple of years ago because I needed some fixtures to laser mark some instruments for the company I work for. Iāve had many 3D printer prototype parts made from outside vendors, so I understood the usefulness of a quick turn-around part, even if it wasnāt āperfectā. Call me stupid, but I bought the TAZ with my own money and did not ask for reimbursement. Two years later, Iām glad itās MINE, not theirs and Iāve had fun upgrading it. My 11 year old has been fascinated with the technology and has since, taken to the Rasp Piās, Arduinoās, and mechanical moving parts.
As for me, Iām building a horizontal router for my woodworking hobby. My problem is, I keep daydreaming of trying to integrate the 3D printer technology into the design, just to make it a more challenging to build. when I should just KISS [Keep It Simple Stupid 
].
Based on the performance and the āfunā weāve had with the TAZ, whatever it is that Aleph Objects, Inc / Lulzbot decides, it will be a big hit.
Iād like to see auto leveling for the Lutzbot Taz 5 along with a Plexiglas case accessory kit as shown in https://www.lulzbot.com/sites/default/files/LulzBot_TAZ.JPG
Then, can you experiment and provide a way to make the dual extruder use a secondary plastic filament with a much smaller diameter so that the surface finish can be improved? Iām envisioning 3D printing most of the part with the .6 mm nozzle ā and then have the last 1 mm of the part surface 3D printed with the secondary filament for a smoother finish. Maybe something that has a nozzle diameter of .15 mm and a filament of .75 mm or less and run at an appropriate temperature and feed rate. I donāt know what re-positioning accuracy your stepper motor and lead screws provide-- maybe that is the limiting factor but it would sure be cool to have even smoother surfaces.
I echo the excitement over a laser cutter. I would think with your stepper motor positioning accuracy expertise, you should be able to come up with an open source version of a laser cutter that would work really well. Hmmmā¦ could the laser be used to improve the surface finish of the 3D printed part??
Resin based 3D printer and open source resin formulations.
Iād like to see a few minor tweaks to the current Mini that should be pretty straight forward:
-
- Increase the Y bed size 2-4" which doesnāt seem to difficult (but I surely donāt know). This would drastically improve the machines capabilities and allow close 12" long items to be printed. In the mean time, I may start a separate thread to discuss what would be required to do this as a mod.
- Add a LCD screen with SD card. I really like the high contrast displays like they use on the Zortrax. This is really more of a maintenance thing where itās a pain to have to hookup a computer to do mundane tasks.
I would like to see you guys think outside the box, literally.
Create a 3D printer that is based on an industrial robot arm. Doesnāt have to be as big as one, you know, something smaller for us hobbyist.
That way we are not āin a boxā and you can add all sorts of attachments to the end effector, like laser cutters, routers, pick and place smt.
This idea would create an enormous build platform, pretty much endless!
Kind of like this but smaller:
http://gizmodo.com/the-world-s-biggest-free-form-3d-printer-is-being-used-1720867145
And I agree with some who said pellets for filament and a plastic recycler. Do you know how much plastic I have in boxes setting in my shop right now!?!?! LOL!
4 color head. I would conceive it to have one nozzle with four small 1.75mm filiment entrances right near the nozzle. and a place to dump the small differential prior / post color? amount of each primary equates to output color, if you want to get fancier go to 5 colors so you have primaries white and blackā¦ although four would be tough enough.
I liken the current state of 3d printers for consumers at the 9 pin printer daysā¦ we have so much room to grow.
In looking over the other posts, I do like the idea of using the frame of my KitTaz to hold a small dremel or laser cutter too.
Thanks