3d printing News - Page 6 of 15 - CNX Software

July 20, 2021July 20, 2021 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

PandaZhu – ESP32 powered 3D Printer controller board supports Marlin 2.0 & ESP3D WebUI

PandaZhu ESP32 3D Printer controller board

Around two years ago, we noted beta Marlin 2.0 support for ESP32 and some initiatives to create ESP32 powered 3D printer controller boards with built-in WiFi connectivity. Now Marlin 2.0 firmware officially supports ESP32 boards such as FYSETC E4, E4d@BOX, or MRR ESPA. Another ESP32 based 3D printer controller board has now been brought to my attention. PandaZhu supports up to eight motor drivers, up to three heaters, up to three thermistors, one external LCD display, and on the software-side, the board is compatible with Marlin 2.0 as well as ESP3D WebUI. PandaZhu board’s specifications: Wireless module – ESP32-WROOM-32 based on Espressif ESP32 dual-core Xtensa processor @ 240MHz with 520 KB SRAM, plus 4MB flash Connectivity – 802.11b/g/n up to 150 Mbps, Bluetooth 4.2 3D printer peripherals Up to 8x motor drivers Up to 3x heaters Up to 3x thermistors with 30°C to 250°C range, BLTouch auto-leveling sensor with a […]

June 5, 2021 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 18 Comments

3D printer board leverages Allwinner A64’s AR100 core for real-time control

Elias Bakken has been working on Recore 3D printer control board based on Allwinner A64 processor since 2019 and with revision “A5” of the PCB, Recore is now considered stable and will ship to customers. But wait? Isn’t Allwinner A64 just a quad-core Cortex-A53 processor meant to run Linux? But 3D printer control boards require real-time I/O and that’s why many are designed with STM32, Arduino compatible Microchip MCU or other microcontrollers. The trick here is that Elias did not use the Cortex-A53 cores for real-time control, but instead the 300 MHz AR100 32-bit OpenRISC 1000 core found in Allwinner A64 SoC. Recore specifications: SoC – Allwinner A64 quad-core Cortex-A53 processor running at 1 GHz, with AR100 32-bit core @ 300 MHz, Mali-400MP2 GPU System Memory – 1 GB DDR3 RAM Storage – 8 GB eMMC flash Video Output – HDMI output to connect a display Networking – Gigabit Ethernet […]

December 21, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

$100 thermal insert heat press ease the installation of threaded brass inserts into 3D printed parts

One method to install threaded brass inserts into a 3D printed part is to use a soldering iron. But you need to make sure to keep it vertically aligned and slowly press the insert into the plastic. A more reliable and safer method is to use a professional heat staking machine, aka thermal press machine, that typically costs over $2,000 according to the speaker in the aforelinked video. So people have come up with DIY solutions based on an off-the-shelf soldering iron and costing less than $50. Another way if you’d rather not built your own is to get NH Design Works’ thermal insert heat press sold for $99.99 on Tindie. NH Design Works explains the heat press has some advantages including adjustable temperature, a spring return insert arm that rotates for easy alignment, tee slots for mounting tooling, and tooling for #4-40 and M3 inserts. The Thermal Insert […]

November 25, 2020November 26, 2020 by Karl Johnson - 11 Comments

Ender 3 Pro 3D printer in late 2020 – Build and first prints

Karl here. How does the Ender 3 Pro 3D printer stand up in late 2020? The short answer is pretty well. With just a few minor gripes it is a solid printer. According to All3dp the Ender 3 Pro came out in September 2018. Over 2 years ago. It is the successor to the most popular 3D printer: the Ender 3. I usually don’t do any research so I won’t be influenced by other reviewers but I did in this case so I could see what the differences are between the Ender 3 and Pro versions. It has been upgraded to a Meanwell power supply. Better mainboard layout. Wider extrusion for the bed to ride on, which should make the bed more stable. If you have done any research on 3D printers I would say it is impossible not to have heard about the Ender 3. With its low price, […]

November 23, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

$89 Lite3DP resin 3D printer fits in the palm of your hand (Crowdfunding)

I thought Selpic A-star 3D printer we recently covered was already small, but if you’re looking for an ultra-portable printer, it will be hard to beat the Arduino-based, open-source hardware Lite3DP resin 3D printer that can fit in the palm of your hand, and weighs just around 350 grams. That also means a pretty small build volume of just 45.1 x 33.8 x 70 mm, so it’s really for small objects, and for instance, a typical Raspberry Pi case could not be printed. But let’s have a look. Lite3DP printer’s key features and specifications: Electronics – All-in-one PCB with Arduino Pro Mini, a driver for the stepper motor, a module for a microSD card, and a screen with dual-functionality. Technology – MSLA // LCD-SLA Resolution – XY: 0.14 mm; Z: 0.05 and 0.1 mm Build volume (W x L x H) – 45.1 x 33.8 x 70 mm Tray volume […]

November 19, 2020November 26, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 17 Comments

Black Friday 2020 International Deals and Coupons

Singles Day 2020 is now behind us, but just like every year, international Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and coupons are coming, and even already launched over one week before the actual events. And CNX Software will link to promotions from Chinese online websites that offer such deals with Aliexpress, Banggood, GearBest, GeekBuying, and others. Aliexpress Black Friday Fest will start on November 23, 12:00 AM PT, and last till November 27, 11:59 PM PT with up to 70% discounts. But you can also browse the website to find discounts, and add products to your cart before ordering during the event. There will also be $20 and $40 coupons for orders over $40 and $100 respectively, but conditions are unclear at this time. Banggood’s Crazy Friday event takes place during an even longer period between November 2nd and December 6th. There are special sitewide coupons for PayPal payments with […]

November 17, 2020 by Karl Johnson - 4 Comments

Kywoo Tycoon 3D Printer Unboxing and User Experience Review

Hey, Karl here. A lot of our readers know I do most, if not all of the 3D printer reviews for the site. I feel very fortunate to be able to review them. It does take quite a lot of time but sometimes a gem comes along. I was fortunate enough to be chosen to review and share with you a new printer from Kywoo. The Tycoon 3D printer ticks all the boxes I have been asking for. Easy assembly Direct Drive Linear motion (Rods and rails in this machine) Smooth filament holder Touch Screen Auto Bed leveling (Until now I didn’t know I wanted this…more on that later) Rock Solid frame There are a few shortcomings and I hope what I am sharing is addressed before the final shipment. I will go into more detail later on. As far as the physical printer I am super happy with the […]

November 9, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 10 Comments

Selpic Star-A is a low-cost, compact 3D printer and laser engraver (Crowfunding)

$99 3D printers are announced nearly every year with varying quality, and Selpic, which made the Selpic S1+ handheld 2D printer, joined the fray with Selpic Star-A multi-function 3D printer that was offered as for as little as $99 as an early bird reward on Kickstarter. The 3D printer is still up on Kickstarter with pledges starting at $129 and support for laser engraving for $39 extra, meaning it offers many of the same features as SC-10 SHARK multi-function 3D printer but at a lower price point, a much smaller form factor also meaning a smaller build volume, and slower printing speeds. Selpic Star-A 3D printer specifications: Build volume – 12 x 12 x 12 cm Display – Optional 2.4-inch touch screen Printing materials – PLA, TPU, PETG, ABS Print resolution – >= 0.1 mm Layer thickness – 0.05 to 0.3 mm Printing speed – 30 to 60 mm/s Nozzle […]