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SoliForum - 3D Printing Community → Electronics & Hardware → What are the future improvements to Solidoodle?
What are the next priority improvements to Solidoodle?
a). Larger print areas?
b). Better hot-ends (and extruders that can handle different sized hot-ends)?
c). Different material for support material? (Maybe something that can melt away with a solvent that doesn't effect the model)?
d). More metal parts making up the printer itself instead of printed plastic ones?
e). Etc, Etc?
What is likely to be the next big updates?
I would assume Solidoodle, but I'm not holding my breath. Most of the community mods are more helpful and certainly more timely.
AFAIK the last couple improvements made by Solidoodle were the use of their own board and aluminum print bed.
This photo suggests that a jigsaw replacement may be one of the next improvements (from
http://www.techhive.com/article/2029819 … ctory.html)
They were testing a printable extruder last winter, but I don't know if they gave up on it. Solidoodle's mission is making printers cheap, so any improvement will be aimed at value rather than innovation.
They were testing a printable extruder last winter, but I don't know if they gave up on it. Solidoodle's mission is making printers cheap, so any improvement will be aimed at value rather than innovation.
I would argue that value would be innovation if they are competing with other 3D printers. I'd rather pay more and have it work more of the time.
IanJohnson wrote:They were testing a printable extruder last winter, but I don't know if they gave up on it. Solidoodle's mission is making printers cheap, so any improvement will be aimed at value rather than innovation.
I would argue that value would be innovation if they are competing with other 3D printers. I'd rather pay more and have it work more of the time.
Then why did you buy the cheapest 3D printer on the market, with arguably the worst customer support?
Sometimes I wonder if you're just here trolling us.
Tim, give him a break...
His question is valid, although the cheap printer part is there too.
Solidoodle is not Printrbot who tries to get a printer in every school. They are a company focused on making money on the 3D revolution, but still providing value for what they sell. Customer support is not as good as some, but let's face it can the makers of the Filabot claim they got game? Seriously, at least SD is attempting to provide support for the machine. I have to admit, I get more support here than from SD itself, but then again I got into this knowing that the support was not as good as, say, Makerbot.
I've heard the same things about Makerbot support as about Solidoodle support. The design of the printer isn't the only area to improve for adding value. Innovations in cheap 3D printing are going to be things we don't see, like managing supply chains, keeping material cost down, doing everything efficient enough to make room for hiring more support people, etc. In addition to the aluminum Z carriage, replacing the bed resistor with a heating mat, and new hot end there are clearly more things that went on behind the scenes. The lead times last year were about twenty weeks. Now a SD2 ships in something like 5 days.
The fact that you paid $700 for an assembled printer still means it isn't plug and play. The technology of low cost 3d printing is relatively new leading to some problems, and other problems can be blamed on the fact that the company itself is new and probably still dealing with a lot of inexperience.
Rocketman wrote:IanJohnson wrote:They were testing a printable extruder last winter, but I don't know if they gave up on it. Solidoodle's mission is making printers cheap, so any improvement will be aimed at value rather than innovation.
I would argue that value would be innovation if they are competing with other 3D printers. I'd rather pay more and have it work more of the time.
Then why did you buy the cheapest 3D printer on the market, with arguably the worst customer support?
Sometimes I wonder if you're just here trolling us.
There are 3D printers that cost half as much as Solidoodle, and I have found there customer support to be responsive. Not always the most knowledgable, but there is always someone on staff for every problem.
There are 3D printers that cost half as much as Solidoodle, and I have found there customer support to be responsive. Not always the most knowledgable, but there is always someone on staff for ever problem.
You meant the printrbot simple? The kit that requires assembly? And is PLA-only? With half the print volume? Apples and oranges, man.
Wasn't it just a couple weeks ago you were asking for help putting together a E3D?
Rocketman wrote:There are 3D printers that cost half as much as Solidoodle, and I have found there customer support to be responsive. Not always the most knowledgable, but there is always someone on staff for ever problem.
You meant the printrbot simple? The kit that requires assembly? And is PLA-only? With half the print volume? Apples and oranges, man.
Wasn't it just a couple weeks ago you were asking for help putting together a E3D?
What's your point? In any case it doesn't matter since apparently it wouldn't fit into the extruder anyway.
What's your point? In any case it doesn't matter since apparently it wouldn't fit into the extruder anyway.
My point is if you can't build an E3D, no way you're putting together a printrbot.
Won't fit the extruder? What? Here it is:
Looks like it fits to me.
Rocketman wrote:What's your point? In any case it doesn't matter since apparently it wouldn't fit into the extruder anyway.
My point is if you can't build an E3D, no way you're putting together a printrbot.
Won't fit the extruder? What? Here it is:
Looks like it fits to me.
That isn't a Solidoodle Extruder. That is a custom job. I am talking about the parts the printer came with.
Uhh, Rocketman your "it" seemed to refer to an e3d, you had a 'vague antecedant' that I think was misunderstood.
Eitherway, the photo you see is with a "groovemount" form which is the same type of mount the stock solidoodle has, in fact, e3d uses that from legacy of the fact the solidoodle type hot ends used that mount style
That isn't a Solidoodle Extruder. That is a custom job. I am talking about the parts the printer came with.
The extruder is the whole assembly. You must be talking about the acrylic jigsaw. You should have ditched that thing long ago, it is garbage. Didn't a someone send you one for free?
Rocketman wrote:That isn't a Solidoodle Extruder. That is a custom job. I am talking about the parts the printer came with.
The extruder is the whole assembly. You must be talking about the acrylic jigsaw. You should have ditched that thing long ago, it is garbage. Didn't a someone send you one for free?
Actually I ordered 2 jigsaws recently and for whatever reason they sent me 4 of them. In any case this was not the point of the thread.
Doesn't Solidoodle have anything new in store coming up to make it more comparible to the nicer commercial 3D printers, or does it just want to be like Walmart and be more about low price and minimal quality?
Low entry price is key!!! Just look at how big walmart is and ask yourself why walmart isn't adding customer amenities and policies like luxury shops... Solidoodle LLC has been growing at a very rapid pace lately, I keep expecting to see a news article about stratasys acquiring them.
Doesn't Solidoodle have anything new in store coming up to make it more comparible to the nicer commercial 3D printers, or does it just want to be like Walmart and be more about low price and minimal quality?
Rocketman, I'm inclined to name you a troll. You have been having problems with your printer and are being very negative. That's not fair. People want to work with you and help you, but your negative energy is a downer.
Rocketman wrote:Doesn't Solidoodle have anything new in store coming up to make it more comparible to the nicer commercial 3D printers, or does it just want to be like Walmart and be more about low price and minimal quality?
Rocketman, I'm inclined to name you a troll. You have been having problems with your printer and are being very negative. That's not fair. People want to work with you and help you, but your negative energy is a downer.
219 posts, and I can't find a single one where he's offering someone else help.
The Solidoodle's price is a little higher than some other printers available, but you get an assembled printer rather than a kit which takes a little technical competence to assemble. The price is low enough that you can modify it to be comparable to the nicer printers and still be cheaper. You can take an SD3, change the Z axis to a M5 rod and flexible coupler, print Lawsy's carriage with linear bearings, add dual bowden-driven hotends, enclosure and and LCD and still be nowhere close to the $2800 you would pay for a Replicator 2X.
It's cheaper because you bought an assembled base, and then took a kit approach to the added quality and capabilities. If you want all of those things preassembled then you can pay $2k+. Keep in mind that the banner for the Makerbot Replicator 2X still says "Patience, know-how, and a sense of adventure required", and that is the supposed to be the most turn-key ABS capable printer on the market. If you really want turn-key and pro support you can get a Cube, if you don't mind getting locked into filament that costs $156/kg.
There isn't really any reason for Solidoodle to go higher priced, higher quality. There are plenty of printers already in that space, but hardly anything on the low end that isn't a kit. Any competitors will have a lot of catching up to do to match them in price and volume of production.
@elmoret, I totally agree with you...
Now a SD2 ships in something like 5 days.
OMG! that's fast! I waited 5 weeks to receive mine, that's big improvement!
@Topic, aluminum Z axis "bed" was a pretty nice improvement, i feel lucky that i got this one instead of wood.
I am sure the next improvements (After printrboard) would be the motor,heat sink, belt, linear bearing.
* I don't think they are improving heatsink anytime soon, since they just changed from "ceramic core" to "block"
Rocketman wrote:Doesn't Solidoodle have anything new in store coming up to make it more comparible to the nicer commercial 3D printers, or does it just want to be like Walmart and be more about low price and minimal quality?
Rocketman, I'm inclined to name you a troll. You have been having problems with your printer and are being very negative. That's not fair. People want to work with you and help you, but your negative energy is a downer.
I don't recall you ever commenting in my threads. I'm sorry if my machine breaking all the time is putting you in a bad mood. It has been no picknic for me.
Tomek wrote:Rocketman wrote:Doesn't Solidoodle have anything new in store coming up to make it more comparible to the nicer commercial 3D printers, or does it just want to be like Walmart and be more about low price and minimal quality?
Rocketman, I'm inclined to name you a troll. You have been having problems with your printer and are being very negative. That's not fair. People want to work with you and help you, but your negative energy is a downer.
219 posts, and I can't find a single one where he's offering someone else help.
What could I possibly do to help anyone else? I can't even keep my own printer from breaking down.
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