You know how everyone and their Grandmother has a paper printer?  Well, wouldn't it be cool if everyone and their Grandmother had a 3D printer?  It definitely would, but this isn't a reality for 2 reasons:

- 3D Printers still quite expensive.

- They aren't very simple.  Good luck teaching your Grandma how to use one!

The first goal of this project is simple, but bold…

We want to lower the cost and difficulty of 3D Printing to a point where it's accessible to the masses.  We want the 3D Printer to become a household item.  We want 3D printing to become a common part of life.  We want you to have the choice: Should I buy it or should I make it?

With a Peachy Printer (scanner) on your desk, you can choose to make it.  This is the world's most affordable 3D printer!

And our second goal...

We want to run our business on a set of specific moral principles, some of these are:

- Using Freedom Respecting and Open Source software and hardware. We will NEVER close our source! We will never betray our community!

- Being outspoken and informative about the political and ethical ramifications of 3D printing technology.

- Informing customers of safe practices when using our product and providing proper safety equipment.

As you've seen from watching our main video, we've already got this little printer working pretty good.  Every object in that video, and pictured below was done with the pre-production prototype featured in the "How it Works" video below!

Hollow Cube - Estimated resin cost - $0.02

Solid Cube - Estimated resin cost - $0.10

Dave! - Estimated resin cost - $0.50

As you can see the peachy is already working great! We know we can make it do WAY better which brings us to our reasons for using crowd-sourced funding:

- We need money to invest in improving the product, specifically the software end.

- We need to make high volume orders of our parts to keep costs low.

How does the Peachy Printer work? 

Below is a detailed video explaining how the Peachy Printer works through explanation and demonstration!

How it works video transcript:

"The peachy printer is a Photolithographic printer. That means it uses a controlled beam of light to cure light sensitive resin into hard objects. The peachy moves a laser beam along the X and Y axes to create the shape of the object, while using a drip system to control the level of the resin on the Z axis which determines the height of the object.

The object you want to print must first become a 3D model in Blender. The software we wrote as an add on to blender takes the data from that 3D model and translates it into an audio waveform. It then plays the audio file out to the printer through the headphone jack in your computer. This waveform drives a pair of electro magnetic mirrors. The higher the volume, the higher the voltage, the more the mirrors move. The purpose of these mirrors is to reflect and control the path of the laser beam. By using the audio waveform generated from the 3D model data to drive the mirrors, we are able to get the laser beam to draw out the shape of the object. That's takes care of the X and Y axes.

Now let's talk about the drip system that creates movement on the Z axis. The salt water in the top container syphons down to a drip feed. The rate of this drip feed is controlled by a valve. As each drip leaves the feed, it passes through two contact points creating an electrical connection that is detected by your computers microphone jack. The drip continues to fall into the bottom container where it causes the resin floating atop it to rise. The software listens to the microphone level, counting each drip that falls and calculates the resultant level of the resin. This allows the software to send the layer that corresponds with the current Z-level of the resin. This process continues until the print is complete!"

Under The Hood

Below are some detailed pictures showing under the hood of our current prototype.  This is the exact hardware that made every print pictured and shown in the videos. Everything we do will be open source hardware, and unlike some companies we will NEVER close our source. 

A few separate parts, as well as the fully built printer. During the R&D process we have been cutting our housings out of MDF instead of plastic to save on expenses.

Here you can see one of the mirrors that moves and directs the laser beam.

In this image you can clearly see the electro-magnet assembly that moves the mirrors.

If you've seen our main video then you already know just how well these new methods work. This extremely unique design has resulted in a very affordable product, however there are many challenges we must overcome to utilize the overwhelmingly high resolution of the Z-level drip system and todays sound cards. We are very confident in our ability to overcome these challenges and develop a great final product!

How does the 3D Scanner work?

When combined with a camera, the Peachy Printer also functions as a 3D scanner! The Peachy repeats a back and forth laser pattern that simulates a line laser. This illuminates the profile of the object you are scanning. Your video camera, webcam, or DSLR will capture this happening while you rotate the object a full 360 degrees. The software we wrote in Blender then searches through each pixel in every frame looking for the point where the laser is hitting the object. Next it calculates the distance of those pixels from the objects rotational centre and plots the points and mesh accordingly in 3D space. You now have a 3D model of the real life object you scanned.

We're even working on a feature that creates a texture map from the footage and applies it to the 3D models mesh automatically. This gives you a even more realistic looking 3D model.

More About Blender

Blender is 3D modelling and animation software.  It is freedom respecting, open source and available to download at no cost from Blender's website.  Blender is central to the software side of this project.  All the software that runs the printer will do so from within Blender.  Since Blender can import many file types this actually leaves you free to use practically any CAD program to create your models.  The blender add ons we write will be capable of running many different printers, not just the Peachy.  One unique feature our add on will have is real time processing.  This will enable you to model as the printer prints!  You will be able to make changes to any part of your model that hasn't been printed yet!

You may be wondering… What is our plan when it comes to fulfilling the orders if our campaign is successful?  We have 2 different manufacturing plans:

Manufacturing Plan #1 - Under 5000 orders

We will start by taking two months to continue with R&D. We will be improving the software, hardware, and finalizing the overall design of the product.

After the R&D process is complete we will start manufacturing the printers on our own CNC routers. We are planning on milling the outer housing, mirror assembly, laser holster, and the coil holsters all out of polycarbonate first-surface mirror (vacuum coated with aluminum) which we have already completed successfully.

Manufacturing our mirror assemblies on the CNC router

We also have multiple suppliers in mind - most of which we have already used - for specific parts such as the custom wire coils, earth magnets, and the laser.

Pre-assembled models will be built here in Canada and each one will go through quality control at the end of our assembly line. We will likely have each printer draw out a grid in a dark room. A camera will capture the entire pattern in one image using a long exposure. If the printer is sufficiently capable of drawing an accurate grid, then that grid will be used in a calibration feedback loop for the individual printer that produced it. Not only is this a quality check, it also calibrates your printer to account for any tiny anomalies specific to it. You will receive the test photo and clear instructions on how to perform a re-calibration if you wish to do so.

Manufacturing Plan #2 - Over 5000 Orders

We will start by taking two months to continue with R&D. We will be improving the software, hardware, and finalizing the overall design of the product.

After the R&D process is complete we will get many of the parts that we are currently producing on CNC routers made with injection moulding instead. This manufacturing process ensures that each printer will be produced to more precise specifications and will be our go to choice if we get enough orders.

Meet the Team!

Rylan Grayston - Owner, Inventor, Software Developer

Rylan is a 28 year old entrepreneur living in Yorkton, SK.  He has been very inventive and creative all of his life.  From an early childhood he was always taking things apart, starting with his baby gate!

After high school Rylan decided to explore and gain real life experience.  Over the years he worked in as many fields as he could including pottery, mechanics, advertising, 3D modelling and animation, programming, and many more.

Throughout all of the job titles, only one has really stuck - Inventor.  Rylan is a deep thinker and loves keeping up to date with technology and the ethics surrounding our new found abilities.  He is an active member of the Freedom Software Foundation and the Blender community.

You can find some of his recent work here:

www.vissesonce.org

http://www.blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?298691-working-blender-motion-control-camera-rig!

David Boe - Owner, Investor, Business Manager

David is a 38 year old certified Heavy Duty mechanic who is currently employed by Edmonton Kenworth in Fort McMurray, Alberta.  He is also a certified Automotive mechanic and has been “twisting wrenches” on and off for around 20 years.  In between those times, he has owned two small businesses, which taught him a lot, and aligned him with his entrepreneurial spirit.  He has also worked in the insurance industry for a number of years.  Having committed himself to lifelong learning and since one of his main interests is in manufacturing, he started training in the Six Sigma/Lean manufacturing process a couple of years ago after having read numerous books and articles on the subject.  He has also read books and articles on the “Theory of Constraints” logic to manufacturing and found them both to be interesting.

Dave and Rylan met in mid 2012 and instantly hit it off.  They were very interested in each other's ideas and it didn't take long before they were in business together.  Over the past year they have been working together to get the Peachy Printer to where it's at today.

Nathan Grayston - Advertising & Marketing

Nathan is a 21 year old entrepreneur living in Yorkton, SK.  He owns a business specializing in video production and graphic design.  He started creating videos and designs at a young age and began doing it professionally 2 years ago.  

Nathan is a very passionate and dedicated young man…  No stranger to online fundraising campaigns, in 2012 he was a key member of the volunteer team that won the top prize in the Aviva Community Fund bringing in $150,000 for a new skateboard park in Yorkton.  In total, the group raised $350,000 and saw the park come to completion in under a year.  

Much like his role in that project, at Peachy Printer he's currently in charge of video production, graphic design, web design, marketing and advertising.    

Josh Ellis - Owner and inventor of MakerJuice

Josh is a 28 year old engineer residing in Kansas City, MO.  A lot like Rylan he has been taking things apart, and putting them back together from a young age.  As he grew older he became interested in computers and programming.  These passions led him to attend a mechanical and electrical engineering course at Louisiana State University.  After his time at LSU, he served in the U.S. Airforce for 4 years.  He now holds down a career doing R&D on A.I. Traffic Control Systems for an engineering firm.  

Josh has been extremely interested in 3D printing as a hobby for years.  After building his own CNC router from scratch and playing around with a RepRap, he started looking into stereolithographic printing.  After doing some searching he was disheartened by the price of resins, and the lack of customer service from the providers.  With a goal of providing the 3D printing community with a high quality, reasonably priced product, he started looking into making his own resin.  After 6 months of testing out formulas and talking to suppliers he launched MakerJuice with 1 formula.  Since then he has been continuously developing new resins and now has 4 products available.

Josh has been crucial to the development of the Peachy Printer.  His highly sensitive resins have played a key part in attaining our goal of selling the Peachy for $100.  We are currently in communication with Josh, and we will be working with him to develop a special resin formula just for the Peachy Printer.

Scott Walde

Scott began building electronic circuits at the age of 8. He started programming computers at 10, and sold his first program a year later. Eventually he received a formal education as an Industrial Electronics Technologist with a focus on microcomputer systems and robotic controls. In the twenty years since, he has worked in Information Technology, Television Production, has designed and installed interactive museum displays, and has more recently been designing specialized data acquisition systems for geophysical surveys. In his spare time he plays bass guitar in an 80's band and is crew chief and mechanic for his daughter's junior dragster.

James Cooper 

James is a Senior Software Designer at Solido Design Automation in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  There he works on a tool suite used to design integrated circuits. He holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Saskatchewan. James works primarily in Python and Qt, though he has experience in many languages, such as C, C++, and AVR assembly. He is an active member of the makerspace Saskatoon Techworks, where he has helped with projects ranging from combat robots to quadcopters. This is also where he met Rylan Grant and became involved in the Peachy Printer project.

Kurtis Wanner - President and CEO of FingerTech Robotics LTD.

FingerTech Robotics Ltd is a leading design and manufacturing company of small competition and hobby robotics components.  For over 10 years Kurtis has built up a strong global network of suppliers and resellers to distribute FingerTech products worldwide, enabling both individuals and companies to bring their ideas to life.  With a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering and a background in mechanical design, Kurtis has brought to market dozens of new products and has experience coordinating large projects.  To share his love of inventing, Kurtis co-founded and is President of Saskatoon TechWorks Inc., a non-profit hacker-space that brings talented "makers" together and offers them a project space and specialized tools like CNC routers, laser-cutters and 3D printers.  TechWorks is community-based and holds public workshops on a variety of topics including metal/woodworking, photography, sculpting, CAD/CAM design, electronics, and programming.   He believes everyone has an inner inventor and just needs access to the right knowledge and tools to bring them out.

http://www.fingertechrobotics.com/

In Closing...

Just as the personal computer and internet have given us the power of borderless social connection and information sharing, we hope that the Peachy Printer (scanner) will put in your hands the power of manufacturing.  The power of making.  The power of creating...

If you are anything like us, we're sure you'll want to know exactly how this thing works!  You also may want to know a bit more about the man behind the Peachy, and his vision for the project.  If you'd like to find out more, please visit any of these links to our website:

Peachy Printer - Home

Peachy Printer - News

Peachy Printer - FAQ

Peachy Printer - How It Works

Peachy Printer - Ethics

Peachy Printer - Resin

Peachy Printer - Specifications

Peachy Printer - Contribute

Peachy Printer - Gallery

Peachy Printer - Download

 Risks and challenges

1. The Peachy Printer isn't at the final product stage. As described above the Peachy still needs work to reach it's full potential. Some issues and challenges may arise during this process. However, we are extremely confident in our teams ability to rise above them and deliver a great final product. We've already overcame countless roadblocks to get to this point, and we will continue to use the same out-of-the-box solution based thinking process to take it all the way.

2. The Peachy Printer currently has no set limit on build volume, however we haven't given this adequate testing. Like the beam of a flashlight, the print volume gets larger over distance. We plan to push the boundaries of the Peachy to see just how big we can print... One of our goals is to print a full size (16') canoe!

3. Creating the revenue required to develop and progress open source software can be a challenge. We dont currently plan on charging money directly for software that you can clearly copy, modify and redistribute yourself. So how will we raise funds to continue developing our software? We plan to implement a donation system that runs inside the software. You will have the option to donate small amounts towards the development of specific features by clicking "donate" buttons right in the program. This idea was recommended by Richard Stallman of the free software foundation. All the money raised through this system will go directly to software development.

FAQ

What is included in the Peachy Printer Kit and what tools/materials do I need to complete it?

The kit comes with all the unique parts (the printer housing, internal components, and drip system) required to assemble the Peachy Printer.  All that you will need to purchase on your end is two liquid reservoirs for the resin and saltwater, a print base (anything with a flat top that can sit inside the bottom reservoir and be removed), and a way to mount the reservoirs so one is above the other (we recommend a pipe or shelf).  With the current design the only required tools to assemble the printer include a utility knife, and a small screw driver.  We intend to keep this as simple as possible, no special tools will be required.

For reservoirs you can use almost anything that can hold liquid, disposable cups, pop bottle bottoms, aquariums, or if you want to print something larger a rain barrel could be used. Basically the options are endless and depend on how large of an object you are planning on printing.  Keep in mind that build volumes of such a size have not yet been tested.

What is the difference between the $90 early bird kit, and the $100 kits you currently have available?

There is no difference between the two kits other than price, we apologize for the confusion using the words "everything you need", the $90 kit will also require you get your own reservoirs and mounting system, same as the $100 kit (See question 1 for more details).

There is some concern about the legality of lasers in different countries, how are you planning on dealing with this?

At this point we are confident we will be able to overcome any of these concerns, if needed we will add an external current limiting resistor so the laser will pass any laws in your country. We are not even sure this is going to be an issue as the laser is being used within the Peachy Printer and not as a laser pointer.

Why are you running a Kickstarter and an Indiegogo campaign at the same time?

Sorry this has caused some confusion!  The reason we launched this on both sites at the same time is because the two sites have different communities (Indiegogo is worldwide) and we want to get the Peachy Printer in as many homes as possible.  The Indiegogo campaign is not a clone, or a scam.  They were both launched on the same day.  The life of the project is not dependent upon both campaigns being successful as at the time of writing this, we have over seven times our fundraising goal on Kickstarter and can easily pull both campaigns off with those funds.

How do I order resin and the printer?

We are currently working with Kickstarter to find a solution to this issue.  Please be patient, we will issue an update when everything is figured out.

What is the build volume of The Peachy Printer?

This build volume of the Peachy Printer is extremely flexible and would depend on the reservoir being used, as mentioned above almost anything can be used as a reservoir. We think that the limiting factor when it comes to how large of an object can be printed will be time, we should be able to scale up a build to any size, its just a matter of how long you are willing to wait for the object to print.  That being said, we haven’t done adequate build volume testing as of yet.

Does surface tension of the resin have any negative effects on the print quality?

MakerJuice is one of the thinnest resins yet!  Although it’s not consistent yet, the Peachy has performed prints where there is absolutely no issue of surface tension and the artifacts that come with it. Josh is working on an even thinner resin specifically formulated for the Peachy and this will reduce surface tension even further.

What is the difference between the resin being sold on your Kickstarter page, and the resin being sold on the MakerJuice website?

MakerJuice was developed for printers that have adhesion problems due to UV light shining through a window (the resin cures to the window).  The Peachy doesn't have this issue so we have one less constraint in the recipe of our Peachy resin.  This is very liberating, allowing us to work with Josh to create a uniquely high quality resin just for the Peachy Printer.  Having said that MakerJuice is what we’ve been using this whole time and it works great too!  We totally support your purchase of it, and it does work with the peachy!

How is the Peachy Printer powered?

The Peachy Printer is powered by the USB and headphone jacks alone.  There is no external adapter, no wall power!  The Peachy is built to be hacked so you could easily modify it to be powered with a battery or a solar panel.

Will you be doing any complex print demonstrations?

We have done some more complex prints in the past but we did them with a really early version of the software and they didn’t turn out too well.  They don’t represent what the Peachy will be able to do, but you can check some of them out in the gallery section of our website.  We like pushing the limits, if we decide to do more prints during the campaign we will attempt to print a both a full size canoe and a working peachy printer (think reprap!)  These prints would have an extremely positive effect on the campaign!  Even if we fail, at least we will have taken some of the guess work out for our backers!  For now we are completely swamped with the media and backer questions.  If you're not convinced by what you have seen so far then feel free to wait it out, we will prove the full capabilities of the Peachy as soon as we can!

What about floating objects?

Great news!  Floating objects only need very, very small support tabs/legs.  This is because the print and the salt water have almost identical densities.  Also, unlike an extrusion based printer there is no print head to put physical pressure on the print.

Is the resin open source too?

Not yet, although it has been talked about.  This will be up to Josh Ellis from MakerJuice.

Does the scanner attachment include a printer?

No.  It’s basically quality camera and a turntable (driven by a stepper motor) that combine with the printer to make it a scanner.  If you prefer, you can use your own camera and turntable along with the Peachy kit to have scanner functionality.

Do you require a print base, or does the object just float as it prints?

You need a print base, but nearly anything will work!

What is the toxicity of the resin, is it food safe?

We don’t know the final recipe for the resin yet as its still under development!  Please assume that its not food safe… We will work hard to pleasantly surprise you!

Will there be a reward for a kit version that includes everything that the fully assembled version does?

Yes, we're currently discussing that option.  Stay tuned!

Does the shrinkage of the curing resin have an effect on or compound errors with the Z-axis precision?

Absolutely, however much of this effect is consistent and predictable.  For the most part it can be calibrated for.

What kind of pipe will I need and what exactly is it for?

The purpose of the pipe is to mount on liquid container above the other. You can use anything you see fit (pipe, rod, dowel, shelves etc.).  Just make sure it’s strong enough!

What are the specs of the new resins: Flex and Wiggle?

While they are functional, these resins are still in development and the specs will change.  Therefore we can’t give any detailed information about them.  

Can you mix the different resins together to get new flexibility properties?

Yes!  These new resins are mixable.  This will allow you to create a range of resins with different flexibility properties.

Are the PeachyJuice Resins different from the MakerJuice Resins?

Yes!  We are working with Josh Ellis of MakerJuice to create resins specifically formulated to work best with the Peachy Printer.

Will Flex and Wiggle be available in all the colours?