What about a powder or liquid pigment injecting system to color filament to any color so that only white and clear are necessary on the current line of models. Then just add a color code ?hex? to each write to make your prints any color combinations you want?
- I think thereās a lot of potential in the i3 multi-material approach, but Iām not sold on the method of printing a waste tower to change colors. If there were an off bed location that the extruder could use to purge the old filament that would be ideal. Iām thinking of a system with a camera to ensure the color has changed completely and a little garburator that would chop up all the useless filament. Depending on the print this could save a lot of time, material and wear on the machine.
1a) Working PVA into the equation above would be ideal for printing dissolvable boundary layers for supports.
2)Iāve always thought it would be cool to be able to break the ālayer by layerā printing process for FDM printing. Lets say you wanted to print an arch standing up. If you could print your support material for the arch first then print the entire arch using one fluid movement. Youād have to have a fairly low profile and long hot end as well as a fast Z-axis. I think this process would be much more beneficial for a continuous fiber printer like the Markforged offering, but who knows, it might work well for regular FDM materials as well.
- Varislice logic built in to Cura
Filament runout accessory. Marlin already supports it.
Appreciated !
New Taz 6 + MOARstruder owner here - I should start by saying Iām super impressed by the machine and overall user experience. One look at the TAZ and you understand its potential.
Iām the type of user who follows the technology and its evolution, but am more interested in a machineās output capability + reliability than tinkering / troubleshooting. I would gladly pay a premium for the latest upgrades and modification in plug & play form, guaranteeing the Taz (sizable investment) a long usable life. A lot of these suggestions have already been made, but Iāll echo themā¦
Plug & Play Upgrades:
- A user friendly, LulzBot flavor of OctoPrint + Webcam + power kill that bolts to the machine
- Filament Runout Detection
- Specialty Extruders (Multicolor w/ Single Nozzle, Flexible + Rigid w/ Single Nozzle, EVENMOARstruder, Pellet Extruder)
- Extended Y Axis for larger MOARstruder prints.
Software / Firmware:
- Print recovery from power out
- Broader filament support built into Cura
- Refine multi-material print process
- More infill and support options in Cura
Other:
- Photogrammetry rig or handheld 3D scanner (like Artec Eva or Creaform Go!) + scan alignment solution
- Collaborative Robot (like Universal Robots)
Build an SLA I think they will be the next craze. Also resin is becoming cheaper.
iāve seen a $150 CNC from taobao, it was real basic, and amazingly was functional and useable. 8mm plastic all round (so was surprisingly heavy and surprisingly sturdy), for everything: could (and probably was) laser-cut. it used screw-threads for all axes with 2 nuts to stop backlash (you need the torque in a CNC) and it used a low-cost 300W motor which could easily do 10,000 RPM @ 48v. no end-stops (!!) because apparently you never use them anyway, youāre supposed to position the spindle āby handā to the stock material, then reset that as āzero-pointā, keeping it for each āpassā.
the software was (and already is) entirely libre but is totally separate from the 3D printing stuff and is already well-established and well-known. forget the name right now.
it was not designed for metal: letās be absolutely clear about that. $150 for something thatās made from thick sheet plastic will not get you a metal-cutting CNC 
but, heck, for a first-time experimental product to add to the lulzbot range, something as basic as this would be a pretty safe bet. justā¦ please use trapezoidal lead screws and a planetary gearbox on each axis - screw-threads shudder.
+1 for SLA printer and with the build volume of the TAZ
A Universal Extruder Tool Head
Lulzbot has the standard extruder for rigid filament and the Flexystruder for flexible filament. This was fine 2 or 3 years ago, but the market has changed. There are now several designs for universal extruders that do a good job with all types of filaments (e.g. E3D Titan, BondTech, etc.).
Aleph needs to develop a simple, open-source, universal design that plays well in this space. This would make the Flexystruder obsolete but it will vastly improve the usability of all Lulzbot printers.
And while Iām on the subject, isnāt it time to retire the Wades type extruder design? I recognize the importance of honoring the open-source legacy, but I have to believe that there are many better design options that are achievable even with the lowest common denominator of self-replicating technology. I have seen, designed, and built many variations on drive mechanisms, filament tensioners, and hotend mounts that are superior to the Wades design in weight, strength, durability, and performance.
Next Gen Extruder key features: Fully constrained filament path, adjustable filament drive pressure, low weight, high torque
Itās time to up your game Aleph!
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Thereās always this one!
Filament Sensor
Power Failure Recovery
Higher Print speeds
Removable flexible build plate
Wifi
Better screen, Touch perhaps
32 bit motherboard
I would also argue for a cheaper price, given the prusa Mk3ās feature set. $2500 is lot now a days for what the Taz 6 offers and is missing.
Desired Features:
Power failure recovery of print job.
Out-of-filament pause switch.
My mind (ok I take too much medication) has been hooked with the Aerostruderā¦
the question is do I do it myself or will Lulzbot save me from my own delusions???
I was thinking Aerostruder plus e3D Aquastruder water cooled setup in a DUAL filament setupā¦
sensible or crazy???
The best 3D printer under $3,000. 
Iāve been searching for 2years now.
What Iām saying is, concentrate on what you know, do it well, andā¦execute.
A TAZ with a conveyor belt/infinite axis setup similar to this.
Hey all,
soā¦ im making 3d printed automatic bartending machine for now it would just be an open box with funnel on top and 8 peristaltic pumps self-tanner on back wall of the box, going into it and you place your glass underneath it etc etcā¦
I donāt think Lulzbot cares about the hobbyist anymore so this post is rather pointless. Newest products are even more expensive then previous offerings with No upgrade path for loyal customers.
Even new taz has no removable flex bed. Does Lulzbot think we donāt need or want this? With the Taz6 they wanted you to buy a whole new print head just to change nozzles sizes (pre aerohead). Never released a filament sensor for mini or Taz6 and wonāt back port current sensor for us. Does Lulzbot think Taz6 or mini owners donāt want a filament sensor? They just donāt careā¦ (Iāve been told community members should make one)
Lulzbot cares about the corporate and educational space because they can charge more for less. Hobbyist should look to Prusa or Creality. Prusa is cutting edge with excellant print quality and Creality is budget with great print quality. Both are active on Facebook and maker events. Both have very active forums.
I think the Chinese are taking increasingly larger chunks of the low end and hobbyist markets making it tougher than ever for Lulzbot to compete in that marketplace.
The funny thing about 3d printing is that it was supposed to eventually disrupt the current manufacturing environment by localising it thereby eliminating the need for manufacturing in China. Looks like we still have a ways to go before that has a chance of becoming a reality.
Prusa just announced a mini perhaps to try to address this issue. I agree Prusa makes some awesome printers and he gives them a lot of advanced features and functions at a great price. I donāt know about Creality.
Lulzbot has a loyal following and I hope they can develop a strategy for pulling out of their predicament.
IDEX modification for the TAZ 6 et al that would allow for real-world multi-media printing. Dual independent extruders that would allow for the combination of diverse filaments e.g flexi & abrasive. Hardened components, possible dual hobbed direct drive. All metal hot ends to support wide range of media. Iām seeing these machine appearing on the market from China, and itās a shame and upgrade path does not exist for the TAZ.
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An IDEX printer with 12"x12"x12" build volume and hardened nozzles.
flexible, removable build plate or a belt.
I havenāt seen anything like this yet and Iāve been wanting one for a long time.
I like the mosquitoās ability to change nozzles easily. Definitely worth the price.