(20/05/2024)
Back around 2016, the world of 3D printing saw the launch of an all-metal 3D printer named Trinus on Kickstarter. This robust machine caught the attention of many enthusiasts, including someone I recently met who was among the early adopters. Fast forward to today, and 3D printing technology has significantly evolved. Companies like Creality have made 3D printing more accessible and affordable. For instance, I recently scored an Ender Pro on eBay for just $80 —a testament to how far the industry has come.
However, while the Trinus was impressive for its time, it seems that the original creators, Kodama, are no longer active, leaving many early adopters without support. The lack of updates and official support posed a significant challenge for anyone looking to keep their Trinus operational in 2024.
Determined to breathe new life into this once cutting-edge machine, I embarked on a mission to modernize it. After countless hours scouring forums and online communities, I decided to take a bold step: flash the old mainboard with a Marlin firmware build. This decision was driven by the need to make the Trinus compatible with Cura, a leading 3D printing software, thus bridging the gap between 2016 and 2024 technology.
The process wasn’t straightforward. It required a deep dive into firmware customization and a fair bit of troubleshooting. Yet, the satisfaction of seeing the Trinus print once more, with the precision and reliability of a modern 3D printer, was worth every moment of effort.
This experience has reaffirmed my passion for mechatronic engineering. It’s about more than just keeping old machines running; it’s about innovation, problem-solving, and the joy of creating something new from the old. It’s a journey that continues to inspire me, and I hope it inspires others in the community to never give up on their old tech.
Not bad for the first print since around 2016!
If anyone has one of these machines and needs some info on this or has some info to share on the original control PCBs, this would also be a great help to me. Feel free to reach out through my LinkedIn profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierre-du-raan-3a74a834/
The Trinus kickstarter page here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1403065126/trinus-the-affordable-all-metal-3d-printer
Nautilus Gears from Thingverse here:
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