We’ve seen some manufacturers 3D scan themselves and use it to print their own action figures or statuettes. Some have even gone so far as to build life-size statues made up of many 3D printed parts. [Ivan Miranda] However, is no ordinary manufacturer and his custom 3D printer is big enough that he can print himself a life-size statue in one go.
The printer is a gigantic thing with an aluminum frame and a familiar Cartesian layout. It features a build volume of 1110mm x 1110mm x 2005mm, more than large enough to print human-sized statues. Dogs, cats and some great apes might also be possible.
Many of the components are 3D printed, including the various struts and adapters that hold the frame together. The build uses NEMA 23 stepper motors, with Duet3D hardware playing the lead role. In particular, V-wheels are used for the Z-axis since linear rails would be prohibitively expensive at the sizes required.
[Ivan] flaunts the printer by having a 1:1 scale statue of his body made. It’s not a perfect print, with some shift shifts and awkward moments where the filament supply was cut off. It took a total of 108 hours, of which 76 hours was actual printing, and consists of 4375 layers. Despite its flaws, it’s an incredibly impressive way to showcase the machine’s capabilities.
Would you like to build such a printer yourself? [Ivan] will sell you the design files for a reasonable fee.
[Ivan]The giant printer used to be a big desktop printer. Just look how far it’s come. He has even developed a system that can be used to create large kits with smaller printers. We can’t wait to see what crazy project he comes up with next. video after the break.