Help Gareth build a 3D Printer
Donation protected
I intend to build a 3D Printer and I am asking for your help to raise the funds required to do this.
I am firstly building a 3D Printer to aid in self education. During the process of finalising the design and building the printer I will be improving on existing skills and learning new ones.
I expect to enhance my understanding of motion control and mechanical design, including the use of CAD software and learning from the ground up how to program using C++. I have found over the years that the benefits of practical learning far out way only reading from a book!
I hope to complete the printer to a high enough standard that it will allow me to produce strong and accurate prints. The output will be to the quality required by the Enabeling the Future community.
www.enablingthefuture.org
'A global network of passionate volunteers using 3D Printing to give the world a Helping Hand.'
Since I first learned of people producing 3D Printed hands for children, I have been interested in the progress of the designs and keep up to date with news stories of young people getting access to this service. It would be my aim to volunteer print time and materials to help this community produce these much needed items for whoever should need them.
The full process will aid my learning now and in the future. The completed 3D printer will enable me to further my knowledge, firstly by working with, controlling and opimising the printers performance and by allowing me to take on further projects where components can be manufactured by the printer rather than purchased. This and future projects will help me gain experience in various engineering fields from design to software development.
All that being said, I am a huge geek and the geekiness that I could get up to using a 3D Printer knows no limits!
Crowdfunding is not something I have tried before and I am hopeful the generosity of others will help me bring this project to completion. By funding me you will be helping me learn and develop skills which would improve future work development or even help me put in place a stepping stone to potential business startup. You will help me develop the tools to help the Enabling the Furture community and you will now know someone with a 3D Printer when you just need that.... thing!
So what is 3D Printing anyway?
"A process for making a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model, typically by laying down many successive thin layers of a material."
Wikipedia has more information about all the different types of 3D printing, see the link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing
What type of printer will you make?
I will be making a Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) Printer. This works by forcing plastic filament through a small hole in the end of a heater. The heater is moved on the x and Y axis to lay down a layer of plastic and then it is moved up on the Z axis and a layer is put on top of the previous one until the physical model is complete.
That is a very basic explanation, Wikipedia has more information if you click the link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fused_deposition_modeling
Are 3D printers not available to buy?
Yes they are but that would not help me learn anything. The cost of a 3D Printer with a reasonable build volume can be very very expensive.
What will be different about your printer?
One of the key areas I wish to develop is my understanding of mechanical design and motion control, so I intend to make a printer that has a substantial build volume. My minimum goal will be a 50cmx50cmx50cm build area. This is larger (to my knowledge) than any printer available at a 'consumer' level.
If you would like to ask me any questions then please do not hesitate.
As the project progresses I will keep everyone up to date to what stage I am at.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and thank you in advance for assiatance you can give.
Gareth Hughes
I am firstly building a 3D Printer to aid in self education. During the process of finalising the design and building the printer I will be improving on existing skills and learning new ones.
I expect to enhance my understanding of motion control and mechanical design, including the use of CAD software and learning from the ground up how to program using C++. I have found over the years that the benefits of practical learning far out way only reading from a book!
I hope to complete the printer to a high enough standard that it will allow me to produce strong and accurate prints. The output will be to the quality required by the Enabeling the Future community.
www.enablingthefuture.org
'A global network of passionate volunteers using 3D Printing to give the world a Helping Hand.'
Since I first learned of people producing 3D Printed hands for children, I have been interested in the progress of the designs and keep up to date with news stories of young people getting access to this service. It would be my aim to volunteer print time and materials to help this community produce these much needed items for whoever should need them.
The full process will aid my learning now and in the future. The completed 3D printer will enable me to further my knowledge, firstly by working with, controlling and opimising the printers performance and by allowing me to take on further projects where components can be manufactured by the printer rather than purchased. This and future projects will help me gain experience in various engineering fields from design to software development.
All that being said, I am a huge geek and the geekiness that I could get up to using a 3D Printer knows no limits!
Crowdfunding is not something I have tried before and I am hopeful the generosity of others will help me bring this project to completion. By funding me you will be helping me learn and develop skills which would improve future work development or even help me put in place a stepping stone to potential business startup. You will help me develop the tools to help the Enabling the Furture community and you will now know someone with a 3D Printer when you just need that.... thing!
So what is 3D Printing anyway?
"A process for making a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model, typically by laying down many successive thin layers of a material."
Wikipedia has more information about all the different types of 3D printing, see the link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing
What type of printer will you make?
I will be making a Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) Printer. This works by forcing plastic filament through a small hole in the end of a heater. The heater is moved on the x and Y axis to lay down a layer of plastic and then it is moved up on the Z axis and a layer is put on top of the previous one until the physical model is complete.
That is a very basic explanation, Wikipedia has more information if you click the link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fused_deposition_modeling
Are 3D printers not available to buy?
Yes they are but that would not help me learn anything. The cost of a 3D Printer with a reasonable build volume can be very very expensive.
What will be different about your printer?
One of the key areas I wish to develop is my understanding of mechanical design and motion control, so I intend to make a printer that has a substantial build volume. My minimum goal will be a 50cmx50cmx50cm build area. This is larger (to my knowledge) than any printer available at a 'consumer' level.
If you would like to ask me any questions then please do not hesitate.
As the project progresses I will keep everyone up to date to what stage I am at.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and thank you in advance for assiatance you can give.
Gareth Hughes
Organizer
Gareth Hughes
Organizer
