IDEX

IDEX was a 3D printer that I developed the design requirements for after using both hobbyist and professional 3D printers. This project was completed for senior level mechanical engineering course at WPI. In a perfect world 3D printing provides the engineer with an independence from the immediate consideration of manufacturability. If the design intention is for the final product to be 3D printed. Hobbyist 3D printers often lack a secondary support material, and large build volume. I believed that it was possible to create a printer that fulfills these goals while costing less than professional machines. The most important requirement was the ability to print with a soluble support material. This would allow for overhangs and bridges to be printed without having to compromise the surface quality of the supported geometry. There is often scarring or drooping on the bottom surface of 3D prints that are supported with the same material as the part.