Preliminary study for a full colour low cost open source 3D printer, based on the combination of fused deposition modelling (FDM) or fused filament fabrication (FFF) and inkjet printing

Additive manufacturing techniques (AM) have enhanced product quality and exponentially increase their application both from the industrial point of view and from the consumer point of view. A decisive development in the “consumer” sector has been observed over the last 5 years thanks to open source projects (Fab@home, RepRap), which enabled the production of low cost machines with the use of cheap electronic and mechanical components and open source software. Among the possible future developments of low cost AM technologies, there is an improvement of finished product capabilities and appearance to obtain coloured components, made directly during printing phase. This paper tries to respond to this need by assessing the feasibility of realizing a low-cost AM system that integrates automatic colouring in a consumer 3D printer. The proposed system is a hybrid between a fused filament fabrication 3D printer, derived from an open-source project, and a 2D commercial inkjet printer; the two systems share the mechanics, but keep the movement control and the three-dimensional and two-dimensional printing process separate. The study continues with the theorization, modeling and creation of the interfaces required for conversion of control signals and a first experimentation of the same control. The two systems, using a different mechanics, use different motor control systems.