Portable e-NABLE Lab Proposal

The proposal is now decoupled from the Rwanda trip. I can attest from our experience sending Fricis and Ed to Sierra Leone, and my experience with the Honduran team. that the logistics of transporting 3D-printers are genuinely burdernsome. @bobrieger

I like the idea however why is a portable printer needed? WIll it be moving from site to site around Rwanda or will is this more from bringing a printer from the USA to a single site in Rwanda? I work in Colombia where transport from site to site is not necessary as we use our budget to pay for the recipienet to viist our workshop twice...once for measurements and the 2nd time for delivery, training and rehab. My other question is are funds available for workers/volunteers to develop projects? We have one full time local employee here but have many more part time volunteers that i would love to pay to give us more stability. Projects that we are in the final stages of development and ready to launch to the enable community include a bionic mio electric arm (fully documented) , Ultrasonic Arm for blind people (fully documented) , Assitive eating devices and rehabilitation resources. All of these could be brought to life much quicker if funding for volunteers is available. Is this a valid use of funds?

@adamarmfield The portable e-NABLE lab proposal is now fully decoupled from the Rwanda internship proposal. I envision the portable e-NABLE lab used for both purposes you mentioned. In my mind the take-away is this: easy transport of all equipment and materials necessary to make the most popular e-NABLE hands, whether traveling to a local school/convention or to a remote location halfway around the world!

I'll defer to others in the community regarding your additional funding questions.

Thanks for your thoughts Adam.

My interpretation of past votes is that the community wants to use the EnableFund to support projects that will benefit the entire community. Those sound like great and appropriate projects.

See this recent article: https://wikifactory.com/+e-NABLE/stories/e-nable-has-funds-you-have-projects

Excellent news. I voted to approve the project. We have had the need to attend many stands at universities and fund raising events and i know how difficult it can be. Great to hear there are more funds available...i missed that last enable has funds post. We will submit something this week. :)

@adamarmfield and spread the word. You might fear competition, but I think there is more funding to be had as we we prove we can do this well....

Thanks Jon. Will do. I thrive on competition ;)

@lelandgreen Thank you for your vote and I will make those calculations soon. We have an Ender-3 Pro in the Rochester e-NABLE lab, and I intend to directly measure its current draw under various conditions (with or without bed heating, etc.) I'll compare the current and amp-hours necessary to print an e-NABLE hand with the capacities of different batteries and solar options, and report those figures for your (and the community's) review.

Perfect! That's really the perfect way to calculate it. :sunglasses:
Thank you.

@sandradermisek Thank you for your feedback Sandra. I agree with you that individual chapters should purchase equipment for their individual needs. As you mentioned, many chapters might benefit from the proposed portable e-NABLE lab. The intention of the proposal is to fund the research and development (and prototype) of a portable e-NABLE lab so that all chapters can benefit from the well-documented open-source plans. I have some innovative ideas to test and share, but I need the community's input and support. Thanks again for engaging.

Ok, I now understand a bit more what your plan is, but I am still a bit sceptic. All parts that you will use on the prototype should be something that can be purchased in almost all countries. Also 3D printers are almost always not made for carrying around. I worry that a lot of effort must be made to tune the printer again, before it runs smoothly again. So I am doubting if this project will be succesfull. Maybe you should explain more about what you intent to do. Maybe you can convince me that this can be succesfull and of benefit of all e-NABLE Community.

Hi Sandra. the ultimaker go is designed with a portable bag to be carried around and no retuning is required apart from bed leveling occasionally . Though it is a much better and sturdier printer than the ender 3. I guess part of this proposal is to create a cheaper alternative to the ultimaker go?

@adamarmfield Hi Adam, thanks for the comment. I wasn't familiar with the Ultimaker Go, but this is a good indication of the utility of a portable 3D printer. Though it's small, I wonder how well it truly travels great distances? I agree, part of the proposal is to create an inexpensive portable printer that anyone can feel confident to build with a few modifications of an off-the-shelf Ender-3. Aside from the printer itself, a big part of the portable e-NABLE lab proposal is having all necessary functionality, tools, and materials to make an e-NABLE hand right in the suitcase. For example, I have a few ideas for borrowing heat from the print bed for thermoforming gauntlets, etc. I'll look forward to discussing more ideas with you if the process moves forward.

Hi Sandra, thank you for the thoughts. I agree that it is importance to be able to source needed parts in most countries, and I'll keep that in mind. True robustness balanced with portability is key. I will be populating a Google Doc (link can be found in the project proposal) with intentions, sketches, and other ideas which will further flesh out the plan over the coming days and weeks. I look forward to more thoughts and feedback on the portable e-NABLE lab proposal.

I really appreciate the discussion, everyone. And personally agree with Sandra that EnableFund projects should benefit the larger community.

Since Rochester Enable Lab is the presumed custodian of this device, I'll share some thoughts about how this project could benefit the whole community.

1) If it proves successful, the device would be a loaner. If a volunteer can pay shipping and perhaps recalibration costs, wants to borrow it for an e-NABLE-appropriate activity, we would be happy to take responsiblity for packing and shipping.

2) if a borrower wants to acquire one of these, we could

..a) remind them that our documentation should make it easy for them to make their own.

..b1) offer to sell them the one they have fallen in love with

..b2) build a new one in the lab, incorporating what we have learned and updating documentation.

..b3) employ our student lab techs to do the building and calibration.

If this would win your vote @sandradermisek , I think Kyle would write it in to the proposal...

Generally feel positive about this project so don't let the my questions discourage you. A few thoughts:

• Is the Ender 3 widely used in the eNABLE community and generally considered a safe and robust printer? Can it print flexibles (that are becoming more widely used) out-of-box? Price just seems awfully cheap for something that will primarily be a "prosthetic" hand printer.

• Will the folding hardware be metal or 3D printed?

• Is two weeks enough time to iron out all kinks?

• Lastly, what will define success quantitatively? If eNABLE is going to sponsor this, would love to see a more robust outcome measure. Like standard Ender3 vs backpack printer (w/ 'X' mins assembly) on standard benchmark prints (benchy/torture test/etc).

@jasonbender Hi Jason, these are great comments. I have had many years of experience with Ultimaker, MakerBot, and delta-style 3D printers and have incorporated robust design features from these styles of printer into my own bioprinters. The Creality line of printers are Prusa-esque, and I've gotten to know the Ender-3 Pro as I've been working in the Rochester e-NABLE Lab. Unlike many printers in the Ultimaker or MakerBot style with a rigid 6-panel frame (box), I believe printers in the Prusa style lend themselves to be hinged for folding the unit up, or broken apart into two pieces (upper XZ and lower Y) for transport. I like the aluminum extrusion construction of the Ender for ease of attaching additional hardware or modifying its construction with basic hand tools. The Prusa's rod and bearing construction is arguably more robust than the Ender's wheels, but I was concerned they may get jostled or bent in transport.

I haven't decided on hardware yet, or even if it will indeed fold. I am considering multiple options that will be finalized when I have the parts in front of me and I can test different configurations. If we go the folded route, we could borrow John Diamond's partially 3D printer hinging system, or find a metal alternative.

While I'm requesting two weeks of build time, I will be working on design considerations from now until the time construction begins. I believe it will be enough based on previous experience creating new types of 3D printers.

That is a great suggestion. I imagine we will run the printer through standard tests in the lab, and make sure it prints well when dialed in under ideal conditions. I'd then like to pack it up and transport it somewhere, perhaps to someones garage and run through some standard prints in a 'field test' simulation. I welcome any additional quantitative and qualitative test suggestions.

Thanks for the response. I'm a little confused about when the funds
get used, are they only for the construction and documentation of the
final product, or are some of the funds for design & testing, and some
for construction & documentation?

If the first case (only construction & docs), I would say funding
should wait until a functional prototype is demonstrated. If the
second case (funds design & construction phases), could the
disbursement be split into two--one to get to a working prototype, and
a second (w/ successful prototype) to complete construction and
document?

This would help to minimize risk on the part of eNABLE.

Hi @kylereeser,

You clearly know your business. I hadn't heard of this, but he does have some excellent ideas.
* Here's a good description for everyone about John Diamond's folding 3D printer: https://blog.hackster.io/this-3d-printer-was-designed-from-the-ground-up-to-be-truly-portable-2dc82e78380b
* It says that it folds down and locks in place. So there should be no way for anything to get bent. Unless a rod falls out of the package and gets stepped on or something. But if it's locked in, that should be impossible.
* Which makes me think that one consideration should be that it is clearly locked or unlocked, preferably via "icons" that are exposed/hidden when operating the latch mechanism (both close and open).
That single feature should prevent 99% of user-errors before shipping it back to e-NABLE -- or anywhere.
* Also note he includes a small spool of filament right inside the case. Looks like there might be room for a couple of large ones. (??)
* I've not looked at the full build log of this one, yet, which you probably know is here: https://www.instructables.com/id/Bergen-Makerspace-Transportable-3D-Printer/

I'm just throwing out observations/suggestions as they hit me. I hope some of them help. :sunglasses:

Gracias!🖖😎

@lelandgreen Thanks Leland, John does great work. I'll look into this more. I like the suggestion of "user error-proofing" the system in some way. I'll look into ways to make the system intuitive and mitigate user errors, and incorporate those ideas into the design plans. Cheers!

@jasonbender Hi Jason, thank you for your comments. You're right, I didn't build the specifics of fund release into the proposal, and I will be making modifications accordingly. I'd like to propose three benchmarks for release of funds:

1. I will settle on major design features of the Portable e-NABLE Lab and generate a clear engineering plan. I will generate a bill of materials that is as specific and comprehensive as possible, with the understanding that I may need to purchase incidental materials during the construction phase as necessary. After I produce this transparent plan of attack, the materials budget in the proposal will be released so that I may begin to make purchases for the project.

2. The first half of the labor budget will be dispersed when I have successfully modified the off-the-shelf Ender-3 Pro 3D printer for transportation (whether through folding or reversibly splitting of the machine into two sections), updated the community as to this success, and updated my original engineering plan (from benchmark 1) to include any modifications or insights regarding the project. At this point I may not have built any components into the suitcase, but the proof-of-concept modification of the printer is a necessary first step.

3. The second half of the labor budget will be dispersed after I have provided comprehensive written and photographic documentation of the successful prototype Portable e-NABLE Lab for open source dissemination (i.e. I will create a Wikifactory project dedicated to the Portable e-NABLE Lab).

I feel these benchmarks will help minimize the risk to the e-NABLE community and provide the transparency in the process which I should have included in the original proposal.

Thanks again.

@theo27 Hi Theo, Thank you for your comments, these are two key pieces of information that I will clarify in the proposal.

I envision the Portable e-NABLE Lab to be able to run off of a vehicle battery in the field, a battery which is installed in a vehicle such that the battery could be recharged by running the vehicle. In this way the battery capacity is less important. I don't envision having a battery installed in the suitcase which the 3D printer could run off of (at least for very long), though perhaps it could include a laptop battery for the Raspberry Pi to run off of temporarily. I will still be doing current draw tests as suggested by Leland and adding that to the spec sheet of the Portable e-NABLE Lab as I draw up those plans.

A back-of-the-envelope calculation for total weight of the Portable e-NABLE Lab comes to less than 40 pounds (18 kg) which includes the proposed hard case weight of 14 pounds (6.4 kg) and the Ender-3 Pro package weight of 19 pounds (8.6 kg) for a total of 33 pounds (15 kg), and takes into account the other necessities and utilities in the unit. We can look into lighter hard cases to reduce overall weight, but I like the ruggedness of the one proposed. The proposed hard case also has wheels for transport on hard surfaces, and will be fitted with the backpack conversion kit for transport in other conditions.

@evertonlins Hi Everton, thank you for your thoughts. The key purpose of the proposal is to have a convenient way to bring the key functionality and materials to make e-NABLE prosthetics anywhere that requires it. Here's what I may not be getting across in my proposal, and what I will work to improve in the proposal: I'd like to build a Portable e-NABLE Lab that serves several purposes:

--It will transport well across the world. This is key. I contend that it should fit in an overhead compartment on a plane, and because of this, it should either (1) fold or (2) separate into two or more pieces for transport.

--It will be broadly useful. This is to say that once the Portable e-NABLE Lab has reached its destination (a conference, a Maker Faire, a proper facility to work in that has electricity, or a remote location with or without electricity) the Portable e-NABLE Lab should be useful in that scenario.

To address your questions:

1. I don't intend for the printer to run off of battery power from a vehicle exclusively, this was just one potential example of how the unit could be powered. I agree with you that if the intention of the Portable e-NABLE Lab was solely to take it directly from an e-NABLE facility, in a car, to a remote destination, then the portability would be less of a concern, and we could get away with using a "normal" printer.

2. The main difference between this project and others is two-fold:

2a. This proposal is to construct and document a Portable e-NABLE Lab, which includes a transportable 3D printer, but also (and just as important) includes additional necessary utility and materials to create the most popular e-NABLE prosthetic devices when the user is away from their "home base."

2b. The proposal assumes others in the e-NABLE community or those outside the community may want to reproduce the Portable e-NABLE Lab, but may not be keen on scratch-built 3D printers and the headaches that go along with such projects. My proposal identifies an inexpensive yet fairly robust off-the-shelf printer (the Ender-3 Pro) and the deliverable will include instructions on basic modifications of this off-the-shelf printer which will make it portable. In this way, we are not re-inventing the portable 3D printer wheel, we are adapting an existing printer for incorporation into a larger Portable e-NABLE Lab kit.

Thanks for your questions and comments, they will be incorporated into the proposal document for clarification of the goals of the proposal.

Hey @kylereeser , thank you for your feedback. I understood the proposal and I think is very good for chapters with a good budget. I know by experience that for most chapters/volunteers outside the USA is almost impossible to buy an Ender-3, It is inexpensive for USA standars, but due to import taxes and shipping cost it becomes very expensive for Brazil, for example. Is cheaper to mount printers from scratch or to buy cheaper DIY kits from China. My personal opinion is that this is a good, but expensive project for the "little guy", only the material cost is $ 839,23 and for other countries this cost will be higher due to import taxes. That's why I am changing my vote.
I thank you for all the information and wish you luck with the project!

@evertonlins Thank you for your feedback Everton. We had to make a choice on whether it would be a modification of an off-the-shelf unit that anyone could do, or build a printer from scratch that might come with more headaches. I believe we have done all we can to reduce the overall material costs of the printer aspect of the Portable e-NABLE Lab by sourcing an inexpensive off-the-shelf printer for the project. The deliverable should offer a recipe for the e-NABLE community around the world to build a Portable e-NABLE Lab, with the potential for swapping in country-specific materials which are easier or less expensive to source. Cheers

This idea of a suitcase printer has been done many times over. All info is out on the inter-web for building this project already, so there is no reason to reinvent the wheel.
I have extensive experience with Creality products and know that to be a reliable printer they need upgrades. ( bad solder joints on PCB board, faulty XT60 connector that melts ( I know from experience! ), unreliable extruder that grinds filament and under extrudes, firmware needs to be upgraded to have thermal runaway protection, ect. ). Fixing and upgrading is what I love about the Chinese products!
If it is going to be a loaner, what control will you have in place to keep it in top shape and keep it from being destroyed.
I will have to agree with @evertonlins. As to the cost of shipping to countries outside the U.S.
My Ender 3 Pro was $130 us to ship to Panama let alone a Pelican case and other parts to build the system.
I'm sorry if this sounds to negative but I know the facts of owning one.

@michaelbowman Thanks for your thoughts Michael. You are right that the 'printer in a suitcase' is not a new concept, and knowing that it can be done (and well!) is encouraging. The true novelty of the Portable e-NABLE Lab will be packing in all necessary functionality, materials, and tools to make the most popular e-NABLE hands where ever you take it. I've had very high-quality success with the Ender-3 Pro 3D printer, it is a great little printer.

In the case where the printer becomes a loaner for the community, it will be the responsibility of the design of the system as a whole (my responsibility) to ensure the system transports well, and the responsibility of the user to ensure the system is treated with care and to report any issues. Thanks for the insights into long-term Ender-3 ownership. Cheers

I have worked with Kyle long enough to believe that he will do a good job on this project. He has the skills and determination to make it successful. Furthermore, I think other chapters may have found the problems that we have seen at Rochester e-NABLE Lab in that we move a printer to demonstrations, maker faires , special projects and such several times a year. Moving often does damage to the printer in spite of taking precautions.

Printers usually do not have good grasping points for two people to carry them, and one person carrying 40 pounds or so is not ergonomically safe in any grasp other than like a suit case. We always place them on the car seat rather than on the floor or trunk and we strap down moving parts with zipties, but vibrations still cause screws to become loose, etc.

We have put the Enders to good use and having one to easily transport safely would be of value to our lab. Other upgrades to the Enders have been well documented on Youtube, etc. and investing some maker time in upgrades using printed parts, etc. is probably also a good investment along with making one portable.

I am in favor of the project.

I like the idea, that such equipment could be inrepracable for educational purposes. Most desktop printers are either fragile or fully metal cloacked which results in bulk and expences to travel with.

This one seems that could fit for cabin luggage for flights, but if Pelican or other suitcase can be protective enough to travel through sadomy what luggage sometimes experience - I would look for what's the largest trustable printer or adapt to fit adults lims as well.

That said - even in cases, electronics are fragile travelers. soldering end to end conections and drowned blob of silicone might help.
But if it's not, tutor has to have some basic electronics understanding with simple troubleshoot guide by the eye. To not fail the ambasador role.

I wonder if it might make sense to state more clearly within the proposal the direct benefits to enable community and to research community (maybe create two bullet point lists) . I see some of you discussed benefits in comments but I think it could in the long run get lost. Being able to more easily visualize will help others who push similar work in the future or want to build off your work

@saiphsavage Hi Saiph, thank you for the suggestion. I will add to the proposal later tonight to include very clear, direct benefits to the e-NABLE community (as you pointed out, we have hashed out many additions in the comments that could be added directly to the proposal. I'll update this thread when I'd added those points to the proposal. Cheers!

Hey Guys! I think this could be a great idea to implement. Look, I have a long history working in rural South Africa in development projects and programs. During pre-marketing and pre-implementation phases we have teams which capture beneficiaries for projects. Usually this is done with pen and paper but I've been working on an app that would assist in better capturing these beneficiaries while systematically pin pointing their location for CAD or mapping purposes (this is all besides the point). My point is, when capturing these beneficiaries we take vehicles as far as possible then travel by foot (unless other means are available) but we don't travel empty handed, things like survey equipment may be needed, measuring or testing equipment. I don't think travelling on foot with this backpack would not be a problem at all, and I really think this would be a fantastic product to develop. In fact just a few weeks ago; a member of my team and I were discussing the concept of portable 3D printers to serve rural Africa- she in fact found this post and sent me the pictures of this project. That was before I joined... I am now trying to be as actively involved as possible and I hope my input comes in handy. Cheers

I think the vote is closed; I personally just wanted to leave my comment on this proposal for future reference. I am quite certain @kylereeser is continuing with this project.... but I cannot confirm with absolute certainty.