Anyone heard more about the Ekocycle 3D printer?

[Pretzel]

Does anyone know if the Cube 3 cartridges can be used in the Ekocycle version? My team was wondering if we would be able to use the Cube 3 cartridges in order to get a wider variety of colors.

The best thing I could find was the description of the Ekocycle printer which says, "Exclusively printing in post-consumer waste...", but the cartridges do appear remarkably similar (besides the Ekocycle branding on one of them and the material inside).Has anyone tried to use a Cube 3 cartridge in it and can tell me how it went?

We're very happy to have the printer, with a number of parts already designed for when it arrives, but we're hoping we can order the blue Cube 3 cartridges to match our team colors!

[BeardyMentor]

Originally Posted by Pretzel

Does anyone know if the Cube 3 cartridges can be used in the Ekocycle version? My team was wondering if we would be able to use the Cube 3 cartridges in order to get a wider variety of colors.

The best thing I could find was the description of the Ekocycle printer which says, "Exclusively printing in post-consumer waste...", but the cartridges do appear remarkably similar (besides the Ekocycle branding on one of them and the material inside).Has anyone tried to use a Cube 3 cartridge in it and can tell me how it went?

We're very happy to have the printer, with a number of parts already designed for when it arrives, but we're hoping we can order the blue Cube 3 cartridges to match our team colors!

I do not believe you can use any other material than the partially recycled PET filament. Sorry, no blue with the stock electronics.

[topgun]

Got the Ekocycle printer today, got it setup, printed the test part that is part of the printer.

Now, how do I print my own file? I have a SolidWorks part. I assume I save it as an .stl file.

How do I actually print? Save it to a usb stick (as an .stl file) then stick that in the printer? I don't see a printer defined within Windows. The cubify.exe software seems more like a glorified web browser.

Your help is appreciated!

[tomy]

Originally Posted by topgun

Got the Ekocycle printer today, got it setup, printed the test part that is part of the printer.

Now, how do I print my own file? I have a SolidWorks part. I assume I save it as an .stl file.

How do I actually print? Save it to a usb stick (as an .stl file) then stick that in the printer? I don't see a printer defined within Windows. The cubify.exe software seems more like a glorified web browser.

Your help is appreciated!

I have found the most success from using cubify.exe. It allows you to control how you print. I.E. Solid, almost solid, hollow, honeycomb, ext. It's a little annoying to use but you have to use it.

[IronBenderII]

Got an email today that our printer shipped yesterday! The link in the email doesn't work though . I hope we get it soon enough that we can print some parts for our robot!!

[waialua359]

Ours shipped yesterday as well.

[ehochstein]

Originally Posted by IronBenderII

Got an email today that our printer shipped yesterday! The link in the email doesn't work though . I hope we get it soon enough that we can print some parts for our robot!!

If you look at the URL through which the tracking link takes you, there is a letter at the end of the tracking number. Remove the letter and you can see the tracking information.

[billbo911]

Originally Posted by IronBenderII

Got an email today that our printer shipped yesterday! The link in the email doesn't work though . I hope we get it soon enough that we can print some parts for our robot!!

If WolfPack needs some help and pointers with 3D printing, we will gladly help you out.
We will be using several printed parts on our robot this year and have learned a few tricks.

[David Brinza]

We received an email from Cubify this morning - our printer has shipped!

FedEx says we should receive it Wed pm.

Hopefully, we get their USB stick and don't have issues activating the printer.

We've got at least one part we'd like to print for our robot: a magnetic encoder mount.

[Qbot2640]

Originally Posted by David Brinza

We've got at least one part we'd like to print for our robot: a magnetic encoder mount.

I don't know what your application is, or what encoder you're using, but last year we mounted a magnetic rotary encoder over our shooter's tilt pivot to measure the angle. The 3D printed mount method worked perfectly to hold the encoder, but we had a great deal of trouble keeping the encoder's chip perfectly aligned above the magnet. It would give us bad values when it strayed. We ultimately replaced it with a potentiometer, which was much better for our application...just keep it in mind if you're doing something similar.

[IronBenderII]

Originally Posted by ehochstein

If you look at the URL through which the tracking link takes you, there is a letter at the end of the tracking number. Remove the letter and you can see the tracking information.

It looks like the email was a little premature, I went to test this and this time the link worked - but it hasn't even been picked up yet .

Originally Posted by billbo911

If WolfPack needs some help and pointers with 3D printing, we will gladly help you out.
We will be using several printed parts on our robot this year and have learned a few tricks.

Thanks Bill!

[brynnanotbrenda]

Congrats! We were selected last year, and we didn't get our 3D printer until about week 4. So I wouldn't worry.

[Fusion_Clint]

I queried them today and ours is set to ship no later than 1/30/15; we placed the order on 12/9/14.

[IronBenderII]

Originally Posted by Fusion_Clint

I queried them today and ours is set to ship no later than 1/30/15; we placed the order on 12/9/14.

Yeah. You (like I) just need to remember the huge donation they gave us. I'm thankful for the opportunity and try to manage my natural impatience .

[David Brinza]

Originally Posted by Qbot2640

I don't know what your application is, or what encoder you're using, but last year we mounted a magnetic rotary encoder over our shooter's tilt pivot to measure the angle. The 3D printed mount method worked perfectly to hold the encoder, but we had a great deal of trouble keeping the encoder's chip perfectly aligned above the magnet. It would give us bad values when it strayed. We ultimately replaced it with a potentiometer, which was much better for our application...just keep it in mind if you're doing something similar.

We're using them as an incremental encoders for our drive train. This worked very well last year, allowing us to implement an automatic transmission for our Super Shifters. This year, we purchased AMS encoders from Mouser and will integrate them onto Toughboxes.