BCN3D just released the Sigmax 3D printer’s source files to the public making it an open source device. The move comes a relatively short while after having first unveiled the device at the TCT show in September. The company has stated that they announced this move with the aid of Richard Horne, RepRap’s resident pioneer.
“I’m delighted to see the release of the Sigmax CAD design files by the team at BCN3D. The 3D Printing community is seeing steady innovation and further product refinement from BCN3D, both as manufacturers of professional desktop 3D printers and with the wider ecosystem to support them. I’m delighted to see BCN3D continuing an open-source strategy, and even more excited to see what they do next.” – Richard Horne (RichRap).
There are quite a few reasons to be excited by this news. All the files come with 3D files and 2D drawings of the assembly procedure. Along with the printer, the IDEX (independent dual extruder system) is now also available for anyone to check out. If that weren’t exciting enough, Sigmax’s firmware and the Cura source code files are also up for grabs.
Going Open Source
Open source technology has been a massive part of 3D printing for the past decades. While there are some who have misgivings about transparency, the results speak for themselves. The evolution of the technology could not have happened this rapidly were it not for the open source community. It appears BCN3D are banking on the same sentiment.
“We were born thanks to the Open Source community and we still want to continue contributing to it,” the company states on their website. They hope to spread the technology throughout the world, hoping it will provide new innovations. It’s a bold move for a company to unveil its designs and make it a source of replication.
All the information is published under the CERN Open Hardware Licence (CERN OHL) and General Public License v3 (GPLv3). The files are available on there website for anyone to access.
Featured image courtesy of BCN3D.