whiteAnt - 3D Printer and CNC Machine

whiteAnt 3D Plastic Printer/CNC Machine

Here is your chance to build a machine that can form 3D plastic models, literally from the bottom-up. Traditionally called an FDM machine (Fused Deposition Modeling), the whiteAnt will create 3D models by "depositing" extruded plastic from a nozzle, "fusing" the plastic, layer-by-layer, starting from the bottom of the model to the top. Change the form factor of the machine, by lowering the frame, inserting a Dremel, and you have a mini-CNC milling machine.

The easiest way to get started is to buy the book!! For those that did purchase the book, the plans are here. The book guides you through the entire process of building this machine from scratch. Moreover, and the mot exciting part of this book, is that it will help you master the electronics wiring (Gen 4) and software setup (ReplicatogG) for all of these types of machines (including the makerbot). You will dog-ear the heck out of this book!

The video is a demo of the machine working. The machine is creating a model of Thom York that can be found on Thingyverse.com (Ting number 1218).

The current kit provides hardware, structural components, motors, and mechanical components. The travel for each axis is: X-160mm, Y-190mm and Z-125mm.

What the kit includes:

All hardware to assemble the kit
All mechanical components (drive pulleys, bearings, lead screw, anti-backlash Nut, etc.)
4 NEMA 23 Stepping Motors (1 for the Extruder and 1 motor for each axis)
Structural components
Rails
Electronics (one Main board, four (4) stepping motor drivers, three (3) end stops (with cabling from end stop to main board) and one (1) extruder controller. Below are the electronics that can be purchased separately.)

Book Resources

whiteAnt Original Plans

whiteAnt Revised Plans

STL file for the model in the banner image.

Plastic whiteAnt logo3.stl

Configuration file with configurations related to the mechanics of the machine:

whiteAnt xml (configuration) file for use with generation 4 electronics

Resources for whiteAnt specific machine skeinforge profiles:

whiteAnt skeinforge resources (whiteAnt_skeinforge.zip)

Instructions

Assembly Instructions (for kit):

The following videos are provided as the guides to assemble the whiteAnt 3D Printer. The book can be used as an alternative to these videos for the purposes to assemble the kit; however, these videos pertain only to the kit and not to a scratch built machine. The book is the only guide to scratch build this machine.

1. Z-axis Motor Mount: