November update
Greetings everyone. We have been making a lot of progress and everything is on schedule.
First, I apologize if I have not been able to directly reply to all messages. I often don't get alerts on Kickstarter messages, but will try to start replying to them daily. You can reach us directly via email at info@themprinter.com and we'll reply as soon as possible.
We've been concurrently finalizing the case design, electrical design, and website.
Case design
We've been working closely with a very talented industrial designer to prepare the case for injection molding. We are ordering the first rapid prototypes this week, and I'll be sure to post pictures as soon as we have them available.
After completing the initial design fitment and accurately modeling all the parts that went into the printer, we began refining the case.
There is an RGB LED light ring the extends around the top circumference of the case. It will be used as a standard status indicator, as well as be controllable directly from mPrints.
Since this rendering was done, some aesthetic changes such as the thumb recesses have been changed.
The last week has been spent on making the case design fully manufacturable, and ready for rapid prototyping. Once we have the prototypes (presumably within the next 10 days), we'll be checking everything for fit and function and make any necessary refinements. I expect at least two rounds of prototype revisions.
Website
The website is nearing a phase where it will be made public to the early developers for testing and feedback. We expect early developer access by Thanksgiving. We will be publishing the preliminary API specifications by the end of November for feedback, and plan to open the website to all users by Christmas.
Electrical and firmware design
The electrical design has experienced very few changes since the last update. The primary MCU is a PIC24F, with a Cortex M0 acting as a print head driver. The largest change is that instead of a single RGB status LED, we have moved to a light ring with a minimum of 4 LEDs. We will be confirming that provides adequate lighting, and have left room in the case for up to 8 individual LEDs.
The largest part of the electrical design remaining is continued firmware enhancements. For example, currently when you first plugin in the mPrinter it creates an ad-hoc network named "MPRINTER", to which you can connect and configure the device. You can leave it in ad-hoc mode, or connect it to an existing network. We plan to also create a setup wizard that works over USB to perform these same functions.
Moving forward
As soon as we have the prototype cases ready, we'll have another update with more photos. Everything is on track for the initial timelines, and we're doing everything we can to beat them.
Again, apologies if anyones messages were ignored or missed - we will be as proactive as possible with backer interaction and feedback moving forward.
-Andy
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Comments
Creator Yukihisa on December 13
Thank you for the update. Black body & RGB LED light ring are perfect! :)
Creator badger on November 8, 2012
While thinking about the connector placement, it might also look better if you "sink" the surrounding of the connectors a bit, so you partially hide the cable plug in the printer. But to be honest I understand that it's a kickstarter project, so I'll be really happy with the way it's pictured above.
Creator Kalle Pihlajasaari on November 7, 2012
A lovely project. My suggestions from a long term useability value of the product would be the following.
Without incurring much additional cost I would suggest that you make provision for moving the Power and USB connectors to the back and the bottom of the case. To be used in commerical environments that have strangers making use of it or when trying to blend into shop styling it is much better to be able to hide the wires all together. This could be done by having the PCB with the connectors made with a double set of holes and a line to break it so it can be remoted with a length of flat cable to position it in different places. The case mould design could support removable inserts that allow you to make the cutouts optional on the side/back/bottom. If you have a piston insert on the inside you can keep the external finish unbroken and just require a thin web to be removed when opening the selected holes.
Secondly having screw mounting key-holes on the bottom will again make it more useable in a commerical environment to fix it in place (with the wires protected underneath).
Thanks for all your hard work, pity about the totally incorrect use of the term analogue, perhaps a better name will surface one day.
Creator Brendon Kozlowski on November 2, 2012
This product is refined so well that I keep forgetting that you intend to make both the software *and* hardware design open-sourced. Since it sounds like you're not 100% feature complete on the LED ring, I'd also just like to echo badger's comments on the brightness controls (my Ooma phone has optional levels, but at night it's still too bright at the lowest level). If it not possible with the current configuration - or if you solidify a solution prior to seeing these messages... Yay for open source!
This update is making me quite excited for the product. Thanks, Andy, and the mPrinter team!
Creator Justin A Mitchell on November 2, 2012
Have to say...That case design is SEXY!
Creator Peter on November 2, 2012
I would definitely upgrade to cutting head, even may it be twice the price.
It would be really really great to be able to upgrade to cutting.
Creator badger on November 2, 2012
Hi Andy,
one comment on LED ring and firmware/website API:
With todays LEDs it's possible to light up the room. Someone might like such "aggressive" warning/decoration, someone might like only decent light visible only when looking on the printer.
As long as you will need the PWM driving of the LEDs to create different colors anyway it might be interesting to consider also the intensity of the light as one fo the variables when setting the "light alarm".
BTW. Do you plan to drive the LEDs in the light ring separately (so you can "move the light around"). or will it be just one red, one green and one blue?
Creator Andy Muldowney on November 1, 2012
We have cutting head samples (both full and partial cut). They will enlarge the top portion of the case slightly. The issue is one of cost - the price for the 3" cutting heads is approximately twice the cost of 3" heads. It will likely be a $40-50 price increase. A 2" cutting head would only marginally increase the cost over the regular WiFi model, if at all.
Currently the plan is to finalize the case design for the non-cutter head, then asses the feasibility of an interchangeable top plate to save on tooling costs. Ideally, we will have a cutter head option available at the time the regular model ships.
Creator Ryan on November 1, 2012
i also wonder if any thought was given regarding the cutting head and what the increase in cost would be to support this.
Creator Jamie Welch on November 1, 2012
Let me just say that the mock up of the final case design are incredible, better than I imagined! I also like the RGB light ring. Any word on a cutting head, and the costs associated with that?