Hack Much? Lunavest Offers CrafteHbot Full Color 3D Printer DIY Kit, You Attach 2D Inkjet Printer

If you’re like me, when doing some fun secondhand shopping, you probably notice the piles and piles of old inkjet printers in the electronics section, discarded as sometimes it’s just cheaper to buy a new one altogether rather than spring for a black/color combo ink refill. While that’s utterly ridiculous, here’s something really cool that might have you hackers hightailing it back to the Salvation Army–if you are interested in a new twist on 3D printing with color.

We all know desktop color printing can still be a bit tricky–and pricey–but Japan-headquartered a-z-ia.net Ltd. is offering an interesting solution. The latest in the Lunavest lineup is the CrafteHbot Full Color 3D Printer DIY Kit, retailing at $2499 USD. Founded in 2012, a-z-ia.net offers this latest FDM printer so that users can print in color affordably and easily. Using an attached, hacked inkjet color 2D printer, users will see their models finished as they are rotated and comprehensive color is applied from different angles.

Just created by a-z-ia.net, this new patent-pending technology allowing full color printing is referred to as ‘Direct to Object.’ The only catch is that you do have to bring your own inkjet printer to the desktop with you and mount it to the CrafteHbot. It’s important to keep in mind that the ink-spraying distance of the inkjet printer is only 10mm so models will generally be too complex in size and shape, and must be divided into several pieces for full ‘painting,’ to be assembled later.

The CrafteHbot kit also boasts a sturdy aluminum frame which a-z-ia.net promises will set you free from vibration. It’s fast and precise, as well, offering two Bondtech QR extruders with double drive gears that eliminate the drive slippage often responsible for an unreliable filament supply. The second extruder is generally used for supports, extruding the material needed to allow more complex builds. For electronics, users can look forward to the Arduino Due with 32 bit CPU.

a-z-ia.net is taking orders now at Lunavest for the DIY kit, with shipping planned for February 25, 2016. Users can also purchase refurbished printheads for the 2D inkjet printers at Lunavest for $82 USD.

Additional specs for the CrafteHbot kit are as follows.

• 3D Printing method:   Fused deposition manufacturing(FDM)
• Color Printing method:Direct to Object (Patent pending)
• Build size ( X Y Z ):    Single color output: 200 x 200 x 200 mm
• Full color printing:      150 x 150 x 150 mm
• Layer height:              0.1-0.3mm
• Build materials:          PLA/PETG/ABS etc.
• Filament diameter:     1.75mm
• Nozzle diameter:        0.4mm
• 3D print speed:          50-150mm/s
• Extruder:                   Bondtech QR Double drive gear（Dual extruders）
• Hot end:                    E3D V6
• Electronics:               RADDS + Arduino Due (32bit ARM Coretex M3)
• Motor driver:              RAPS128 128step microsteps
• Firmware: 　　          aprinter
• Inkjet printer:              Required separately
• Maximum inkjet ink spray distance:     About 10mm
• Inkjet ink:                     Lunavast 6 colors (CMYK/LC/LM)
• Host software:             Repetier-Host + Inkjet control plugin
• Color model processing software:      Blender
• Operating system      Windows 7
• Weight 30kg
• Dimensions Width 130cm x Depth 70cm x Height 70cm

Items also included in the kit:

• Print material filament PLA White 1kg
• Support material filament PETG Clear 1kg
• Lunavast Color Ink 6 Colors Set (100ml each x 6)

Discuss this story in the CrafteHbot forum on 3DPB.com.