Designer Presents an Unconventional 3D Printer and a 3D Printed VR Headset

A lot happens in the 3D printing world every day, and much of it comes at the hands of makers rather than corporations. Makers aren’t just making things with 3D printers, either – they’re making 3D printers themselves. A couple of years ago, a designer named Turi Cacciatore, founder of Turi Design, built a 3D printer from IKEA cabinet parts, a creative, functional Rostock delta machine that was Cacciatore’s first – but not last – self-built 3D printer. Now he has built another, and it showcases his creativity and resourcefulness as much as, if not more than, his first printer.

PrinTuri 2.0 is another delta-style 3D printer, but it’s not an ordinary delta printer – it literally flips the delta style on its head. PrinTuri 2.0 is an inverted delta printer, featuring a fixed extruder and hot end and a moving print bed. It’s a simple printer with a few major tweaks that result in better print quality as well as a flexible, expandable extruder system. With typical Bowden architecture, there are limits to the types of materials that can be used – flexible materials don’t work well, for example. Bowden printers tend to require more complex assembly and maintenance, as well.

PrinTuri 2.0 doesn’t feature a Bowden system, yet offers all the benefits of a delta 3D printer. It could be easily altered to mount multiple extruders, as well as more advanced extrusion systems, without running into problems like weight or cable management, which are typically issues with a moving extruder and hot end.

You can take a look at PrinTuri 2.0 in action below:

Cacciatore has also been using his skills to explore another advanced technology: virtual reality. As part of Turi Design, Cacciatore designed, developed and built a virtual reality headset called VirTuri 2.0. The customizable prototype was designed for use during public events and exhibitions, offering professional-level quality and user experience for a low cost. The headset was 3D printed and can be customized with things like company logos, different materials and colors, or even event-related features such as embedded security systems.

VirTuri 2.0 is completely wireless, based on mobile technology, but that mobile technology is completely encapsulated within the headset itself. This means that all settings are protected even in crowded settings where people can accidentally interfere with external wireless devices. It can be charged with a typical charging cable, and its functions accessed easily via WiFi or Bluetooth. The fact that the headset is 3D printed means that multiple units can be printed onsite for the same purpose, and parts can be easily replaced.

An earlier version of VirTuri was presented during Milan Design Week 2015, and VirTuri 2.0, 3D printed in wood PLA, will be unveiled alongside PrinTuri 2.0 during Converge 2017 Europe, a design and technology conference that is taking place in Essen, Germany on October 17th. The event is being organized by solidThinking. In addition to presenting and discussing PrinTuri 2.0 and VirTuri 2.0, Cacciatore will be leading a master class called “How to Design for Style.”

A look at the Turi Design website shows that Cacciatore has a great capacity for unique product design using technology. PrinTuri 2.0, as well as his previous 3D printer design, shows that he also has the ability to improve upon fabrication tools, taking classic design structures and flipping them to achieve better results. VirTuri 2.0, meanwhile, uses 3D printing to make an often expensive tool more accessible, as well as more effective. You can see a time-lapse assembly of VirTuri 2.0 below:

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[Images courtesy of Turi Cacciatore]