The Ilios Photon printer was never meant to be a product, but a successful IndieGoGo campaign to raise funds for creating a few machines to help build engineer Demetris Zavorotnitsienko’s Open Source Remote Control System led to the creation of this burly DLP system.
Zavorotnitsienko says he planned to use the 3D printers to build the components for his RC system, but he then discovered that there was a market for his printer project as well.
“What separates Ilios Photon from the rest in the market is its rigid design,” Zavorotnitsienko tells 3DPrint.com. “Although it’s not the most sensual thing to look at, it is a sturdy machine and it’s built with parts which can be easily modified or added upon for additional features.”
Demetris Ruslan Zavorotnitsienko
The Ilios Photon is a tough-looking beast. All the critical component parts are metal. This DLP 3D printer was designed to allow for custom modifications and additions. With the projector mounted on the back of the printer, the device uses a single DLP projector and a series of UV enhanced aluminum mirrors to redirect the DLP light under the build vat. Dual side lift mechanisms provide durability and stability during print cycles.
“Ilios was created in such a way that it can be assembled just as easy as an Ikea piece of furniture and modified with simple rearrangement of parts,” Zavorotnitsienko explains. “The build area can be adjusted for small objects as well as large ones. Motion accuracy, torque and other characteristics are all exchangeable and can be found easily in almost any resource that was initially made for CNC machining.”
Zavorotnitsienko says it’s the spindles used in the Photon which provide accuracy and reliability with their ball bearing construction, and he adds that the spindles are connected to both sides of the machine to eliminate any layer inconsistency during printing.
The Ilios Photon features a sliding mechanism and the ability to remove the resin vat easily without the need to disassemble the sliding fixtures. The vat is installed in a metal sliding frame which can be removed by simply releasing mounting clamps, and it includes a mesh surface to provide reliable adhesion of models to the lift plate.
The 3D printer comes already assembled and ready to be used. All electronics are already connected and tested before shipment. All that is needed is a PC and a simple-to-use DLP control software.
The Ilios Photon 3D Printer can have a variety of DLP Projectors based on a client’s needs, comes with all necessary electronics and hardware installed, provides a build height of 20cm and a build size of up to 12cm x 24cm, and creates a minimum layer thickness of 12 (or even 6) microns depending on the projector used.
“The main difference of the Photon is its price compared to the rest of the Ilios line,” Zavorotnitsienko says. “While the Photon isn’t as modular as the Ilios HD kit, it is compact and has many features inherited from the two machines combined.”
The Ilios Photon retails for approximately $3339, and you can check out more details here a the Ilios 3D website. Complete specifications can be seen below.
- DLP Projector based on your selection
- All Electronics and hardware already installed
- VAT Slide Mechanism
- Dual Lift Metal Ball Bearing Spindles
- Build height of 20cm
- Build size of up to 12cm x 24cm
- Minimum Layer Thickness of 12 microns (6 also possible)
- Build resolution depends on the projector used.
- 453g of PDMS & Hardener
- Dimensions: (W)28cm x (L)50cm x (H)55.5cm
Have you ever used any of the printers from the Ilios line? What do you think of this printer? Let us know in the Ilios Photon 3D Printer forum thread on 3DPB.com.
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