Oct. 27, 2014 | By Alec
Every day, engineers all over the world are working on new and exciting 3D printing technologies, but few of these are as intriguing as the FLUX project is. Never heard of FLUX? Well, don't feel bad. That's probably largely due to the fact that this project – while not exactly secret – has been kept somewhat under the radar.
The past few months, information has been coming in little by little. Now this Taiwanese 3D printer project is ready for the spotlights! FLUX will be coming to Kickstarter very soon, and they've already given us here at 3ders.org a sneak preview.
So, what is FLUX? It's a very promising and intriguing desktop Delta 3D printer, whose versatility, abilities and price tag will doubtlessly turn quite a few heads in the 3D printing community. Of course, there are many desktop models available on the market, in just about any size, accessibility and price class you're looking for. But picking a specific model might very well become much easier soon, as the FLUX will combine 3D printing, scanning, laser engraving and other potential functions into one single, sleek-looking and cool device.
As the team behind the FLUX reveals, this multi-functional 3D printer combines FDM (otherwise known as FFF) 3D printing technology with user-friendliness, simplicity and a theoretically unlimited amount of create functions like 3D scanning, laser-cutting etc. And what's more, they are aiming at private users through a compact, manageable and cool design, along with a relatively modest price tag in the region of $499 (early bird special) to $680. Doesn't sound terrible, right?
The FLUX project is masterminded by a collaboration of promising young professionals from Taiwan: Simon Ko, Jim Yu, Shawn Lin, Fon Chiang, Yen Feng, Kidd Wang and Moses Lei. Together, they bring a host of experience and specialisms to the table. 'Our team includes specialists in industrial design, software programming, hardware engineering, marketing, and operations. […]. Now is the time for us to combine our talent and passion to build FLUX through mass production.'
The team behind the Flux project
And FLUX is, of course, a 3D printer at its heart. This particular printer uses high resolution stepper motors to print high-quality objects. And to make this FDM 3D printer as efficient as possible, the FLUX also includes three efficient cooling fans that enable printing with precision at top speed while minimizing the risk of malfunction due to overheating.
But the FLUX's versatility is likely to draw the most attention. So how does that work? Key to this versatility is an ever-growing array of interchangeable modules. These can be integrated into the machine, allowing private users to easily combine a host of tools into one single 3D printer. The basic model already comes with a built-in 3D scanner that allows you to easily 'clone' objects just like a copy machine, but then in 3D. Place an object into the scanner, and it will develop a perfect copy in a matter of hours. 'No need to learn complicated software! The only limit is your imagination.'
3D scanning
However, the machine's first interchangeable module is already included: a laser engraver with a 200mW laser head, which will add that extra dimension to your creative possibilities. However, the FLUX's designers have already promised that a host of other modules are already in development, including: a dual extruder, a ceramics extruder and a pastry extruder (chocolate, jam, and so on).
a laser engraver
Of course we'll have to wait and see if they materialize, but the concept is just great. It could really take desktop manufacturing to the next level. Why spend thousands of dollars on hardware if you could just simply buy an all-in-one 3D printer at an affordable price? As the design team said: 'FLUX is the everything 3D printer that grows with you— meeting not only your 3D printing needs today, but also of all your tomorrows.'
However, a number of other factors complement its versatile purpose. For one, the FLUX also comes with an open module SDK that is true to the open-source nature of consumer manufacturing: 'Besides developing our own new modules, we have also invited other talented engineers to create more modules and to share their ideas with the user community. We are collaborating with several promising startups to develop innovative tool heads for special materials and applications!'
And with those users in mind, they have also strived to make the FLUX functional and easy-to-use. For starters, it's supposedly very easy to assemble, as it consists of a small number of modular components that snap into place with magnets. The idea is that you can go from unboxing to printing in a matter of minutes, but it also means you can easily replace a broken part without unscrewing the half of your printer.
Instead of complicated software features that scare off beginners, the FLUX will be accompanied by a user-friendly interface called FLUX studio. While momentarily still in development, it will consist of an intuitive interface that takes much of the hard work out of your hands. Advanced settings, meanwhile, still hold a host of options for experienced users. Finally, the controls come together in a smartphone app that sends printer commands via Bluetooth.
All this sounds very impressive, but also very ambitious. Supposedly, all these wonderful functions originated a brainstorming session. As they revealed, 'FLUX was built from scratch. We gathered the team and each member wrote down all the functions and capabilities we wanted in FLUX. Some were attainable while some were just fantasy, but that's where our dream started.'
To enable development, the team of designers relied heavily and understandably on open source information from the maker's community. 'We took the best parts of open source designs and infused them with our own ideas. Our dream took shape with the rotatable base for the scanner, interchangeable modules, and seamless integration of software and hardware.'
Development has been ongoing for a while now, but the FLUX 3D printer is now finally ready for production. 'The machine is fully functional. Our current main priority is to begin mass production. Building a single prototype and producing in large quantities are two different things. We are doing everything we can to provide you the best product, but we will need your support for our project and our dream.'
And to realize that, they're looking to raise an ambitious $100,000 on Kickstarter. While a high number, it isn't very unrealistic considering the host of options and possibilities the FLUX 3D printer offers to consumer makers. The printer's all-in-one versatility alone is a very impressive concept. Stay tuned, be sure to visit here as soon as it launches.
Posted in 3D Printers
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How do we know when it hits Kickstarter?
creativerexians@gmail.com wrote at 11/5/2014 6:15:54 PM:
A Wonderful Approach...Longing to see the First Release.... Good Going Guys !!!
G wrote at 11/1/2014 10:50:04 PM:
How will I know when this printer is on kickstarter, will you update this page with the link or do I have to check daily on kickstarter?
Bri wrote at 10/28/2014 1:21:17 PM:
I'm guessing the $500 only gets you the FDM head. It does look impressive in terms of assembly, auto-leveling and price. Although I almost laughed out loud when I saw the drill head. Good luck holding those magnetic ball joints in place while trying to CNC.
Pinkasso wrote at 10/28/2014 4:48:22 AM:
It better not ship the laser diode if it wants to release it in the USA. No way it will get past CDRH/FDA with an open laser like that.
bucketobots wrote at 10/28/2014 1:06:53 AM:
beutiful design
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