AG3D Colossus
Unofficially the largest 3D printer on Vancouver Island, I designed this beast of a printer, sourced all necessary components, and constructed it as parts arrived over a period of 3 months. Measuring a meter to a side, this printer has an XYZ build volume of 33.5” x 33” x 33.5”, giving it roughly 60 times the build volume of the average consumer printer, 20% larger than even Stratasys’s commercial Fortus 900.
I’m very proud of this project and the capabilities it provides for large-scale 3D printing. A huge shoutout to Kate Forrest of Replik8 Studios and The Beyonds Creative Solutions Inc for her sponsorship, which made this whole project possible.
= Features =
Large-Format Build Volume
This printer’s 33.5” x 33” x 33.5” XYZ build volume gives it roughly 60 times the build volume of the average consumer printer. This size gives the printer massive potential for the purposes of large-scale printing.
Direct-Drive Extruder
The direct-drive extruder setup utilized in this printer allows for greater control over print accuracy, minimizing retraction requirements and circumventing a long and ungainly Bowden setup. The all-metal extruder body and hardened steel gear also provide a strong and reliable grip on filament, further reducing the likelihood of clogs and print failures.
32-bit SKR v1.4 Turbo Board
The brains of this printer are in the BIGTREETECH SKR v1.4 Turbo, a 32-bit control board which allows for powerful and accurate control over the operation of this large-format machine.
TMC 2208 v1.2 Stepper Drivers
The stepper motors controlling the extruder and coordinate axes of the printer are controlled by Eryone TMC 2208 v1.2 stepper motor drivers, which provide the steppers with precise control for high-quality, dimensionally-accurate prints.
Customized Marlin 2.0 Firmware
This printer is equipped with a customized version of the latest open-source Marlin firmware, providing safe and reliable control over the printer and its features. This firmware includes thermal runaway protection, multi-driver support for Z-axis motors, customized menu items, a personalized bootscreen, and more.
One-Dimensional Print Bed
While most Cartesian consumer printers are designed to allow the bed to move on the Y axis while the printhead traverses the XZ plane, this setup becomes impractical as the bed increases in size. The Y-axis experiences large accelerations, and imparting such accelerations on a large-format print bed would result in high inertia and poor control. To circumvent this, the bed was instead constrained to travel only along the Z-axis, which experiences comparatively little acceleration and movement. The printhead then traverses the XY plane, remaining vertically stationary at the top of the printer as the bed gradually travels downwards.
XY Linear Rail Guides
The Colossus’s printhead moves about the XY plane by way of belt drive. In each axis, the gantry is guided along beefy linear rails, which provide the printhead with a smooth, nearly frictionless motion.
Z Linear Shaft Guides
The Colossus’s bedframe is supported by dual leadscrews which are synchronized to accurately control the vertical position of the bed. Quad linear shafts and ball bearings accompany these leadscrews to ensure that the bed is constrained to a smooth and linear travel path.
Mirror Bed
A oversized, custom-cut mirror was used as the print surface for the bed, as it ensured a perfectly flat build surface and was relatively inexpensive. The perfectly planar nature of a cut mirror provides an effective and aesthetic surface for printing of various filaments.