Popular consumer grade 3D printer build volume size:
Replicator 5th Gen
9.9 x 7.8 x 5.9 in
Replicator 2
11.2 X 6.0 X 6.1 in
Replicator 2X
9.7 X 6.0 X 6.1 in
Ultimaker 2
9.0 x 8.8 x 8.0 in
I could go on but I don’t feel the need to, almost all sub-$3,000 consumer grade 3D printers cannot print a single 12" x 6" x 3" part. They just don’t have a large enough build volume.
Since I believe that VEX is not a pay-to-win program, meaning that people with lots of money should not have any particular advantage over those with only some, I believe that VEX U teams should be allowed to print the 12" x 6" x 3" part(s) in slices.
Say two 6" x 6" x 3" prints bolted together as a functionally identical 12" x 6" x 3" part. This is something that almost all 3D printers can do, bringing the cost to play from $6,500 to around $1,500 if a team wishes to use all the 3D printed parts allowed in the VEX U program. Or to put it another way, if a less than extremely well funded team wants to play on a fair plane with other VEX U teams.
Simple request, will the program entertain it? Feel free to add restrictions, etc. I’m NOT asking for two parts, I’m asking for a reasonable way to create the single larger part with the lower cost printers.
I’ll leave it to you guys to lock this down.
Thanks, Cody.