Jun 18, 2015 | By Alec
With a market filled with increasingly affordable 3D printers, choosing a new machine can be a very tedious and time-consuming job. Looking at the specifications is crucial, but taking a look at some actual printing results is a good idea too. And in that respect, the Colido 3D printer – developed by Hong Kong-based 3D printer manufacturers Print-Rite – is looking pretty good, as they have used it to create a very flexible and very cool dancing robot.
As you can see in the clip above, this is a perfect showcase model to emphasize what 3D printing technology can do for the field of robotics. Featuring very smooth surfaces to optimize movement and being reportedly very easily assembled, this robot can be programmed for a large number of tasks. It suggests that the Colido 3D printer might be well worth checking out if you’re considering getting a 3D printer for a classroom or for specific robotic applications in mind.
And as Print-Rite’s Hugo Wong explained to 3ders.org, it was the result of a major collaborative effort on behalf of the company’s engineering team. ‘We have a big team of engineers who are experts in different engineering fields. Through tremendous collaborative effort, we came up with different design ideas which ultimately led to the designing of this robot. Plastic parts were designed and printed using our Colido 3D printer and our company’s filament. Our software engineers have programmed the sequential movement of the robots, the results of which can be seen in its amazing movement.’
Overall, design took a full month, with 3D printing and assembly taking another month. While that might seem like a long time, robotics call for very carefully designed parts to create efficient movement. ‘The weight of the printed parts is VERY important when designing a robot. More or less weight of the printed parts will complicate the process of balancing the robot and getting it to move in the way we wanted,’ Hugo explains. In-house made PLA filament was used for all the plastic parts, with the smaller pieces being completed in just under an hour. The only parts that weren’t 3D printed were the electrical and mechanical parts, such as the PCB board, wires and motors.
But all of this is obviously about Print-Rite’s FDM Colido 3D printer, which has only recently appeared on the market. ‘Print-Rite is a manufacturer in the aftermarket 3D printer private consumer industry, which started in 3D printing last year. Our 3D printer – Colido - was launched last year and we have 4 available models at this moment,’ Hugo says. Another four models are currently in development and scheduled for release in a year’s time, but Hugo tells us that all can are perfect for home users and for entry-level 3D printing startups and small companies.
And as the company explains, all models of the Colido 3D printer rely a few basic principles that should set them apart from other machines. Most notable among these is the relatively large build platform of some of them, with the Colido X3045 featuring a build space of 300 x 300 x 450 mm. All machines can also perfectly work with PLA and ABS materials, and all flexible, wood-like and transparent versions thereof.
Removal occurring around the 5 minute mark.
But perhaps most interesting it the machine’s patented glass platform. ‘The special coating on the platform allows easy removal of the printed object. Users can remove the object by bare hand and don’t need tools,’ Hugo explains. You can see that interesting feature in the clip above. And with price tags of around $1,000, this machine will doubtlessly interest quite a few users. If you would like to learn more about the Colido 3D printers, go to their website here.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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