About this project
$152,597
231
Read about DeltaMaker at:
"...3D Printer That’s All About Showing Off The Work." - TechCrunch
"...DeltaMaker takes its design cues from high-speed manufacturing robots." - Wired
"...DeltaMaker fuses razzle-dazzle with 3D-printing." - Engadget
"...DeltaMaker puts its own spin on the growing personal electronics revolution." - Gizmag
"...Clean and elegant DeltaMaker personal 3D printer." - 3Ders
We are now selling at our final Kickstarter price of $1,599. Once the Kickstarter campaign ends, the printer will retail for $1,999. All Kickstarter orders will ship first!
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Project Mission
We will provide our backers with a 3D printer that runs faster, looks better, and is just more fun to watch. With the help of our Kickstarter supporters, we will put DeltaMakers on as many desktops, and inside as many classrooms, as we can. We will complete and deliver our Kickstarter project in a timely and transparent manner, maintaining an active dialogue with our backers throughout the process.
The DeltaMaker Difference
Product Design: An elegant, clean, and symmetric 3D printer that is fun to watch and looks great sitting still. Why should a 3D printer look like a microwave oven?
Product Performance: The DeltaMaker prints big and it prints fast.This design enables printing of objects at high resolution without the speed limitations imposed by traditional 3D printer designs.
The DeltaMaker Team: A four person team with degrees in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, and Software engineering. We have decades of engineering and product development experience. We understand what it takes to engineer and produce complex systems.
Our Vision
The DeltaMaker vision of 3D printing is a little different: The act of creation -- and the finished work -- can be equally interesting. We want to shift 3D printing from industrial spaces and back rooms to living rooms, waiting rooms, and classrooms.
While many artists and designers produce finished pieces of art from 3D printers, we view the creation process as art as well. We envision an artist who not only displays his finished works during an exhibition, but has a DeltaMaker creating a new piece during the show.
Anywhere that you can inspire or entertain people, there is a place for a DeltaMaker. We see elegant 3D printers entertaining children stuck in waiting rooms, as some shape or creature arises from thin air. We see DeltaMakers prominently displayed in your living room, as your guests watch a reproduction of Venus de Milo arise over the course of a dinner party.
Individuals not familiar with additive manufacturing are impressed with finished printed objects. We find that they are truly amazed when they can watch this happen. The DeltaMaker provides the elegant platform to deliver this part of the experience to everyone.
Product Design
Highlights:
- Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) using 1.75 mm filament - PLA and ABS
- 100 micron layer resolution capability
- 10" diameter x 11" tall build envelope (approximate)
- Heated build platform (optional)
- Efficient footprint to build envelope ratio
- Printed object viewable from 360 degrees
- Rigid aluminum extrusion construction
- Utilizes open source software tool chain
Build Platform:
Design Philosophy:
Elegance. Simplicity. Symmetry.
A truly elegant design allows form and function to seamlessly coexist. We believe that elegance is tied to simplicity and symmetry. Simplicity reduces costs and minimizes risks. Symmetry adds aesthetic appeal, further heightening the overall visual interest of a product’s design.
What is a Delta Robot?
The term “delta robot” refers to a design utilizing three sets of parallel arms to control motion of an end effector while maintaining the planar orientation of the end effector. In other words, by moving three arms up and down, we can precisely position the extrusion head in 3D space. Unlike a traditional X, Y, Z axis control system, no motor is specifically tied to a single axis.
The invention of the delta robot is credited to a team led by Reymond Clavel in the early 1980’s. Because of the speed and precision with which delta robots can operate, the technology proved a significant success, powering industrial machines of all kinds. You can read more about delta robots on Wikipedia.
The DeltaMaker is not the first delta 3D printer. Last year, Johann Rocholl shared his open source project, Rostock. This was the first attempt at 3D printing using a delta approach, and has led to several other projects. This project also adapted the open source Marlin firmware for delta compatibility. You can read more about the Rostock here: http://reprap.org/wiki/Rostock
Open Source
If not for the hard work of the open source community, projects such as the DeltaMaker would not be possible. The “open source software tool chain” refers to Marlin, Slic3r, and Repetier Host. These are fantastic open source software projects that have enabled the rapid growth in personal 3D printing.
We’d like to specifically acknowledge some of the individuals behind these tools:
- Marlin -- by Erik van der Zalm and Bernhard Kubicek, and delta support by Johann Rocholl
- Slic3r -- by Alessandro Ranellucci
- Repetier Host -- by Hot-World GmbH & Co. KG
Why Kickstarter?
We are big fans of Kickstarter, and have backed several projects over the last year. In fact, some of the projects we have backed now make up part of the DeltaMaker prototype. We also understand the wisdom that can be gleaned from the feedback of a large group of supporters. We look forward to our backers becoming a vital part of the team that guides this project to completion.
Previous Kickstarter Projects used on the DeltaMaker Prototype:
- MakerSlide Open Source Linear Bearing System: The MakerSlide makes up the 3 vertical towers, and serves as the rail in our linear bearing system.
- Open Source 3D Printer Extrusion Head: The DeltaMaker prototype uses the QU-BD Hot End, which was part of this successful Kickstarter campaign. We have augmented this with a custom high-performance filament drive system and a Bowden tube to deliver the filament to the extrusion head.
The Team
About Us
The DeltaMaker team is comprised of four individuals with unique engineering backgrounds. The four person team includes undergraduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, and Aerospace Engineering and a graduate degree in Business. Aside from just education, the team includes two pilots, four wives, and a bunch of kids. The DeltaMaker office is located in Orlando, Florida.
Experience
The DeltaMaker team has a broad cross section of experience in engineering, product design and development, consulting, business management, and entrepreneurship. We have worked for companies such as Lockheed Martin, IBM, Raytheon, and FLIR Systems. In our careers, we have written piles of code, designed PCB’s, designed optical and laser systems, spent countless hours testing hardware, owned and sold small business... and the list goes on.
See our full bio for more information.
Reward Summary
The DeltaMaker team has created the following rewards to show our appreciation for your support. These rewards are broken down into the following categories:
- Thanks, Recognition, Gratitude - These rewards range from a sincere "thank you" to having your head-shot forever enshrined in our headquarters. You can even spend a day hanging out with the team in Orlando before you hit the theme parks.
- DeltaMaker SWAG - You can proudly show off your DeltaMaker t-shirt or have your own DeltaMaker logo to display on your desk.
- Discounted DeltaMaker Printers - These tiers offer our backers a production 3D printer. All of these tiers offer a fully assembled DeltaMaker at a significant discount to its post-Kickstarter retail price.
- Limited Edition Printer - To commemorate the launch of DeltaMaker on Kickstarter, we are setting aside 10 of our first production units to be signed by the entire team. This is a great way for a backer to help push this project to the next level of success.
Pictures!
Kickstarter Mini DeltaMaker
Support the DeltaMaker and get your Mini DeltaMaker today! Cut from aluminum, and anodized green in honor of Kickstarter, this 5 piece, 4-inch-tall desktop organizer can elegantly hold your pens or business cards and will only be available to commemorate the Kickstarter campaign.
Risks and challenges
Though we are confident in our ability to deliver on this project, bringing a new product from fully functional prototype to full rate production presents many challenges.
Technical:
The functioning DeltaMaker prototype is on its 4th revision. We are almost ready to lock the design down for production, and are working through the final stages of detailed engineering. While we are currently tracking no major technical risks, several design decisions are still being evaluated for performance and cost in a high-rate production environment.
Schedule:
The primary schedule risk will be related to the procurement of long lead items and production tooling. We have primary vendors selected for nearly all components, and have been in discussion regarding large orders. While we have commitments from vendors to meet our schedules, delivery of these components in a timely fashion will have material effect on our delivery plan.
Other:
Some risks are harder to quantify, but are always present. While this team has functioned well in developing this prototype, a new set of challenges will be placed on us to successfully deliver on our commitments. We do acknowledge the important role of team dynamics in the successful execution of complex projects.
Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ
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Funding period
- (35 days)