YouTuber Joshua Bird has developed a 3D printer that stands out from the usual designs. The device uses a polar print bed and a rotating X-axis, which enables new applications, such as printing overhangs or complex geometries.
The system, which Bird describes as “Core R Theta”, combines a linear axis with a rotary axis. Two stepper motors control both the movement of the X-axis and the rotation of the print head. This design allows the print bed to be used efficiently and to print parts with unconventional shapes that are difficult to achieve with traditional printers.
Bird has also programmed simple slicing software that is freely available. This can be used to prepare models for printing by bending the layers and adapting them to the rotational movement. The software is available on GitHub and should enable even less experienced users to benefit from the system.
The printer is mainly built from inexpensive and easily accessible materials. Many components can be printed from standard PLA, and the total cost of the printer is around 300 to 400 US dollars. Bird relies on the RepRap firmware, which allows flexible configuration of the axes and simplifies the construction of the printer.
Bird has published details about the printer and the individual parts for building it on GitHub.
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