Midwest RepRap Festival: The Best DIY 3D Printer Event

​#MRRF2019

Midwest Reprap Festival or MRRF for short is one of the most incredible 3d printer events on the planet. It may not be packed with suit wearing industry experts like you would see at an additive manufacturing event with industrial 3d printers; but it has the potent DIY maker spirit way ingrained into the thriving community.

The RepRap Festival is held yearly in Goshen, Indiana and there is no other 3d printing event like it. It’s hard to find the words to describe the experience that gives it the justice it deserves. The small venue in Goshen, Indiana holds the most enriched gathering of 3d printing enthusiasts. Compared to previous years there were many more people attending or exhibiting. The venue was packed to seams with some of the best 3d printer builds you can find. The Reprap Project founder Adrian Bowyer would be proud if he saw what the creative community has evolved into.

Midwest Reprap Festival

MRRF 2019 Highlights:​

• E3D Toolchangers
• Railcore 3D Printers
• White Knight Belt Printer
• CoreXY 3D Printers
• SeeMeCNC’s Demos New Boss Delta
• OpenRC Race
• World Record of 3d Printed Tug Boats/Benchies
• 3D Distributed Demos WorkHorse 3D Printer 😉
• The Best CoreXY 3D Printers of 2019
• 3dGloop Tug of War

White Knight 3D Printer

​Some of you might remember the Black Belt Printer. The Black Belt was a useful closed source belt 3d printer with a infinity Z-axis. Carl from NAK3DDesigns published an open source version mechanical concept called White Knight 3D Printer. The White Knight is a great design and well built machine.

Carl used his experience in automotive body work and applied these skills to his build. The results were great. The finished product looked like a finished product. You can find out more about the White Knight on his Thingiverse  Github accounts. Just search white Knight belt 3d printer or find Carl or Nak3DDesigns on Twitter.

See Nak3DDesigns Twitter

Mitch3D: Backpack Delta Printer

Yeah you saw that right…. That’s a Backpack Delta 3d printer. Mitch Cerroni, aka Mitch3D built a completely mobile delta printer that’s pretty much a glorified backpack that can make you stuff. You never know when you leave your house if you’re going to have to print something…. So why not?

Although Mitch3D showed his backpack delta printer at #MRRF2018 it is believed that he has increased the height of the z-axis and upgraded some of the parts to 713Maker machined aluminum parts. Looks great… now I want one lol.

• See Mitch3D YouTube

E3D Toolchanger

E3D definitely left an impression on the 3d printing community last year when they presented their new CoreXY 3d printer equipped with a tool changer. Although the final design hasn’t been published yet that didn’t stop many from making their own or similar inspired machines. It’s amazing how quickly the RepRap community can develop and implement an idea.

E3D Toolchanger Clones

Many exhibitors showed their own version to the tool changer technique. While there was a small number of exhibitors that had the genuine E3D core-xy printers that were sent out to early beta testers. I don’t know if tool changing 3d printers will be the feature of 3d printing multiple materials and colors but it’s a good start. Plus it gives them a reason to buy more of their great hotends. Who says you can only have a couple of hotends on a 3d printer?

See E3D

Duet3D

The E3D tool changing corexy printer uses the Duet Wifi with the X5 expansion board to control the advanced motion system. They mentioned before how they wouldn’t be able to control the printer like they do without the Duet Wifi and Reprap Firmware. The gcode based programming and configuration allows for useful macros to be utilized to get more functionality. 

See Duet3D

Cool 3D Printing Projects

The Midwest Reprap Festival also has the most interesting 3d prints you possibly find. Its hard to not get inspired by all the cool stuff people 3d print. I think we also broke the record of the most 3d printed tug boats you can fit into one building( benchies.)

Ryan Carlyle: 3D Printer Engineering

This interesting delta 3d printer build above was designed and built by Ryan Carlyle. Ryan also wrote the book “3D Printer Engineering.” I picked up a copy at the show and this is what I think: The book is a wealth of information and I would recommend the book to anyone interested in 3d printers or machine design. Ryan Carlyle is one of the most experienced members at building DIY 3d printers and completely understands the technical details involved. The book covers the mechanics machine design and explains motion system fundamentals . You can find the book on Amazon and I highly suggest you add this one to your library. This book is a valuable resource for the newbie or experienced builder.

See Ryan Carlyle- 3D Printer Engineering Book

Maarten van Lier of Core3D.Tech

C3Dt/bd Big Delta Printer

Maarten van Lier of Core3D.Tech shows his new tall delta printer that he calls C3Dt/bd.” The “bd” stands for Big Delta. It has a build volume of 330mm DIA x 1245mm. It is a well thought out machine design made by a guy who has created a number of other awesome 3d printer designs.

What really makes this delta printer interesting is that Maarten also implemented a cantilever bed to reduce travel time. The Big Delta has 40mmx40mm extrusions and uses Nema 23’s to drive the motion. Maarten uses the Delta Smart Effector with touch sensor homing with the blue E3D hotend that has threaded heat sink commonly used on delta printers. ​In addition the Big Delta is equipped with THK linear rails and a 7″ PanelDue touch screen.

• Maarten van Lier’s 3D Printer Projects

• Core3D Website here

SeeMeCNC Large Delta 3D Printer: Part Daddy

This very large delta printer is called the Part Daddy. This beast was designed and built by SeeMeCNC who is a company known for creating many great delta 3d printers. Part Daddy has a pellet extruder and a 4mm nozzle that allows for large and quick 3d prints. It’s built from custom CNC machined aluminum parts and large aluminum extrusions. It works just like a regular printer except it’s LARGE. It has a print volume of 44 inch diameter x 114 inches tall.

• SeeMeCNC

Railcore 3D Printer

Out of all the 3d printer designs and builds you can find at #MRRF2019 my favorite is the core-xy mechanical arrangement see more. And right next to E3D’s tool changing 3d printer awesomeness is the Railcore 3d printer. Railcore Labs have published an awesome open source core xy design.

Railcore Labs & Project R3D

See Project R3D Website
See RailCore Labs

Creative 3d Technologies – Creativebot Duo

Creative 3d Technologies display the Creativebot Duo. The large format printer aimed for the professional market of industrial 3d printers. The slick design is decked out with all the good part:

• Duet3D Electronics
• Geckotek Build Plates
• Bondtech Dual Drive Extruders
• Genuine E3D Hotends
• Genuine Hiwin Linear Guide Rails
• Ball Screws
• Dyse Design Run-Out Detection

See Creative 3D Technologies

3D Printed 3D Printers

Can you 3d print a 3d printer?

MulBot – 3D Printing World

John from 3D Printing World takes functional prints to the next level. From his clever 3d printed 3d printer he calls the Mulbot to a range of printed mechanical mechanisms you can find his designs that show the true applications of 3d printing. The Mulbot’s open source design uses mostly 3d printed parts such as the frame, bearing blocks, and drive systems. The original goal of the project is to further push the RepRap/DIY concept to almost all 3d printed parts.

• Belt Acuator
• Jaw Gripper
• Three Jaw Chuck
• Linear Rail Bearing
• Linear Slides

• See 3D Printing World YouTube Channel
• See Mulbot’s RepRap Wiki

Kuntry3D displays beautiful 3d printed Prusa and Hypercube Evolution. You may or may not of thought printing a printer but Walter from his Youtube channel Kuntry3d even 3d printed the frame which is normaly made from aluminum. The quality of prints from his 3d printed machine are spectacular.

• Kuntry3D’s Youtube Channel here

RepRap WHEELIOS

We had a chance to check out Nicholas Seward and More Technologies table to see the Wheelios printer. The RepRap Wheelios is a rolling printer that has a SCARA robot arm that can print on top of a table or other flat surface. The moving table printer has an infinite print volume. Based off of the RepRap HELIOS, this remix design moves around to position the print head allowing you to print a range of sizes that would normally be to large for most printers.

Tiny Machines 3D

Chris from Tiny Machines 3d printed a DeadMau5 helmet to give to the 3D Printing Nerd.

• See Tiny Machines Website

Making With Luke

Luke Cunningham known as “Making With Luke” built a very funtional 3d printer from old computer parts. The printer that cost him about $60 to make prints better than many high dollar machines. We look forward to see more awesome builds from Luke at #MRRF2021.

• Making With Luke Youtube Channel here

Alien3D: 12 Foot Tall Community Print

Josh from Alien3D has a big project displayed at MRRF this year. It’s a 12 foot tall community print of the Alien3D mascot. Sponsered by 3D Gloop, the project is built from 684 3d printed pieces printed from many members of the community.

• Alien3D website here

3D Printed Nerf Guns

This video was made by @3ddistributed and our friend Phil shared it with us. Wonder how our blasters work? This is a fantastic break down of it all 😁https://t.co/SavOkZdS6N

— Project FDL (@projectfdl) April 28, 2019

Ninja-Robot: 3D Printer/CNC Mill

Patrick Giambalvo of Robot-Ninja’s CNC mill design. Patrick designed the HMC for home use to cut pcb’s and small aluminum parts for robotics projects. He uses ball screws and servos to get the power and accuracy for milling and 3d printing all in one machine. The well designed machine has a 275mm x 300mm 280mm build area and can also be adopted to laser engraving as well.

See Robot-Ninja Website

Daniel Norée

The OpenRC race that’s held at MRRF each year is one of the festivals highlights. Daniel Noree known for his open-source designs and the popular OpenRC 3d printed rc cars attends MRRF displaying his famous F1 OpenRC. many others display their own version of the 3d printed car.

OpenRC: 3D Printed RC Cars

• See Daniel Noree Twitter

Tiamat 3d Printer

The Tiamat 3d printer designed by Paul Paukstelis uses a carousel tool changer designed for E3D V6 hotends. The tool changer assembly is a spring loaded servo with a 8mm rotating rod to cycle between tools. The springs used are from used ball point pens that serve as detents into the sled piece mechanism locking the position of the tool as it changes.

Paul Paukstelis-Carousel Tool Changer

• Paul Paukstelis Thingiverse
• Paul Paukstelis Youtube Channel

Piper 3D Printer: Piper 2 CoreXY

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