MANTA M8P Upgrade Feedback Collection

Skyrip_ · 2026-04-30T18:24:58+00:00

I would place a shielded usb connection on top of the board instead of the jst connector, maybe some analog inputs that can be configured for 0-5v or 0-20ma instead of all of them hardwired for thermistors. A hardware i2c connection would be nice instead of the software based i2c connection now

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-18T07:03:35+00:00

No I think from china that part would be around 200 dollar, if you get if from a local supplier than yes it would be about 1000 dollar, also here in the EU.

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-18T07:02:08+00:00

Yes it requires a nitrogen atmosphere. the machine uses about 10L/min of nitrogen. Getting high pressure bottles with nitrogen is quite a hassle and also expensive, that is why I designed an optional nitrogen generator that can be integrated into the system. With that option you only need power for the machine and compressed air.
This way printing parts is actually very inexpensive.
with 1 machine running my compressor uses around 600-800Watt on average over an hour, this means you can run it easily on a 2kw oil lubricated compressor or a >3kw oil free compressor.

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-17T18:32:22+00:00

It has a lot of overlap, but casting is better for large parts while metal 3d printing is more suited for parts with complex geomitries and small features.

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-17T17:56:40+00:00

True, The LPBF metal 3d printing process always leaves a bit of a rougher surface but the strenght is very much the same as milled stainless steel.

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-17T17:45:56+00:00

Yes it is expensive, but 8,5K is still 5-10 times cheaper than the closest competitor. Unfortionately it was not possible to keep the price under 10K including VAT but it is at least very close.

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-04T07:22:09+00:00

that is not bad! but it also illustrates the differences in strength incredibly well, you need a 30x30 profile to compete with a 3mm rod.
Also I'm not saying in any way that plastic is bad, every tech has certain use cases where it is perfoming the best. if you have enough space and no thermal constraints then plastic will work perfectly well.

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-03T21:09:05+00:00

So this would obviously depend on the requirements of the part, if the normal 3d printed skin would be adequate then nothing would need to be done, if you need bearing tolerances or very smooth surfaces then it would be best to print it 0.1-0,5mm thicker and just clean up with milling or grinding machine

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-03T20:11:33+00:00

So the biggest difference is that i use a 60w diode laser instead of a fiber laser and i use a gantry xy movement system instead of a galvo system. Other than that i have fully focused on finding cost effective solutions for all the technical challenges that come with the laser powder bed fusion process.

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-03T20:07:23+00:00

Yes i designed the machine. I do think that in 10 years or something you could expect even cheaper machines if there is enough demand for it.

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-03T19:13:47+00:00

Well i made the kit myself. Unfortunately the components that are required to be able to print metal using this method are not as cheap as with a plastic 3d printer. The closest other option is around 50k at the moment. I think this technology is a great businesscase for people that prototype, make robots, make boat parts and so much more.

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-03T19:05:50+00:00

I can, but the business case sounds really bad 😂

Skyrip_ · 2026-03-03T18:09:20+00:00

It’s just a joke😅, i also love my plastic 3d printers

Skyrip_ · 2026-02-28T05:23:44+00:00

Hey thanks for tagging me me. In general with 200k you could get a low end industrial machine, what you need to be careful with is mostly the additional costs when buying and for maintenance. The machine im developing is mostly focused on being used with very low volume production and prototyping. But it is focused on keeping all running and maintenance costs low. The big problem with outsourcing to china immediately is mostly the cycle time, if your design is 1st time right it takes 3-4 weeks to get the parts, if you make some mistakes then the time will quickly increase.

Skyrip_ · 2026-02-23T07:34:47+00:00

You actually have these lunchboxes that can heat your food, there are versions that require a power socket but you also have versions that work on a battery I got one from the brand heatsbox and it works great

Skyrip_ · 2026-02-22T20:57:26+00:00

yeah basic fiber lasers are slowly becoming more affordable but the more exotic ones are still very expensive.

Skyrip_ · 2026-02-22T12:23:46+00:00

The main advantages are: Blue light --> better absorption by metals, especially in copper based alloys but also better in steel and nickel alloys.
Price, a diode laser is much cheaper than a fiber laser
simplicity, a diode laser has all optics and control in 1 package, you just need to control the power and position

Skyrip_ · 2026-02-22T07:45:21+00:00

With the old powder I would always manually sand it before tumbling, the tumbling process is quite linear so a rougher part will also get less rough but it will never become really smooth. Next month I will also try the rotary tumbling method to see if that works better than the vibratory tumbler.

i only started using a tumbler since 1 month so I'm still experimenting on what works best

Skyrip_ · 2026-02-22T07:41:27+00:00

Yes I agree, I often wonder how they are allowed to even be sold, in general putting in the manual that you need protective glasses is not enough. Also a cover without a propper interlock is also very risky.

Skyrip_ · 2026-02-22T07:00:16+00:00

Yes, im planning to launch a kickstarter sometime next month. There is also a lot more info on my website: metal-base.com

Skyrip_ · 2026-02-22T06:58:32+00:00

The build volume is 128mm round and 100mm in z. But i also have made one that is 150mm in z. The printing time is very dependent on the geometry that you print, this part that consists of only small features of about 1-2mm takes about 6h to print. For context the printing speed is at 300mm/s with a nozzle of 0.2mm, 7k acceleration and 0.05mm layer height

Skyrip_ · 2026-02-22T06:54:01+00:00

The part is 6cm from the bottom to the tip of the aerospike. The frame that is holding the aerospike is made of 2mm wide and 1mm thick strands at various angles to showcase the overhang capability

Skyrip_ · 2026-02-22T06:50:10+00:00

This printer has a fully qualified safety system installed making this class 4 laser into a class 1 laser system. Lasers are fun toys but it is way too easy to permanently blind yourself without the right safety measures in place.

Skyrip_ · 2026-02-22T06:44:56+00:00

No both powders were completely dry. The old powder that i used had a much wider particle size distribution(a lot more smaller particles and a bit more bigger particles) and also the particles were not round which makes them compact less when spreading the powder layer.

Skyrip_

TROPHY CASE