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3D printing's boom-box moment
Like computer and hi-fi equipment, 3D printers started off as large crude devices that required their own room. Portability was never in the plan — until now..
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Tantillus 3D printer
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The Tantillus in laser-cut acrylic mode
The acrylic version of the Tantillus is undergoing constant development by Brad, something that the indiegogo funding round will help.
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Tantillus can print in fine layers
The lion's head part demonstrated here was printed at 15 µm layers according to brad, and exhibits some striking fine detail.
While traveling with his Prusa Mendel rep-rap printer, Tantillus lead developer Brad (AKA Sublime if you know him through the Rep-Rap community) decided he needed a more robust, more portable printer.
Familiar with the tough qualities of ABS plastic, Brad designed the full-printable Tantillus to overcome the fragile and cumbersome nature of the Mendel. In order to keep up with expected demand another non-fully-printed version is available too that uses laser cut panels and printed connectors. The acrylic panel version's internals and other specs are identical.
Why one would need to move ones 3D printer around that much is not something I am confident in predicting, but like all things people will no doubt find an awesome application that will make us all think 'why didn't I think of that.'
Vital stats:
- Small form factor (240mm x 240mm x 300mm).
- Light weight (4kg with power supply).
- Capable of reproducing its entire case.
- Commonly-available parts.
- Computer-less printing via LCD screen and SD card.
- Mobile printing.
- 100% open source (files will be released the day the campaign ends under GPLv3).
- High speeds of 300mm/s + are possible.
- High resolution printing (X/Y step resolution of 8 micron per step, Z step resolution of 0.4 micron per step) X/Y resolution limited by nozzle diameter, Z resolution limited by the properties of the plastic being used.
- Quiet operation.
Has portability been a constant problem for you and your machine? Have you ever moved it? Brad does say that calibration is very easy for this compared to other Rep-Raps — which is probably just as well if it's going to be thrown into your rucksack when you've finished printing.
