0 Appreciate Project

High-Temperature 5-Axis IDEX 3D Printer

My name is Mateusz Filipkowski. I'm a senior member of ROBOILO, the student robotics, where we design and build fully custom autonomous robots. Our projects rely on self-designed PCBs, in-house CAD, CNC machining, and 3D printing - never commercial robot kits. I’ve spent the last four years deeply involved in this work.

In 2024, I became World Champion in the 1 kg HS Sumo category at the RoboRAVE World Championship in Australia with my robot turbo KAMA.

Short video showing last round of final duel (Turbo KAMA won).

Photography of Turbo KAMA after tournament finals.

High-Temperature 5-Axis IDEX 3D Printer project represents the next stage in that journey—pushing the limits of what’s possible for student-built fabrication tools.

Project Overview

Currently, I’m building a high-temperature, multi-axis 3D printer from scratch. It features an independent dual-extruder (IDEX) system and a tilting bed mechanism, enabling 5-axis printing of complex geometries using advanced polymers like ULTEM and PEKK.

The printer is fully original - designed by me from the ground up, with little to no influence from existing printers on the market.

Key Innovations

Kinematic Tilt Bed (±30°) - The bed pivots on two axes to enable non-planar, multi-directional printing. This significantly improves inter-layer adhesion and allows overhang-free geometries.
Dual Extruders with Soluble Support - The IDEX system enables fast printing with dissolvable scaffolding for complex shapes.
All-Metal Heated Chamber - Fully insulated with mineral wool and lined with stainless steel. A 400 W AC heater maintains a 140–150 °C chamber temperature for reliable extrusion of high-performance polymers.
Custom Water-Cooled Hotend and Motors - I developed a high-flow hotend (tested up to 23 mm³/s extrusion rate) with internal water jackets for cooling. Even the extruder stepper motors are water-cooled to prevent overheating inside the high-temperature chamber. The X/Y/Z drive motors are mounted entirely outside the chamber. Printed part cooling is handled by a stationary WS7040 blower and a CPAP hose.
Hybrid Motion System with Klipper Firmware - The gantry uses a custom hybrid CoreXY/Cartesian configuration with TMC5160 drivers at 48 V and sensorless homing.

Photo depicts (from left to right): 3d printed toolhead dummy model, Toolhead CAD model, Custom made hotend

Engineering Challenges & Solutions:

Thermal Isolation - All chamber components are metallic to avoid softening during high-temperature operations. To further reduce the impact of temperature fluctuations, structural elements are reinforced with steel, which minimizes thermal expansion and ensures dimensional stability of frame.
Part Optimization for Manufacturing - Every bracket and plate is engineered for seamless fabrication. They’re designed specifically for CNC milling or laser cutting from standard materials—reducing manufacturing complexity and boosting overall precision during assembly.
Cooling System Design - Through extensive CFD simulations, you’ve optimized both the water and air duct geometries. This dual-system approach guarantees efficient cooling of hotend, motor and printed part.
Harmful Fumes Management - Integrating a closed-loop filtration system into a sealed printer design addresses the issue of harmful fumes head-on. The system employs HEPA filters to trap ultrafine particles and activated charcoal to capture volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This proactive method also ensures small thermal gradient in large chamber.
Slicing Strategy - Once operational, I plan to explore multi-plane and non-planar slicing techniques promises significant benefits. By going beyond traditional FDM capabilities, these approaches could yield parts with complex geometries and enhanced strength characteristics that are otherwise unattainable.

This is the most complex CAD and hardware project I’ve taken on. It’s pushed me to learn large assembly management, FEA/CFD simulation, thermal design, and embedded software integration. Doing everything myself - from mechanics to firmware - has taught me far more than any off-the-shelf printer ever could.

Educational Impact

This printer will enable us to prototype stronger, lighter, more functional robot parts. It eliminates the need to outsource machining for high-performance components. I also plan to teach club members how to use and modify it—ensuring long-term educational value for RoboILO.

Requested Sponsorship Support

We are seeking sponsorship from PCBWay to fabricate our project's most critical structural components through CNC milling, laser cutting, and metal 3D printing.

These include:

Stainless-steel frame
Tilt-bed linkages
Mounting brackets
Chamber insulation panels
Toolhead parts

Each part requires high precision and heat resistance.

This project aligns with PCBWay’s Non-Profit Sponsorship category: it is fully open-source, advances fabrication techniques, and directly benefits a student engineering community.

All CAD files, schematics, and firmware will be released under the GNU GPLv3 license, ensuring full transparency. Given the importance of full fabrication support, we are requesting assistance for all essential components - excluding the enclosure if complete sponsorship is not feasible.