14 DAY TRIAL // There haven't been many 3D printed electronic devices, and those that did show up weren't actually 3D printed in full. More like the framework was, and the electrical parts added later, by hand.
However, a man by the name of Eric Boyd may have just given all 3D printers the ability to print consumer electronics.
This was something that wasn't supposed to happen for at least another decade or two, even though there have been one or two attempts at a robotic workshop capable of doing something of the sort.
The add-on is a pick-n-place machine called “Retro Populator” and composed of a pin plate with attached tape rails.
It slides into 3D printers and uses a small mechanism to hold a vacuum syringe on the extruder head. A second, small mechanism adjusts the Z-stage rezero height as well. It should only take 2 minutes to retrofit a 3D printer with the contraption.
Once in place, the Retro Populator will place electronic components, like capacitors, resistors, and integrated circuits on the correct spots of a circuit board.
The only problem is that you will have to properly orient the parts yourself on the Retro Populator, because it does not support paste extrusion, part rotation, or tape advancement. Future versions (2.0 and 3.0) will be much more versatile.
All of them will avoid electronic changes and interfaces with the 3D printer though, to maintain universal compatibility (insofar as the build volume of each 3D printer permits anyhow).
