The printer that makes itself

RepRap 3D Printer

Application Overview

What was needed: A 3D printer that can produce its own essential parts quickly and accurately
Requirements: High precision and working speed, no vibration, lightweight, lubrication-free, low friction
Products used: drylin® linear guides, dryspin® lead screw drives and flange trapezoidal thread nuts, stepper motors
Success for the customer: With the xBot, Benjamin Krux is targeting discerning private users as well as schools, universities and industry.

3D printing with precision and high speed - and with igus linear guides

RepRap xBot: The printer that makes itself

The xBot from RepRap Austria is a 3D printer that not only prints with high speed and precision using fused deposition modelling (FDM), but can also produce essential parts of itself. igus drive system components play a key role in its performance.

RepRap is well-known in the fast-growing 3D printing market—not as a company, but as an open-source project. Originating in 2006 from UK professor Adrian Bowyer, the concept was a self-replicating 3D printer, called "Replicating Rapid Prototyper" or RepRap. Bowyer published all design data online to encourage widespread adoption and development.

The idea gained global traction. While RepRaps worldwide share a common foundation, their specific features often vary based on local development.

xBot from RepRap Austria: Fast and highly precise
The second generation of the xBot developed by Benjamin Krux/RepRap Austria impresses at first glance with its solid aluminum housing with a perfect finish. More important, however, are the precision and working speed, and both are remarkable, as the developer explains: "The xBot prints with an accuracy of up to 2/100mm. In practice, however, a build-up of 1/10mm thick layers is usually sufficient. And because we have minimized the weight of the moving parts, the printer achieves a very high speed without vibrations."

In addition to the low weight of the print head, this is also due to the high-quality drive technology and the strong, high-precision guide of the print head and print bed. In the X and Y-axis, igus linear guides are used, and two parallel lead screw drives from the igus drylin product range, which are driven by stepper motors, ensure precise positioning of the print bed in the Z-axis.

Drive components from the igus modular system

Benjamin Krux chose drylin JFRM flanged trapezoidal lead screw nuts with a 10x2 mm lead screw. Made of iglide J high-performance polymer, these nuts offer excellent sliding properties and low friction due to their built-in lubricant—ideal for vibration-free, fast movement and precise positioning.

Non-driven guides are placed at the four corners of the print bed, with concealed drive components from the igus modular system. The vertical guides for the heated bed use drylin R linear bearings (RJUM-01), which combine a closed anodised aluminium adapter with an iglidur J liner, fitting standard ball bearing dimensions.

With the xBot, Krux targets advanced private users, schools, universities, and industry. “The printer is fast, precise, and durable,” he says. It supports a wide range of materials—from compostable PLA to ABS and flexible filaments like nylon and rubber-like plastics. Its robust design features components primarily made in Austria and Germany.

Despite its high quality, affordability remains central to RepRap’s philosophy. To keep the xBot accessible, Krux uses igus components and cost-effective standard parts. He first encountered igus at the "Automation" trade show in Linz—just 30 km from RepRap Austria’s base in Neuhofen/Krems.

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Further 3D printing applications

Cleanroom 3D printer

What was needed: A precise and reliable cleanroom 3D printer for processing thermoplastics
Requirements: Absolutely lubrication-free and maintenance-free, high service life, suitable for cleanrooms, no abrasion, cost efficiency
Success for the customer: Design freedom was gained on all linear guides by utilising the drylin® bearing with exchangeable liners. This has significantly accelerated the design process. The liners prevent unwanted particle release and at the same time offer process stability. The use of suitable rail and shaft guides brought additional advantages in the realisation of the system.

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Portable 3D printer

What was needed: A compact, portable 3D printer that can still produce detailed 3D parts
Requirements: Top performance even in tight spaces, no maintenance, 100% lubrication-free, low wear and friction, smooth dry operation, no noise or vibration, no dust or dirt adhesion
Success for the customer: In developing countries and distressed areas, a portable device with high precision is very helpful. It is a radical step forward for dental and medical care. The igus® products in the 3D printer ensure a long service life, clean printing conditions and dry operation without vibration or noise.

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Fabforge Innovations 3D printer

What was needed: A precise and quiet 3D printer that fulfils the conditions for "Made in India"
Requirements: 100% lubrication and maintenance-free, precise, quiet and vibration-free operation, smooth dry operation

Success for the customer: Fabforge Innovations is a manufacturer of 3D printers based in South India and operates across the country. It used to use linear rails from other manufacturers, but to meet the "Make in India" conditions, Fabforge Innovations changed the design and used igus® products.

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3D printed lead screw nut

What was needed: An alternative to metal ball screw nuts that can be manufactured independently using 3D printing
Requirements: 100% lubrication and maintenance-free, quiet operation, easy to manufacture, smooth running, clearance-free
Success for the customer: The design allowed no other way to achieve the set goal. The parameters were prescribed and the final product had to work. Optimising the contact area was crucial to reducing friction. Thread surface hardening reduced it further. After several printing attempts, the print quality was able to be improved.

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Mini 3D printer

What was needed: A compact and cost-effective mini 3D printer
Requirements: During printing, a tray must perform extremely precise vertical movements in order to achieve a high print resolution of 50 micrometres. In addition, the smallest possible components had to be found for the compact 3D printer.

Success for the customer: With the help of drylin components, it was possible to develop the Lumi Pocket, a 3D printer that combines an extremely compact design with outstanding print quality and an unbeatable price.

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Office 3D printer

What was needed: A precise, large-format 3D printer suitable for use in offices or workshops
Requirements: Maintenance-free, easy installation, high accuracy, 100% lubrication-free, no dust and dirt adhesion, quiet and vibration-free due to office use
Success for the customer: The engineers use linear guides, carriages, and dryspin® type lead screws and lead screw nuts for the linear movements of all three axes. The lead screws allow travel speeds of up to 120mm/s. All components help to minimise maintenance of the 3D printer. The right 3D printer for the office.

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Assistance pour les demandes

Pour toute question supplémentaire ou information sur les produits, veuillez contacter :

Sean Fournier

dryspin® Product Specialist

+1 (401) 465 8965 Courriel

Service clientèle:
Téléphone : du lundi au vendredi, de 8 h à 17 h.
LiveChat : 24 heures sur 24.

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