EPlus3D

RepRapBCN Announces New Paste Extruder – You Can 3D Print in Jelly, Clay, Plaster & More

Formnext Germany

Share this Article

reprapbcn1FDM based 3D Printers are typically limited to printing in different types of plastics. They work by usually melting ABS or PLA plastic in a similar fashion to how a hot glue gun works. Recently, however, we have begun seeing more and more materials become available for these 3D printers.

In June, we reported on a company called Structur3d which had launched and successfully funded their Discov3ry Paste Extruder. It allows for anyone with a FDM 3D printer to attach this add-on and begin printing objects using just about any paste that’s on the market. Now, there appears to be a little bit of competition. RepRapBCN has just informed 3DPrint.com that they have produced their own ‘Paste Extruder’ available for pre-order.

“Our paste extruder is an upgrade for our BCN3D+ 3D printer, but if you understand how it works, you will notice it is really easy to adapt to other printers,” explained Rafael Angles Lopez of RepRapBCN to 3DPrint.com. “Just a small tweak on firmware, and logically, design and print something to hold the extruder.”

Printing with mashed potatoes

Printing with mashed potatoes

While it is built specifically for the BCN3D+ 3D printer, as Lopez explained, it can easily be modified to work on virtually any FDM 3D printer. Once installed it will allow you to print in virtually any pasty material, such as jelly, chocolate, mashed potatoes, plaster, clay, and concrete. Here is a video showing it printing in colored mashed potatoes.

The gear system of the Paste Extruder is very strong and has a very low friction value. It is also easy to open up in order to change the printing material. While the extruder can print with virtually any paste, the company notes that it does take a little bit of practice to determine which materials make for the bests prints, and which ones may require a little bit of modification. For example, some types of material may need more or less water added to them in order to make them extrude better or hold their shapes better.

Printed in chocolate

Printed in chocolate

RepRapBCN demonstrated using several printing materials, including clay, mashed potatoes, and chocolate. All of them turned out quite well. The extruder works by using a specialized syringe that includes a plunger which pushes the filament through a small nozzle. The plunger is controlled by the extruder’s motor, which provides the control and power.

The Paste Extruder is currently available for pre-order for €110 (approximately $148 USD). It will begin shipping on October 15, 2014.

RepRapBCN also plans to release a user guide over the next few months which will help explain how to use different materials in the Paste Extruder. What do you think? Would you consider purchasing the Paste Extruder? Discuss in the RepRapBCN Paste Extruder Forum thread on 3DPB.com. Check out the video of the Paste Extruder printing in Chocolate below:

Share this Article


Recent News

DoD Announces $270M in New Funding for US Advanced Manufacturing

Chinese 3D Printed Medicine Company Triastek Lands $20.4M in Pre-C Round



Categories

3D Design

3D Printed Art

3D Printed Food

3D Printed Guns


You May Also Like

Featured

Dream 3D Printing Mergers & Acquisitions: Who Will Buy voxeljet?

In a significant development, voxeljet AG (Nasdaq: VJET), likely the only manufacturer of large-scale sand 3D printers, announced a formal review process to explore various strategic alternatives for the company....

Laser Wars: Eplus3D Releases 16-Laser Metal 3D Printer

Chinese metal laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) manufacturer Eplus3D has unveiled its latest innovation: the EP-M1550. The new system is the company’s first 16-laser metal 3D printer, announced at TCT...

Featured

Bambu Lab Launches Low-cost AI Mini 3D Printer with Four-Filament Capabilities

Bambu Lab has been a game-changer in the desktop 3D printing community. With a comprehensive software suite, continuous testing, and vibration reduction, the team has developed an exceptionally fast, fully...

NIST Awards Contract for 3D Printed Medication Quality Assurance

InfraTrac, a Maryland-based manufacturer of quality assurance (QA) solutions for 3D printed products, has been awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute of...