Open Source Hardware
5 Steps to Building Your Own 3D Printer
How to go about building your very own OSE D3D Printer
In 2020, during the pandemic, I ordered my very own OSE D3D Pro 3D printer kit and assembled it at home. This article is how I did it and about how any DIY/maker enthusiast can do the same.
I will show you step-by-step what to do to successfully assemble your own 3D printer at home.
I assembled my first 8" print bed OSE D3D Pro printer in 5 days working at a leisurely pace, taking my time. I then went on to order my own 3D printer pieces in bulk to assemble a larger size 12" 3D printer as well as a smaller entry level 6" OSE D3D Universal printer.
Step #1: Download the OSE D3D Printer Build instructions
The D3D printer series come in 2 flavours:
- The D3D Universal which is the entry level printer with a 6" print bed. You can download the build instructions from Open Source Ecology Wiki or from here.
- The D3D Pro is an 8" print bed printer and is billed as a workhorse flexible and fast production 3D Printer and you can download the build instructions here.
- Things to note: The D3D series of 3D printers are of modular design and construction. The design philosophy carries over and is interchangeable between models. Remember that the designs are collaborative and open source, meaning that at any moment someone could improve on the original design and feed that back to the open source community. Case in point is the improvement made to the heated bed design. The latest design appears in the D3D Universal Build Instruction and this is a simpler and better design than in the D3D Pro build instructions. You can adapt the improved halogen heated bed design to the D3D Pro printer.
Step #2: Order the OSE D3D Universal or Pro kit
I recommend ordering the entry level D3D Universal kit from Open Source Ecology for $599, free shipping in the US. By ordering the kit you’re assured of having all the parts needed to assemble the 3D printer without the hassle of trying to count and source all the piece parts.
Step #3: Assemble Your OSE D3D Printer
From the kit you ordered you’ll find all the parts you need and with basic tools and basic soldering tools you can put it all together. You do need basic electric skills in order to read simple wiring diagrams when wiring the printer. You are working with mains power for which you need to be cognizant of the dangers of working with mains power.
Step #4: Additional Resources You Can Use
- D3D Pro Wiring Walkthrough. The wiring for D3D Pro and the D3D Universal is exactly the same. The only difference is the positioning of the electrical and electronic components, so the above mentioned guide helps by showing a video guide of the wiring and how all the components are wired together. I found this guide really helpful when I assembled my first 3D printer.
- If you need additional help there’s the Open Source Ecology community or you can send me an email at kenmakunga@gmail.com and if I can help, I will.
Step #5: Next Steps
- Once you’ve built your first printer and got it working, the sky’s the limit, literally! With this one printer you can print off the parts needed to build your 2nd, 3rd 4th printers ad infinitum, depending on your budget. You could order the electronics and specialised 3D printer parts from Aliexpress and buy in bulk. The other bits and bobs you can buy locally from your hardware store.
- The beauty of the OSE D3D series is that it’s modular and scalable. Once you build one OSE D3D printer you can build other variations with minor modifications. You can build a 6”, 8”, 12” and even an 18” print bed 3D printer.
https://youtube.com/shorts/vTDaNLMu1jQ?feature=share
And if you do build your own OSE D3D Printer and you make any modifications that improve the printer or encounter any issues which you solved in a unique way, remember to share with the rest of the community. That’s how we build cheaper, better, stronger open source hardware that can compete and ultimately surpass equivalent closed source hardware.
