My next project will be a printer now. Stupid question time… what is the max size one of these can be, realistically that is…? Or is it more to do with the heated bed sizes available? I’ve searched a bit, but figured I’d ask here for the experiences of those who have built them.
For a long time, the most common print bed size was 8"x8" (200mmx200mm). Most everything you will find a premade model for is smaller than that. Many many import printers come with that sized bed. So that is a pretty common size and parts are a good value.
There are some new common 300x300mm printers, like the creality cr-10/10s. So now you can easily buy those sizes. That is the size of my current printer. But I rarely ever print anything over 200x200mm.
Larger than that, and you will probably be building a bed out of multiple heaters or big silicone A/C heaters.
The MP3DP Repeat can be customized for any sized bed. The M03DPv2 is going to be tougher to scale, but it can be done. It is meant for the 200mm-ish size beds.
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In one of Prusa’s many blogs and press announcements about their Prusa XL they said that this style of printer gets… sloppy when you too big. With a bed that moves as the Y axes and an X axes that spans over a bed you get to much mass moving around on frames that are too flexible. They capped out their Prusa MK3 at 250mm, 210mm. Then they went with a core XY design with hardened steel rails when they made the Prusa XL. The V1 Repeat does the same thing so it can scale pretty well.
With that said. I agree with Jeffe. Bigger is not always better. I have several printers of various sizes and yet the one I go to first is my smallest one. Less heat waste off the bed. Less wasted energy and less heat in my room that my AC has to work against. It is also a core XY design and is VERY accurate so that’s nice.
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Food for thought! Thank you guys. Itching to build one as an excuse to make zenxy coffee table in future.
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FWIW I like the flexibillity of my Anycubic Chiron, which is 400x400x450 or something like that. You can buy the bed by itself I think.
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If you want big, check out THIS build. I think he’s bordering on legend status.
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I was just about to mention Dui 
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Mine is 350 cubed. Though I think I can print a touch higher. The newer mp3dp should be able to get this big, corexy scales a bit better than bed slinger cartesian.
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