Hangprinter is an open-source fused deposition modeling delta 3D printer notable for its unique frameless design. It was created by Torbjørn Ludvigsen. The Hangprinter uses relatively low cost parts and can be constructed for around US$250.[1][2][3][4] The printer is part of the RepRap project, meaning many of the parts of the printer are able to be produced on the printer itself (partially self replicating). The design files for the printer are available on GitHub for download, modification and redistribution.[5]

Hangprinter
Hangprinter version 3
Video about the Hangprinter
ClassificationFused deposition modeling 3D printer
InventorTorbjørn Ludvigsen
A 4-meter-high Tower of Babel printed by Hangprinter.

Versions

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Version 0

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The Hangprinter v0, also called the Slideprinter, is a 2D plotter. It was designed solely to test if a 3D version could realistically be created.[6]

Version 1

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The Hangprinter v1 uses counter weights to stay elevated.[7]

Version 2

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All parts of the Hangprinter Version 2 are contained within a single unit which uses cables to suspend the printer within a room, allowing it to create extremely large objects over 4 meters tall.[1][2][3][4]

Version 3

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Version 3 of the Hangprinter has the motors and gears attached to the ceiling, making the carriage lighter.[8]

Version 4

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Version 4 includes upgrades from version 3 including flex compensation, better calibration and automatic homing.[9]

Fused Particle Fabrication/Fused Granular Fabrication Hangprinters

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To enable 3D printers to economically use recycled plastic feedstocks to enable distributed recycling and additive manufacturing (DRAM)[10][11] several types of fused granular fabrication (FGF)/fused particle fabrication (FPF)[12] -based 3D printers have been designed and released with open source licenses. First, a large-scale printer was demonstrated[13] with a GigabotX extruder[14] based on the open source cable driven hangprinter concept. Then detailed plans using recyclebot auger techniques were released in HardwareX to build such a printer for under $1700.[15] This approach would further reduce the cost of using hangprinters to make large scale products as the cost of recycled shredded plastic is ~$1–5/kg while filament is generally around $20/kg. Makers that have built open source granulators[16] or have access to other types of waste plastic shredders (e.g. from Precious Plastic[17]) can generate feedstock for hanging waste printers for under $1/kg, which makes large scale production with a hangprinter competitive with any conventional manufacturing process.

Patent dispute

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In 2022, a patent describing the “Sky Big Area Additive Manufacturing” (SkyBAAM) system was granted to UT-Battelle, LLC, a nonprofit corporation that operates the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The patent describes the core features already featured in HangPrinter, causing controversy in the open source community. The RepRap project established a GoFundMe campaign to cover the legal costs in their upcoming action to challenge the patent.[18][19][20]

In May 2023 it was announced that the US Patent Office rejected the wide claims of the SkyBAAM patent and would be settling on a much narrower patent instead. Per a post on Torbjørn Ludvigsen's blog "They largely agreed with our analysis. They rejected all the patent's original claims. They accepted a narrower version of them."[21] Per the interpretation provided in that post the narrower patent would only cover cases where every detail provided is included in the design, instead of those designs with any of the described details.

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Development

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Repositories

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Videos

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Frameless 'Hangprinter' RepRap turns an entire room into a 3D printer". 3ders.org. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  2. ^ a b "The Hangprinter: A Frameless 3D Printer". Fabbaloo. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Interview with the inventor of the frameless Hangprinter 3D printer building the Tower of Babel". 3D Printing Industry. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  4. ^ a b By (20 March 2017). "Hanging 3D Printer Uses Entire Room As Print Bed". Hackaday. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  5. ^ "tobbelobb/hangprinter". GitHub. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  6. ^ Ludvigsen, Torbjørn. "The Slideprinter". Torbjørn's RepRap Blog. Torbjørn Ludvigsen. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  7. ^ Ludvigsen, Torbjørn. "First Finished Print". Torbjørn's RepRap Blog. Torbjørn Ludvigsen. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Hangprinter Build Videos". Hackaday. 16 December 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  9. ^ "Torbjørn's Reprap blog". torbjornludvigsen.com. Torbjørn Ludvigsen. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  10. ^ Cruz Sanchez, Fabio A.; Boudaoud, Hakim; Camargo, Mauricio; Pearce, Joshua M. (10 August 2020). "Plastic recycling in additive manufacturing: A systematic literature review and opportunities for the circular economy". Journal of Cleaner Production. 264: 121602. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121602. ISSN 0959-6526. S2CID 218816964.
  11. ^ Cruz Sanchez, Fabio A.; Boudaoud, Hakim; Hoppe, Sandrine; Camargo, Mauricio (1 October 2017). "Polymer recycling in an open-source additive manufacturing context: Mechanical issues". Additive Manufacturing. 17: 87–105. doi:10.1016/j.addma.2017.05.013. ISSN 2214-8604.
  12. ^ Woern, Aubrey L.; Byard, Dennis J.; Oakley, Robert B.; Fiedler, Matthew J.; Snabes, Samantha L.; Pearce, Joshua M. (2018). "Fused Particle Fabrication 3-D Printing: Recycled Materials' Optimization and Mechanical Properties". Materials. 11 (8): 1413. doi:10.3390/ma11081413. ISSN 1996-1944. PMC 6120030. PMID 30103532.
  13. ^ Petsiuk, Aliaksei; Lavu, Bharath; Dick, Rachel; Pearce, Joshua M. (2022). "Waste Plastic Direct Extrusion Hangprinter". Inventions. 7 (3): 70. doi:10.3390/inventions7030070. ISSN 2411-5134.
  14. ^ "Gigabot X 2". re:3D | Life-Sized Affordable 3D Printing. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  15. ^ Rattan, Ravneet S.; Nauta, Nathan; Romani, Alessia; Pearce, Joshua M. (1 March 2023). "Hangprinter for large scale additive manufacturing using fused particle fabrication with recycled plastic and continuous feeding". HardwareX. 13: e00401. doi:10.1016/j.ohx.2023.e00401. ISSN 2468-0672. PMC 9930197. PMID 36818952.
  16. ^ Ravindran, Arvind; Scsavnicki, Sean; Nelson, Walker; Gorecki, Peter; Franz, Jacob; Oberloier, Shane; Meyer, Theresa K.; Barnard, Andrew R.; Pearce, Joshua M. (2019). "Open Source Waste Plastic Granulator". Technologies. 7 (4): 74. doi:10.3390/technologies7040074. ISSN 2227-7080.
  17. ^ "Precious Plastic Pro Machines". preciousplastic.com. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  18. ^ "Ridiculous: Gov't Contractor Copies Open Source 3D Printing Concept… And Patents It". TechDirt. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  19. ^ "ORNL gains patent for 'SkyBAAM' cable-hoisted construction 3D printing technology". 3D Printing Industry. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  20. ^ "US11230032B2". Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  21. ^ Ludvigsen, Torbjorn. "Torbjorn Ludvigsen". torbjornludvigsen.com. Retrieved 8 August 2023.