LCD Based 3D Printer - Introduction

[AndersonTa]

[Oneminde]

[Phife]

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the lack of updates, but as I said. its just me and my limited budget working on this project so progress is slow. I think I need to build a team to help me develop this project. I will get to spend some time building the LED array this weekend, im still waiting on the lenses.

In the mean time, i'll answer questions and post some progress pics. I'll start a proper thread in the next couple of weeks.

Scanning the LED's doesnt seem like it would have any advantages. Its cheap enough to build and run an array, you can expose the entire surface of the LCD at once and build quick layers.. Hopefully I have enough power to do a continuous build but I dont think its going to be that easy to get working.

As for the LCD modifications, You will need a Grayscale LCD,no color filters. You will also need to make sure you have a controller card for it as they are usually high resolution in the size Im using.

Im getting the bare panels and controller cards, Im just stripping out the backlight and removing the antiglare layers from both sides of the LCD. No other modifications have been done. I tested several different types of grayscale LCD's many are similar but some use propriety controller cards that are hard to find.

[Oneminde]

[Phife]

Yes, typically the Greyscale LCD are expensive because they are used for medical purposes. But really, there is not reason why they cost more for the panels themselves.. Its actually easier to make a greyscale lcd then a regular color LCD.. You just leave out the application of the color filter stage. I have found a source for decently priced panels, hopefully in the future I can get it even cheaper with bulk orders. Im also looking into removing the color filters in some way, but its not an easy task.

In a color LCD, you are not displaying black or white images, for white, all 3 colors (RGB) are on, but for our purposes only the blue color filter lets through the light we need. Red and green block the required wavelengths reducing your useable light by 2/3rds. And even then, the blue color filter only allows a small amount of the near UV light through. In a grey scale LCD, when the pixel is on it is transparent.

For now, the greyscale LCD is a limiting factor. They come as small as 4" and as large as 27", but perhaps if this type of printer takes off we could get a manufacturer to make us custom panels in the sizes we want.

I plan to order the panels and controllers in bulk and sell them as a kit.

Got the Custom MCPCB's and LED's yesterday..

[zerospace]

Incredibly interested in your research, please keep it up!

[Oneminde]

@ Phife
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by color filters as LCD uses a block of red, green and blue "gas chamber" per pixel. Its not a filter per say. I'm not sure what you mean by filter, could you expand on that ?



But otherwise, your work and ideas are absolutely great. I am following with great interest

---- EDIT ----
Looks like I found what you are talking about. I need to investigate this

[Phife]

[Oneminde]

[Finhead]

This the kind of Monitor needed for your setup? These are about 2.5 hrs from me, looks like a decent price for 4 can also offer less.