The 3D printer project started in January 2016 as one of the main projects in the Robosoc student society. The rationale behind the project was that the university’s 3D printers weren’t always available and priority was given to students printing parts for their group projects and dissertations. A Robosoc printer would give priority to its members and help speed up progress in the society’s other projects such as the Eurobot competitions.
The initial team was made up of myself and other first year students and a third year student who has previously built a 3D printer in a previous project and had spare parts for another. After checking what skills the team had, it was evident that we would have to learn how to use CAD tools before we could start designing our printer. An initial design was made using Google Sketchup, and then the team took lessons in Solidworks to make a more accurate design.
The printer uses a CoreXY design (example below), the print bed moves in the z axis and the extruding head moves in the x and y axes. This allows for faster print speeds and reduces torque which would wear out the belts.
The team changed throughout the project, members left and new members joined regularly as the society grew. To date the printer is almost fully assembled and needs to be tested. Having left Southampton in December 2019, I am no longer involved in the project but ensured a smooth handover of tasks, resources, and ideas to the new project leader.
