‘Hello Printer’ RepRap 3D Printer, CNC, Laser Cutter, Engraver – Features Movable Spaced Dual Nozzles

The open source RepRap movement has been one that has really thrust the at-home 3D printing market into existence. If it weren’t for RepRap, most of the consumer level 3D printers that we are all familiar with, would not have come into existence. Even the most popular consumer 3D printer manufacturer out there today, MakerBot, originated from the modification of a RepRap machine.

Over the years, we have seen the introduction of new, innovative 3D printers emerge from the extensive work and time put in by individuals who build 3D printers for a hobby. RepRap, is a wonderful thing. The people who come up with all of the new ideas for new RepRaps do it for the love of the hobby, not for a profit. They don’t run to patent attorneys in order to protect their newly found inventions, but instead make them available to others, free of charge, so that their new designs can be improved upon and then redistributed.

Today, we got word of a brand new RepRap 3D printer, the Hello Printer. The Hello Printer is a machine unlike any other 3D printer you have seen before. Not only is it a 3D printer, but it is also a CNC, laser cutter, and laser engraver, all in one. Sure, we have seen other 3D printers that have come to market with the ability to change the extruder head out for a laser cutter, or other CNC tool. However, what makes the Hello Printer different, is not what it can do while its not 3D printing, but instead, what it can do while 3D printing.

If you are familiar with FDM based 3D printers, you know that it is beneficial in many cases to have, not one, but two extruders. This allows for the printing of multiple colors and materials, in turn allowing designs to feature more variety. What the Hello Printer introduces, however, is the ability to take these dual extruders and space them out however you would like.

“The difference with this printer is specifically the extruder,” explained one of the printer’s developers, Emanuel Ferreira to 3DPrint.com. “It’s a dual extruder that can control the space between nozzles. Together it’s a simple dual extruder capable of printing two colors or two different materials, but when you separate both, you can do 2 parts at the same time. Until now you could print two parts in the same file, but if you print, for example, two cups, it would draw the same layer twice. With [Hello Printer] the 2 parts can have a section printed at the same time, reducing the print time to 50%. You can add as many extruders as your board has, getting this printer closer to mass production.”

The printer is also capable of printing with paste-like materials. A paste extruder can be switch in for the normal extruder very easily. This is the same for any other tools, such as the CNC, laser cutter, etc. “We hope that people use this design and build their own,” said Ferreira.

As for the specs of this new printer, they are as follows:

• Heated bed 20 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm (LxWxH)
• Nozzle diameter: 0.2, 0.3, 0.5 mm
• Diameter filament: 1.75 mm
• Additional modules: CNC and Laser Engraving (acquired in separate components)
• Thickness Minimum layer (recommended): 0.1mm – (0.01mm depending on good calibration)
• Usable Materials: PLA, ABS, Nylon, Polycarbonate, filament of wood, others;
• Maximum speed (recommended): 200 mm/s
• Power Consumption (Max): 360W
• Software (recommended): Slic3r pronterface + (open source)
• Firmware: Arduino / Marlin

On top of this, the developers have also developed a printer called the Hello Super Printer, which features the option of adding on a second build platform. This allows for the printing of multiple objects or larger objects, with a maximum build size of 40 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm (LxWxH).

Ferreira tells 3DPrint.com that kits for the Hello Printer cost 1000€ (with a single nozzle), and 1150€ for the version that includes the upgraded, dual Monkey Extruder. They will also be holding workshops for people who wish to start their own business, starting at 1400€ (including the printer, and filament). If one wants to build the Hello Printer from scratch, they can access the files via GitHub, and Ferreira says that the total costs for parts would only be around 600€. Currently the manual is only available in Portuguese, but they are working on translating it to English.

What do you think about this new line of RepRap 3D printers? Would you consider buying something or building something like this? Discuss in the Hello Printer 3D Printer forum thread on 3DPB.com.