Bronze Manufacturing and Processing Machinery Design · 2020
The New LumiFold TB Portable Resin 3d Printer
by Davide Marin
- A' Design Award 2020 Bronze Winner in Manufacturing and Processing Machinery Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Lumi Industries
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 73,883
- Verification code B775ECA347 · Verify this award
About The New LumiFold TB Portable Resin 3d Printer
The New Lumifold, is a system designed to make a 3D printer smaller than its printing volume. It takes up little space, can be carried in a suitcase and used wherever you need. This opens to new scenarios: a doctor in developing countries or emergency areas could 3D print travelling where his/her work is needed, a teacher could build a 3D file during lesson, a designer could create for and with the customer, a prototype on the spot giving live presentations. TB is a light-curing resin-based version, which uses daylight 3D resins and the screen of a simple tablet as protagonist of 3D printing.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The New Lumifold TB is an innovative 3D printer designed to be compact and transportable. Using an iPad Tablet as light source, the New LumiFold has a resolution on xy axis of 78 microns. The tablet is inserted under the resin vat, under a Fep film. An App processes the 3D file. Once it is ready, you just click start: the 3D printer, connected via Bluetooth to the iPad, will move up each time that a layer has been cured thanks to the light emitted by the screen.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The New LumiFold TB size is 180 x 280 x 80 mm when it's closed. When fully open the height is 180 mm. The 3d printing volume is approx. 100 x 100 x 100 mm.
- Tags
- 3d printer, DIY, 3d printable, 3d printing
- Production Technology
- Most of the parts of the New LumiFold TB are made by CNC machined aluminum on 5axis mills. The top part is a block of acrylic that has been milled, polished, and dyed with a UV-blocking pigment.
- Design Challenge
- Its most interesting feature is that the total height of the 3D printer, when closed, is smaller than the maximum height of the 3D printed part, as it expands while 3d printing. In the last years we have seen many innovations in the way the resin is cured, but the mechanical lifting system is mostly unchanged; we spent more than 2 years to develop and refine a scissor-like mechanical system, and went to more than 6 iterations.
- Project Duration
- The first idea of a mechanical system allowing an additive manufacturing device to be ultra-compact started back in 2014 when I incorporated Lumi Industries startup, inside H-Farm incubator in Roncade (TV). I did first feasibility tests and a first proof of concept to answer needs of an early business partner. In late 2015 I filled a patent request which was granted in 2018. The development went on slowly through as many as 6 iterations. In 2018 I created a first version of New Lumifold stereolithography 3D printer using Daylight resin and a tablet as light source to take compactness to the extreme.
- Operation Flow
- The user opens a 3D file on the Tablet using our App. It slices and processes the 3D file. When it is ready, the screen switches to black; at this point, the tablet is inserted under the resin vat, into the machine. Now the user just presses start button: the 3D printer, connected via Bluetooth to the iPad, will move up each time that a layer has been cured thanks to the light emitted by the screen itself. After 3d printing is finished, the user removes the part, cleans it with detergent, and post-processes it with sunlight / external UV lamp.
- Research
- My main focus was to find the correct engineering solution to obtain a precise mechanical scissor system, using small components not to alter the ultra-compact design I conceived. I did several interactions changing motor types and threaded bars, introducing distance sensors to get an accurate movement which can allow to 3D print up to 25 micron on Z axis. Second focus was on the structure material for it to be light to carry but stable enough to provide detailed 3D prints. The result is a mix of aluminium and acrylic parts providing a fine and clean design.
- Inspiration
- A compact, even portable, 3D printer has several advantages. New LumiFold TB name originates from "Lumi", since 3D printing technology implemented in it uses 3D resins cured by light. In this case, by a tablet screen light, therefore the final "TB". "Fold", because the 3D printer really folds on itself to become extra compact. "New", because it is the evolution of a previous project. Presented in 2013, Lumifold was a foldable 3D printer body using an external DLP beamer for 3D printing light curing resins. It introduced the idea of portability in stereolithography Additive Manufacturing.
- Image Credits
- Pictures and Video made in collaboration with Dimitri Feltrin Video Maker and Photographer.
- Patents
- Patented, Patent n. 102015000077643, Patent Holder Lumi Industries srl, filed on 27/11/2015, Jurisdiction Italy
Design registered. European Community Design Register No 002568196-0001 filled on 30/10/2014
Colors of The New LumiFold TB Portable Resin 3d Printer
Design Interview about The New LumiFold TB Portable Resin 3d Printer
When I started to work in the development of additive manufacture devices, the main focus has always been compactness and portability. In 2013 I designed the LumiFold, followed by LumiPocket, two compact resin-based 3D printers which were still using an external beamer to cure the 3D printing material.
New Lumifold, is an idea I had back in 2014 to have a stand alone 3d printer that could be compact and even portable and with a 3D printing volume smaller that device itself's volume.
New Lumifold, is an idea I had back in 2014 to have a stand alone 3d printer that could be compact and even portable and with a 3D printing volume smaller that device itself's volume.
The main focus was on the patented mechanical system.
I wanted a smooth and precise lifting movement, suitable for high precision 3D printing but taking small space and little weight, because the idea is that the device is not only compact but also portable.
I wanted a smooth and precise lifting movement, suitable for high precision 3D printing but taking small space and little weight, because the idea is that the device is not only compact but also portable.
To find a company interested in buying the project or investing to further develop it.
Initial concept was born in 2014 and final working prototype was made in 2019.
I had the initial idea. Later I found a potential investor interested in using the Lumifold TB to quickly 3D Print parts in developing countries. He contributed to the vision of the LumiFold TB even if in the end he did no invest in it.
I would like to sell this project to companies, rather then producing it directly.
I thought that a compact and portable 3D Printer can have are several advantages: it takes up little space, it is easier to share it and it opens the way for interesting scenarios; such as a teacher who can bring a 3D printer in his suitcase and print 3d models during his lessons; or doctors that during a conference can make 3D printed parts for colleagues, or patients, showing the part where they intend to operate. Possible scenarios do include also live presentations for jewelry or fashion companies, in which it would be possible to go to the presentation with your 3D printer and create for the customer, or with the customer, a prototype.
The FoldRap (2012) is a similar concept, one a different technology of 3D Printing (fused filament) and it inspired me to make to New Lumifold TB.
Jewelry industry, dental and medical field, are just some among the potential customers.
There are a few portable concepts for 3D Printers, but almost all of them involve fused filament instead of the much more detailed photo curable resin that I used in the project I developed.
A compact, even portable, 3D printer has several advantages. New LumiFold TB name originates from "Lumi", since 3D printing technology implemented in it uses 3D resins cured by light. In this case, by a tablet screen light, therefore the final "TB". "Fold", because the 3D printer really folds on itself to become extra compact. "New", because it is the evolution of a previous project. Presented in 2013, Lumifold was a foldable 3D printer body using an external DLP beamer for 3D printing light curing resins. It introduced the idea of portability in stereolithography Additive Manufacturing.
Most of the design work was done in Solidworks; renders in Keyshot and refined in Photoshop. Arduino IDE for the firmware, Eagle Design for the PCB design, Xcode for the App. I did personally every step of these.
It is probably the only resin based 3D Printer in the world that is portable, fits in a suitcase, and is ready to be used without assembly.
This design is all made by one single person (me) . I did by myself all the mechanical design, electronic design, writing firmware and software, building and testing a prototype already optimized for production, document the whole process.
3D Printing with visible light on liquid resin is a very advanced technology, and this design takes this to the next level incorporating this design in a portable and ultra compact machine.
I did some Market research to find the potential customers and markets for this design.
One of the most difficult parts of the design is to fit a compact linear system able to lift some KGs, with good precision, and that is as small as possible.
Because I think it has a unique design and I want to share it with as many people as possible.
My skills in designing and building complex electro-mechanical projects in a tiny space have really improved!