The Microcluster campaign is officially funded (at over 400%) of our goal! This means that we will definitely be shipping the first batch of Microcluster kits and bundles in early December! Huge thanks to everyone who has backed, shared, and helped this campaign along :)

For this update I’d like to address some of the common 3D printing issues that the Microcluster is designed to solve:

Drafts:

3D printing works best when the part is kept at a consistent temperature; rapid cooling from a door being opened or the AC kicking on can cause weak parts, part splitting and parts being knocked off of the bed. An enclosure will also help retain some of the heat coming off of your printer, letting the layers fuse together over a longer time to create stronger parts.

Dust:

It doesn’t matter what printer you have, a thin coating of dust on the build surface will prevent any plastic from sticking to the bed, and you’ll end up with a hot gooey mess. Enclosing printers keeps them ready for print job after print job, whether it’s in a library or a woodshop.

Deskspace:

Modern "desktop" printers are space hogs, and generally don’t leave much elbow room when they’re sitting on your desk. Reclaim your deskspace by relocating your printer to a purpose built enclosure and have more room for activities. Add the OctoPanel and you can monitor and control the printer from any internet connected device through the excellent (and open source!) OctoPrint interface.

Development Costs:

Sending designs to be made out of house costs a lot of time and money, especially for injection molding something like a multi-part electronics housing. Bringing a ready make cluster into your business can help cut development times and deliver products to market faster than ever, especially at medium and low volumes.

If you’ve been struggling with any of these issues and are ready to up your 3D printing game, pledge by October 30th for the special Crowd Supply campaign pricing and delivery in early December!

Thanks again and happy printing :)
-Bam and the Colorado Printing Project team