Our first Kickstarter campaigm was more successful than we could have ever imagined. We could have never predicted the overwhelmingly positive response, and thanks to the support of our incredible backers and user community, re:3D has been able to manufacture and send out over 250 Gigabots in over 35 countries! Now, two years later, we’re still innovating: enter Open Gigabot. Not only is Open Gigabot itself an innovative product, the path we’re taking to fully develop it is an innovation in itself. We are extremely proud to be able to reconnect with our Kickstarter backers for our concept printer.
The inspiration for Open Gigabot came from our very engaged user community. Having seen our customers hack and customize their Gigabots in so many different ways, we felt an entirely new concept printer should be brought to life – one that could incorporate the features desired by our user community. As engineers and tinkerers ourselves, we felt that our flagship Gigabot could deliver what other engineers and tinkerers would want. Based on our success, we weren’t wrong, but we figured much more value could be added to the printer if we opened up the product development process to our clever users-- and thus Open Gigabot is now being developed.
To highlight some of Open Gigabot’s technical specifications:
- Dual e3D 1.75mm extruders with interchangeable nozzle diameters. (Standard 0.4mm)
- Aluminum cold ends
- Ability to remotely control Open Gigabot through your phone
- Auto bed leveling probe
- Watchdog PCB for Controller
- Over and under temp errors
- Motor faults
- Written in Python or Arduino IDE software
- Network Enabled
- Ambient Temperature and Humidity Sensors for Diagnostics
The Control Board for Open Gigbot has been designed in-house and is mounted on an Arduino Mega. It is loosely based on RAMPS 1.4 control. The Board includes many features that allow for customization and added capability of your printer. These include:
- 7 Sockets for Stepper Motor Drivers
- 3 Thermocouple Support Circuits
- 4 Thermo Resistors
- 8 End Stop Terminals
- 5 Mosfet Circuits
- 2 Serial Connections
- Induction Bed Sensor Input
- Software Controlled Stepper Motor Current
- Hobby Motor Servo Headers
- 12v cooling fan header
- Header for all unused pins
As you can see, Open Gigabot already features many hacks and desires from the 3D Printing community: a self-leveling bed, intuitive touch screen interface, dual extruders, cable management, remote monitoring and control, networkability, and filament detection to name just a few more. Now it’s up to you to decide, what other features would you like to see in your dream Gigabot? Tell us through our Kickstarter campaign!
The guiding design principle for Open Gigabot is making the user experience the best that it can be by allowing the user to determine what that experience is. With that in mind, versatility is being built into every aspect: from software, to firmware, to hardware. With input from the community, we hope there are many hacks yet to come, and Open Gigabot is poised to accept these expansions.
Another of the driving forces behind Open Gigabot’s design is that it should fit through a common residential door frame – without having to take off the door! Therefore, the footprint has been optimized to still produce HUGE prints while allowing easy transportation. Other design considerations include:
- Proximity enabled lighting with visual cues of hotend temperatures
- Green lighting for cold, and red for heated.
- Integrated filament drawer under the print volume.
- Build platform is still a HUGE 24" x 20" x 24".
- Kitty-cat proof design*
*Or dogproof, birdproof, or childproof…for those that are not as fond of kitties as the gentlemen of re:3D.
We can’t wait to fully develop Open Gigabot with your inputs so the fruits of your imagination can get to work. re:3D is continually impressed with the prints, ideas, and hacks that come from our community, and we desire nothing more than to provide another platform for you to Think Big and Print HUGE with Your Gigabot!
There’s only a few more days left for you to voice your thoughts on how we continue to develop Open GigaBot! Consider backing our Kickstarter today and joining the experiment. It’s a community of users unlike any else.
A special thanks to 3D Hubs for the great times at SXSW and continuing to grow the 3D Printing family!
