Open Edge Launches 3D Printer Kickstarter Campaign for Mondrian 3.0, Featuring Revolutionary Nozzle

As an ardent supporter of the open-source movement, Open Edge keeps making enormous strides forward. This French startup, founded in 2013 and headquartered in the town of Folschviller, specializes in the manufacturing and design of 3D printers, demonstrating their progress with the Mondrian 3.0.

This latest printer is referred to by Emmanuel Gilloz as the ‘great sister of the FoldaRap,’ harkening back to their historical foldable 3D printer–the first of its kind. The Mondrian is open-source and self-replicating, making it highly attractive for all those more experienced makers, hackers, and tinkerers out there.

“While being a compact, robust and modular desktop printer, you can also customize it to your liking–more than 400,000 combinations are possible thanks to the printed and laser cut parts,” Gilloz told 3DPrint.com.

It is defined, in fact, as a machine that was made by makers, for makers–and that’s always something the more experienced 3D printing enthusiasts seek. Not only does it offer a host of unique features, but the Open Edge team thinks their new nozzle design has the potential to change 3D printing altogether. Refined from the FoldaRap design, this shorter nozzle offers an optimized, two part design. It has requires little force, has a small motor, and is compact all around.

“With this little gem, you can forget the extrusion problems,” states the team, offering detailed information on the testing of the nozzle here.

The Mondrian offers unique precision, allowing linear sliders to run seamlessly on the aluminum extrusion profiles. This printer is capable of such quality that the Open Edge team uses it for 3D printing all the plastic parts for their other hardware–solidly embracing the RepRap philosophy. Currently, the team has launched a Kickstarter campaign, in hopes of raising €30,000 (almost $33,000 USD) by January 8th.

“No project is too small or too big, no idea too simple or too complex for the Mondrian,” states the team on Kickstarter. “Your imagination and skills are the only limits.”

This 3D printer is particularly suitable for those interested in customization, and the team promises that upon completion of the campaign, those who are backers will be able choose both the colors of the printed parts and acrylic panels, and uploading the graphic files they would like to have engraved on said panels. This is all part of allowing users to create the Mondrian that suits them best.

Beginning at just under $1,000 USD, backers receive the complete standard kit which will allow them to make their own Mondrian. For a minimal amount more, you can order the customizable kit. For around $1,312 USD, backers are able to receive the Mondrian completely assembled. Prices ascend from there with a few other options.

Available either completely assembled, or as a kit, the Mondrian offers the following unique features:

• A shorter nozzle with ‘conical geometry,’ for smoother extrusion at lower temperatures
• Precise vertical movement due to a single stepper motor equipped with a timing belt
• Compatibility with PLA parts, and smooth linear movement
• Easy access to electronics
• Modularity
• Stable print bed

Available options are:

• Dual extrusion head
• Printer head for fluids such as pancake batter
• Autonomous printing
• Printer remote control

Backers will be able to choose from 16 colors for the 3 groups of printed and among 7 colors for the acrylic panels. According to Open Edge, that makes a total of 401,408 possible combinations!  Have you contributed to this Kickstarter campaign?  Let us know in the Mondrian 3.0 forum on 3DPB.com.