Making a 3D printer

Franco,

The most popular form of "introductory" 3D Printer is a Fused Freeform Fabrication (FFF) system that uses melted thermoplastic (ABS or PLA are typical) to build solid objects one layer at a time. Many FFF systems can be built around the RepRap design (http://reprap.org) using mostly common hardware components. RepRap stands for "self-REPlicating RAPid prototyping" because each RepRap can printing many of the components of another printer. If you have a local hackerspace or makerspace, they will likely have a 3D printer that can be used to print out the plastic components, you can find many RepRap components on sites like EBay, or you can order a kit which includes the different components.

When Richard Horne and I wrote "3D Printing for Dummies" recently, we used kits for both Cartesian-format (Mendel Max from Maker's Tool Works) and Delta-format (Rostock Max from SeeMeCNC) RepRap printers. Richard has also designed a really easy printer (RepRap 3DR) that is mostly printed plastic along with common hardware. Richard's blog at http://richrap.blogspot.com has the step-by-step details of its design, components, assembly and tuning. Many of my teachers and students are building 3DR printers because they are simple and use simpler component lists for their Bill of Materials than many others (http://www.stemulate.org/2013/12/30/3dr-reprap-3d-printers/). Delta-format printers are fun to watch operate, because they are equally fast in Z-axis movement as in X-axis and Y-axis translation. Polar-format and Cartesian-format are faster in (X,Y) translation with a much slower Z-axis movement.

You can also find designs for stereolithographic (SLA) 3D printers that use UV lasers to cure liquid photopolymers, while RepRaps can be equipped with the Paste Extruder (Universal Paste Extruder for 3D printers by RichRap - Thingiverse) to make things from gels, pastes and other forms of dough other food materials. The Fab@Home design is another DIY paste-extrusion option created by the folks at Cornell University. RepRaps are also used in different combinations for many researchers exploring bioprinting using different gels and cellular materials). Custom variations can print entire buildings using concrete or cake toppers using melted or bound granular sugar or frosting.

I hope this gets you started in your build plans!

Kirk

I would highly recommend checking out the book "3D Printing for Dummies".  This will be a great resource for you along the way.  Here is a post on the book http://www.element14.com/community/thread/30191/l/look-what-came-in-the-mail.  If you get stuck along the way don't hesitate to ask, as we have some great resources here such as Kirk.

Nate