New Store
Forgot your password?
New user?
Document Actions
CandyFab 4000
The CandyFab 4000 Hot air gun "Printing" on sugar A few finished models |
May 2007 Project DescriptionWindell and Lenore's design goals were to build a 3D printer. They wanted it to be low cost, with a large printable volume emphasized over high resolution. They also wanted to use a low-cost printing media--namely, granulated sugar.Sugar is a particularly good medium because it's easy to obtain, low in cost, kid friendly, water soluble, non-hazardous, non-toxic, non-intimidating, rigid despite having a low melting point, and may be suitable for making objects for lost sugar (like lost wax) investment casting. The designers also think that it may also be possible to make interesting food with this technology. Like other 3D printers, the CandyFab 4000 works by stacking layers of 2D images. The printer begins with a flat bed of sugar and "prints" a 2D design into it by selectively fusing the sugar. The bed is then lowered slightly, a new layer of sugar is added, and the next 2D image is printed, fusing with the layer below. This process is repeated to build up the three-dimensional image. Operating the 3D fabricator requires precision motion control in three directions, which is potentially difficult. Computer control and interface are managed easily with the use of a Make Controller. Read the complete Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories article here. |