This video is sooo inspiring. I really appreciate the fact that you are not scared to share your knowledge. I have spent over 20 yrs in the engineering space working with individuals who were super insecure and ultimately turned the entire work experience into a nightmare. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you for your time and shared your knowledge...I am about to build a desktop microinjection machine with 2 pneumatic cylinders (one for injection, the other for closing the mold) and I ran into a couple of problems in my original design, such as the high cost of making many parts by laser cutting. The use of the 2020 profile largely solves this problem, and reduces the weight of the machine. As allways, your videos are pure gold... Regards from Argentina Responder
Oh great, because “apparently” machining isn’t enough, thanks to this video i now realize that I NEED an injection molding machine. My life, literally depends on it, and i had no idea…
@@BusterBeagle3D I love them too! I'm researching which machine is best for me it Buster Beagle keeps coming up. I wish I had such a big, organized space like you. I'd be making stuff all day!
Would there be an easy way to extend this to 6in3? I'm working on a design for a non-profit, but it's too large for this. Would it be possible to make two of these and operate them simultaneously in one large mold to extend the max volume to 6 cubic inches?
Well now I am definitely going to be using this as the base for a either a semi-automatic or a full automatic PIM machine. Though I am curious how hard it would be to swap over to cartridge heaters... Aiming to make a machine that can do almost 15 cubic inches. Though will likely build up to that point.
Too sweet to not build. I'll be placing an order tomorrow once I read through the BOM and instructions more. I'm guessing it looks like maybe $800-$1k in parts?
How strong are the parts that come off your machines? Are the comparable to larger injection molding setups? Thanks for putting this out here, amazing work!
Thank you. While I have not worked with industrial machines I’m not sure exactly how the strength compares but I can tell you that it’s far stronger then the comparable 3D printed parts I have made.
What resin are you using for your molds? I asume some high temperature resin. Did you try normal 3d Printer resin? If so, how many shots did normal resin last?
it's really night and day. 3D printers may allow for larger total objects depending on print bed, where injection is limited in size by shot size and mold dimensions, but what would take hours to print really takes maybe less than a minute to inject. So if you need quantity of any part, there's just no contest. Regarding hollow parts - the injector is going to solid fill any void the material is injected into. So there is no physical way to do something like 40% fill as you might in 3D prints. Injected material has more stability than printed material though, because of how the molecular structures are formed, so even in the same material (ABS for instance) an injected part will have no delamination or material layer failure as printed material may. If you need something hollow, the only way to achieve that in injection is to make a pair of mated parts and bond them together after injection, like plastic Easter Eggs.
A vertical injection machine can’t beat a horizontal laying machine. Most industrial machines are laying horizontal but harder to load with no screw with mini injection machines. I wonder when you need a screw to mix the plastic?
Agreed. Horizontal is better, but cost is significantly more. For example, RobotDigg sells horizontal injection screw assemblies, but they are minimum $300, and upwards of $400 for custom screws. In my opinion, Buster is trying to make his machine functional and relatively low cost.
Yeah this is really to keep cost down. You would need a screw to mix colors but at a much higher cost. This is designed with the home hobbyists in mind.
@@BusterBeagle3D that make sense, i wonder what limitations youve faced with no screw? Do you get consistent Mixage? Do you ever use different colors pellets?
Those kits are large and heavy which is why they are expensive to ship overseas. You can however source all of those parts locally and not get the kit. It was put together as a convince to get all of the frame parts all at the same time but all of the parts are generic and can be sourced at places like Amazon and AliExpress.
You can get all different types of plastic pellets with different properties. I source most of my plastic in smaller quantities from different sellers on eBay.
Hi BusterBeagle, have you ever considered doing a DIY Reciprocating Screw style injection mold machine? Would it be possible to do in hobby-scale application?
@@BusterBeagle3D I have figured out roughly how to do it but it would be more expensive. Unless you just gave the CAD files for the person to machine themselves but it would require a fairly equipped machine shop.
I just purchased the set and assembled everything. Assembly went great. However, when I was setting up the PID, the heating bands worked initially, but when I tried set ARU that is when the issues popped up. COD keeps resetting to 0 and the heating bands will not start up. Not sure where I went wrong. Thank you.
Hi, I am amazed by what you are offering! One question, 3 cubic inches means the max size of the mold or the max volume of plastic to be injected. I would like to make a part that is 4 inches long but in volume it is much lower than 3cubic inches. Is it an issue? Thanks in advance
Hello. I don't currently have a way to increase the volume with the parts that I offer. Of course with a longer chamber, plunger and pneumatic cylinder it cold be possible but again it's not something I have done personally.
Hello. Unfortunately since they are the main products that I manufacture and sell they are the only parts that I do not release the plans for. Sorry about that.
I am starting from scratch to build this exact set-up. Is there a guide listing all purchases that need to be made to build this? I understand that the frame kit, pneumatic piston and vice are all separate. What other items need to be purchased to build this?
Hello. You can find the full BOM here as well as a link to a build PDF. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Fjabq0kb_H6shMk1rJu9uPZ35id1ej64D_ejWlV5TvI/htmlview
@@BusterBeagle3D It's a little difficult to understand what is included in the pre-built kits you offer and what is not included. Should I assume that every item with an amazon link needs to be purchased separately because it is not contained within one of the kits?
Hi. Not exactly sure what you mean by that but I would suggest using an air compressor with at least 2 gallons of volume. The pressure used for injection depends on your mold. I would suggest starting at about 35psi and working your way up until it fills the mold correctly.
Hello. The MK3 Bundle on the website does not include the frame which can be purchased from as a kit from the Inventorsource site. The Pneumatic cylinder can also be purchased from that site as well. After that all you need is the Vise and an air compressor and you should have all of the parts to build a full MK3.
Hello. 100 grams is unfortunately double what my machines would be able to handle. The thermostat is just a K style thermocouple that screws into the chamber.
It depends on the heat needed to use it. I haven't used it myself but some other people on the Buster Beagle 3D Facebook group may have. As long as it can melt under 300C it should be fine.
Hi. I don't know of any electrical actuators with the power and size of one of the pneumatic cylinders. I had looked into it briefly when designing the machine but was not very successful.
If the mold is nice and tight, minus the air vents of course, the mold should fill with the plastic and then you need to hold the pressure to prevent shrinking. Once you let go the pressure releases and the chamber retracts. Whatever plastic is left in the chamber is set for the next shot. All of this is to say that yes you should be able to inject in any mold 3 cubic inches or less.
Not sure what you mean be 3D Materials but all 3D files that are available for the MK3 are here. www.thingiverse.com/thing:5223761. I unfortunately do not release the files to the chambers as they are parts I manufacture and sell.
@@BusterBeagle3D I mean the the Files you used to create the Manual, I sent you an email (to your buster gmail at the website) explaining more what we need it for, I'd love to continue talking there. The title should be "3D materials". sent from MITC Thanks!
Hello. Unfortunately I don’t build complete machines as they are very heavy and can be quite large. I do sell a kit with the chamber and electronics and worked with a company to put together a frame so with those 2 kits you can build the complete machine.
@@Fulcra I don't sell them but there is another injection molding machine company that does. They also sell a full machine but it's quite a bit more expensive and has a smaller part volume. www.techkits.com
Hey! I want to modify your design a bit for my usage, do you have the files or drawings for the chamber available? I'd like to turn my own with some slight differences. Thanks!
I currently do not have a way to increase the volume of this machine. It would require a redesigned to lengthen the chamber and the plunger to extend the volume which I currently don't have.
This video is sooo inspiring. I really appreciate the fact that you are not scared to share your knowledge. I have spent over 20 yrs in the engineering space working with individuals who were super insecure and ultimately turned the entire work experience into a nightmare. Thanks so much for sharing.
Wow- 3 cubic inch shot and a "pneumatic cylinder to provide the pressure for the shots"! SO COOL!
Thanks!
Thank you for your time and shared your knowledge...I am about to build a desktop microinjection machine with 2 pneumatic cylinders (one for injection, the other for closing the mold) and I ran into a couple of problems in my original design, such as the high cost of making many parts by laser cutting. The use of the 2020 profile largely solves this problem, and reduces the weight of the machine. As allways, your videos are pure gold... Regards from Argentina
Responder
Thank you! Best of luck with your machine.
I just realized how small your channel is, you'd think this would be a 2 million sub channel with videos like this.
Thanks and welcome. Still growing. Slowly but surely! Might be a minute before 2 million :)
Yeah how this video has under 10k is nuts. I can’t wait to get the build done and see how it goes!!
Oh great, because “apparently” machining isn’t enough, thanks to this video i now realize that I NEED an injection molding machine. My life, literally depends on it, and i had no idea…
Welcome to the rabbit hole!
@@BusterBeagle3Dthe rabbit hole has lead me here
@@trexquigley Welcome. Just imagine me saying that like Mr. Burns tapping my finger tips together.
I plan to buy mine this year.
Everything is in stock and ready to go.
In Brazil is very difficult 😕 😔, but i love it...
Eu amo Brásil!
I love your videos and can't wait to make my own machine. Very cool and inspiring stuff!
Thank you!
@@BusterBeagle3D I love them too! I'm researching which machine is best for me it Buster Beagle keeps coming up. I wish I had such a big, organized space like you. I'd be making stuff all day!
great project. great vids. can you please make one video of mold making with resin for the injection machine. thank you. much appreciated.
I will try to add one as soon as I can. Have a few other projects to attend to but will look into making it happen.
@@BusterBeagle3D I also had this question! If I can create a Resin Mold and use that instead of aluminum, this machine would be perfect for me
Awesome machine, can’t wait to put it to use
Hope you enjoy it!
You're killing it, lad
Thank you!
SHOW, excente video explicativo ,SENSACIONAL
Thanks!
If you get some kawool and rotate your other around you can stuff some in the gap and get a full insulated seal around the canister.
Can you make something that utilizes the max shot size to display it's upper bound capabilities?
So nice I wish I could Like it twice!
THANK YOU!
Love it!
Thanks!!
I built something similar but for the use in molding wax jewelry designs… For use in lost wax casting.
You have a good product range. It would be a good idea to sell these machines on amazon and ebay.
Is there a non-drip nozzle in the plans? It is very necessary. It saves plastic and makes the job clean.
Amazing 👏 👏
Thank you! Cheers!
Would there be an easy way to extend this to 6in3? I'm working on a design for a non-profit, but it's too large for this. Would it be possible to make two of these and operate them simultaneously in one large mold to extend the max volume to 6 cubic inches?
Well now I am definitely going to be using this as the base for a either a semi-automatic or a full automatic PIM machine. Though I am curious how hard it would be to swap over to cartridge heaters... Aiming to make a machine that can do almost 15 cubic inches. Though will likely build up to that point.
Awesome!
Make a video about your project.
@J87513 planning to do so. Unfortunately, I need a lot more funds to even start.
I'm looking at the BOM for MK3, and the link is incorrect for the Plunger Extension Rod. Where can this be purchased?
awesome! I wonder what's the biggest part you can make with that?
Hello. The total volume you can inject is 3 cubic inches. That is volume and not size but something using that amount should be possible.
Too sweet to not build. I'll be placing an order tomorrow once I read through the BOM and instructions more. I'm guessing it looks like maybe $800-$1k in parts?
I just totaled the current prices in the BOM. With shipping in the US, the total was $824.50 for the MK3 with 100 mm cylinder.
Does 3 cubic inch injector if the hand model
what type of modifications does a desktop injection molding machine like this needs to do a 20 gram or 20 cubic cm injection shot into a mold?
For the manual machine is there any problem if i make the cilinder and the piston of steel.Thank you very much!
steel
Steel may rust after a while but mechanically it should work.
WANT
How strong are the parts that come off your machines? Are the comparable to larger injection molding setups? Thanks for putting this out here, amazing work!
Thank you. While I have not worked with industrial machines I’m not sure exactly how the strength compares but I can tell you that it’s far stronger then the comparable 3D printed parts I have made.
Hi again! I'm trying to figure out the pressure the MK3 Buste has, from looking at the FAQ you say its 700 kgf do you mean 700kfg/cm2?
Hi. It's 700 lbf, or pounds of force with the smaller SC63 pneumatic cylinder. Most people(if not all) use the SC100 which is up to 1500lbf.
What resin are you using for your molds? I asume some high temperature resin. Did you try normal 3d Printer resin? If so, how many shots did normal resin last?
I believe it is Siraya Tech Cast or maybe Blu
I am using Siraya Tech Sculpt Clear. Others have had success with the Siraya Tech Fast but I haven't for some reason.
FYI -- just a minor note to perfect the already high quality of your presentation: BoM stands for BILL of Materials, not BUILD oM.
Learn something new everyday :)
How does your production time compare with 3D printing? Also is it possible to make items hollow?
it's really night and day. 3D printers may allow for larger total objects depending on print bed, where injection is limited in size by shot size and mold dimensions, but what would take hours to print really takes maybe less than a minute to inject. So if you need quantity of any part, there's just no contest. Regarding hollow parts - the injector is going to solid fill any void the material is injected into. So there is no physical way to do something like 40% fill as you might in 3D prints. Injected material has more stability than printed material though, because of how the molecular structures are formed, so even in the same material (ABS for instance) an injected part will have no delamination or material layer failure as printed material may.
If you need something hollow, the only way to achieve that in injection is to make a pair of mated parts and bond them together after injection, like plastic Easter Eggs.
A vertical injection machine can’t beat a horizontal laying machine. Most industrial machines are laying horizontal but harder to load with no screw with mini injection machines. I wonder when you need a screw to mix the plastic?
Agreed. Horizontal is better, but cost is significantly more. For example, RobotDigg sells horizontal injection screw assemblies, but they are minimum $300, and upwards of $400 for custom screws. In my opinion, Buster is trying to make his machine functional and relatively low cost.
Yeah this is really to keep cost down. You would need a screw to mix colors but at a much higher cost. This is designed with the home hobbyists in mind.
@@BusterBeagle3D that make sense, i wonder what limitations youve faced with no screw? Do you get consistent Mixage? Do you ever use different colors pellets?
how can I determine the spray pressure
What pressure is the piston putting out when injecting?
It depends on the psi you are sending to it from the air compressor. The max at 90psi is about 1500lbf.
Hallo Ryan, can you tell if in the framekit in your link ist everthing is included, except the plunger, Zylinder and the heatchamber?
I would love to build one of these but the shipping costs to Portugal of the frame kit are prohibitive :( $100+
Those kits are large and heavy which is why they are expensive to ship overseas. You can however source all of those parts locally and not get the kit. It was put together as a convince to get all of the frame parts all at the same time but all of the parts are generic and can be sourced at places like Amazon and AliExpress.
Can you get plastic pellets of different materials? Can you get them with fibers for reinforcement? Where do you get the plastic pellets?
You can get all different types of plastic pellets with different properties. I source most of my plastic in smaller quantities from different sellers on eBay.
Hi BusterBeagle, have you ever considered doing a DIY Reciprocating Screw style injection mold machine? Would it be possible to do in hobby-scale application?
Anything is possible but it would require a redesign and might be more expensive to produce. I have thought about it but maybe for the MK8 ;)
@@BusterBeagle3D i would be very interested in a mk8 with reciprocating screw.... sign me up!
@@BusterBeagle3D I have figured out roughly how to do it but it would be more expensive. Unless you just gave the CAD files for the person to machine themselves but it would require a fairly equipped machine shop.
I just purchased the set and assembled everything. Assembly went great. However, when I was setting up the PID, the heating bands worked initially, but when I tried set ARU that is when the issues popped up. COD keeps resetting to 0 and the heating bands will not start up. Not sure where I went wrong. Thank you.
Problem solved thanks to Ryan! Excellent response! I appreciate it!
You are very welcome!
Hi, I am amazed by what you are offering!
One question, 3 cubic inches means the max size of the mold or the max volume of plastic to be injected. I would like to make a part that is 4 inches long but in volume it is much lower than 3cubic inches. Is it an issue? Thanks in advance
Hello. 3 cubic inches is the amount of plastic injected. The mold that you make can be larger then 3 inches.
@@BusterBeagle3D excellent, thanks !
What’s the biggest piece you can make?
This machine can make a volume of 3 cubic inches but the size or the object can vary as long as it doesn't go over that volume.
Hello dear friend can we inject to small lunch box with this like 5 cm to 7 cm
Is there any way to modify this design to hold a greater cubic volume? It seems like it would be possible.
Hello. I don't currently have a way to increase the volume with the parts that I offer. Of course with a longer chamber, plunger and pneumatic cylinder it cold be possible but again it's not something I have done personally.
Hi, do you think it would be possible to make the heating chamber with a lathe? Are the drawings for it open sourced? Thanks
Hello. Unfortunately since they are the main products that I manufacture and sell they are the only parts that I do not release the plans for. Sorry about that.
Could it be possible to make funnel that's about 4 inches tall 3 inches at bottom width radius? Or at least for prototyping
It depends on the thickness and the volume of plastic needed to fill the mold. It can not exceed 3 cubic inches of material.
I am starting from scratch to build this exact set-up. Is there a guide listing all purchases that need to be made to build this? I understand that the frame kit, pneumatic piston and vice are all separate. What other items need to be purchased to build this?
Hello. You can find the full BOM here as well as a link to a build PDF. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Fjabq0kb_H6shMk1rJu9uPZ35id1ej64D_ejWlV5TvI/htmlview
@@BusterBeagle3D It's a little difficult to understand what is included in the pre-built kits you offer and what is not included. Should I assume that every item with an amazon link needs to be purchased separately because it is not contained within one of the kits?
How many liters of air have you given in this machine, how can I get it from Bangladesh, thank you
Hi. Not exactly sure what you mean by that but I would suggest using an air compressor with at least 2 gallons of volume. The pressure used for injection depends on your mold. I would suggest starting at about 35psi and working your way up until it fills the mold correctly.
good morning, what is not included in the sc100 kit?
Hello. The MK3 Bundle on the website does not include the frame which can be purchased from as a kit from the Inventorsource site. The Pneumatic cylinder can also be purchased from that site as well. After that all you need is the Vise and an air compressor and you should have all of the parts to build a full MK3.
Thanks ❤
Greetings. How many pounds is the pressure of the air compressor??
I believe at 90 psi it's about 1500lbf.
hello, i have 2 questions:1 what thermostat do you use? and do you have a vertical semi-automatic mold machine for 70 grams - 100 grams?
Hello. 100 grams is unfortunately double what my machines would be able to handle. The thermostat is just a K style thermocouple that screws into the chamber.
Hey Ryan, Can this do polycarbonate?
It depends on the heat needed to use it. I haven't used it myself but some other people on the Buster Beagle 3D Facebook group may have. As long as it can melt under 300C it should be fine.
@@BusterBeagle3D Thank you!
Does the device work with Polyamide PA6 GF 30, shot weight 50 grams?
Honesty I'm not sure about every material. As long as it can melt under 300C and inject under 2-3K lbf it should work.
I purchased some items from you over etsy, but there is no offer anymore. Looking at your shop but there you dont accept paypal as payment. :(
I can use Paypal if I send you an invoice. Sent you an email
Could an electrical actuator work in place of pneumatic
Hi. I don't know of any electrical actuators with the power and size of one of the pneumatic cylinders. I had looked into it briefly when designing the machine but was not very successful.
@@BusterBeagle3D😊
is there a way to reduce/adjust shot size per injection smaller than 3 cubic inches?
If the mold is nice and tight, minus the air vents of course, the mold should fill with the plastic and then you need to hold the pressure to prevent shrinking. Once you let go the pressure releases and the chamber retracts. Whatever plastic is left in the chamber is set for the next shot. All of this is to say that yes you should be able to inject in any mold 3 cubic inches or less.
@@BusterBeagle3D thank you for the quick response. i will purchase parts from your site this weekend
Hello buster is there any 3D materials available for the Mk3? I'd love to have them if thats ok
Not sure what you mean be 3D Materials but all 3D files that are available for the MK3 are here. www.thingiverse.com/thing:5223761. I unfortunately do not release the files to the chambers as they are parts I manufacture and sell.
@@BusterBeagle3D I mean the the Files you used to create the Manual, I sent you an email (to your buster gmail at the website) explaining more what we need it for, I'd love to continue talking there. The title should be "3D materials". sent from MITC
Thanks!
can you tell me what orifice nozzle diameter you use?
Half dome. 18.49mm Diameter.
@@BusterBeagle3D Thank you for the fast reply! But I mean the nozzle diameter where the melted plastic is going throug.
@@banka1321 3.18
I would pay for you to build this and ship it to me. Is that possible?
Hello. Unfortunately I don’t build complete machines as they are very heavy and can be quite large. I do sell a kit with the chamber and electronics and worked with a company to put together a frame so with those 2 kits you can build the complete machine.
@@BusterBeagle3D Thanks! I’m going to check it out. Is there a place to buy practice molds?
@@Fulcra I don't sell them but there is another injection molding machine company that does. They also sell a full machine but it's quite a bit more expensive and has a smaller part volume. www.techkits.com
@@BusterBeagle3D thanks!
Hey! I want to modify your design a bit for my usage, do you have the files or drawings for the chamber available? I'd like to turn my own with some slight differences. Thanks!
Hello. Unfortunately since this is a design that I manufacture nd sell I do not release the plans for the chambers themselves. Sorry
Hey Ryan, do you have an e-mail that i can reach you on?
Sir praiz pliz
Is their a phone number
Can't wait for the MK12 model. If 12 means 12cu. in.
"She canna take any more, captain She's gonna blow" Might be 3 for a while ;)
Data cabal
What can one do with 3 cubic inches?
Hello, I want to work with you, how can I contact you
You can reach me at busterbeagle3D@gmail.com
Is it possible to use that setup but increase the chamber size to about 8 cubic inches would it till achieve the same results?
I currently do not have a way to increase the volume of this machine. It would require a redesigned to lengthen the chamber and the plunger to extend the volume which I currently don't have.
How much PSI should I set my compressor and press to?
Start at 40PSI and increase as needed