a review by Tom Piper
Since fused disposition modeling (FDM) was first developed in 1988, additive manufacturing using plastic extrusion has come a long way. After the first FDM patent expired in 2009, many companies developed a wide variety of what became known as 3D printers using plastic filament. At the 2019 Consumer Electronic Show (CES), over 50 companies displayed their versions of 3D printers using plastic, metal, ceramic, resin, food and other components. One of the top products shown was from a Chinese company, Shenzhen Yuejiang Technology Co. Ltd., which prints in multiple colors.
The newly-introduced modular color-mixing 3D printer DOBOT MOOZ-3 features a delta structure and high-printing efficiency. Equipped with a three-color print head with three extruders, I can easily create mixed color printing artworks via the controller extruding through one nozzle. By setting different feeding speed and printing time of the three differently-colored raw filaments many different patterns are possible. It is very versatile with two schemes of color-mixing in CMY color mode to 3D print the desirable color patterns.
When the 25-pound box first arrived, I found all the pieces and parts to be well-packed and very well-described. Assembly took me about four hours of careful construction, following the excellent instructions (although I wish they were printed bigger). The initial setup requires a 3-point leveling procedure which is actually very easy to do since it is mostly automated using a single sheet of paper. This is followed by the mandatory Z-axis motion control setting, which was also very easy to do. Once the machine is “leveled”, the three spools of colored filament must be inserted into the extruder motors and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, or teflon) pipes so that they reach the heated nozzles (this was a little challenging because the strong springs on the motor gears, but this is good to make a continuous feed for the print nozzle).
Once activated, the easy-to-use controller and app provided rich printing color patterns making the MOOZ-3 suitable for most beginners, do-it-yourselfers, educators and artists. The two printing modes, including color-switch and color-blending, generate different colors of my creation using CMY (cyan, magenta, yellow) which blend together perfectly through one nozzle into layers of my selection or switch seamlessly for faster and finer results. The filament is deposited onto a removable magnetic glass heated-bed platform that improves the flatness and stickiness of my prints (it also comes with a sticker to protect the glass bed from any potential damages).
Creating specifically for color-mixing 3D printing, the MOOZ-3 shows very high efficiency and incredible fidelity. By using a 0.4mm nozzle, it provides me with detailed and gorgeous results. The 3-in/1-out color mix print head not only gives a rich mixture of color combination of the printing objects, but also brings forth high efficiency and ultra-fast printing speeds. Different colors blend together perfectly so that I can create multi-color objects without encountering any trouble. Click on this link to view the unit in action:
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Since I was new 3D printer, I had many questions for DOBOT representatives, who responded to my emails quickly and effectively. There were some issues with how to connect my 15” MacBook Pro to the MOOZ-3 unit, but they repeatedly helped me register the necessary settings in the Ultimaker Cura 3.1 software. I quickly learned that it was far more effective to download models from a variety of free or low-cost sources in STL, OBJ or AMF formats, which are then “sliced” by the Cura software, then saved as Gcode files onto the flash drive. Using the flash drive relieved my computer from needing to be continuously connected during the print process, which can often take from two to 11 hours, depending on the size and complexity of the print model.
The print models which I’ve downloaded to my computer from DOBOT representatives have produced colorful and delightful vases, figurines and other objects. These were transferred to a flash drive, which is then inserted into the MOOZ-3, which is equipped with a microcomputer touch screen controller that I used to start the creating process. After setting my color mix and layer dimensions, another screen allows me to select which model I want to print, and one touch begins the process.
Over the past two months of experience, I have printed 25 models (see picture below), with only three partial failures due to adhesion detachments from the base during printing. This problem has been fixed by cleaning the base after each print, then using applying Elmer’s purple washable glue stick before each print cycle. This is a simple and inexpensive technique at assures successful prints every time. I am so pleased with resulting prints which have excellent resolution (fine detail) and minimal filament removal when finished.
If the machine crashes or I have a power outage, the state of the current print job (SD card model only) will be saved to a file on the SD card, the firmware will present an option to Resume the interrupted print job. Another interesting feature of the DOBOT MOOZ-3 allows me to wirelessly send files from my iPhone XS Max (its also compatible with other mobile phones) to the 3D printer with no cable needed, sparing me the trouble of wire setting or computer connection.
Below are some of the key specifications for the MOOZ-3 3D printer and attachments:
- Overall Dimensions printer: 11.5” x 12.5” x 12.1”
- Adapter Input 100-240V~50/60Hz, 1.8A max
- Adapter Output 12V~6.5A
- Main Material aircraft-grade aluminum
- Operation Panel 3.5” diagonal LCD touch pad
- Nozzle Diameter 0.0236”
- Layer Resolution 0.002”~0.012”
- Nozzle Temperature 500°F Max
- Heated bed Temperature 212°F Max (at 68F ambient temperature)
- Forming Size 3.9” x 3.9”
- Applicable Materials 0.067” PLA, ABS
- Printing Speed 0.39”~3.94”/sec
- Operating Temperature 32~104°F
The DOBOT MOOZ-3 is one of the most innovative and dependable plastic extrusion 3D printers on the market. To learn more, to to https://www.dobot.cc/products/mooz-3-overview.html where it can be purchased for $599.00 (USD). DOBOT also has a variety of other units including the Magician (robotic arm), the Tranformable Metallic 3D Printer (3D printing, laser engraving and CNC carving), the MOOZ-1/2 (single/double arm 3D printers) and other products described at https://www.dobot.cc. This is a great company with a very promising future!!!