The most fascinating three-dimensional (3D) printer design to watch print is the delta printer. The delta
design is quite different from most 3D printers and is best known for its vertical orientation and relatively
small footprint (although larger units can be quite tall). This book will help you learn what you need to buy
or build your own delta printer, as well as how to get the most out of your delta printer.
A delta 3D printer, hence delta printer, is a type of parallel robot that uses geometric algorithms to
position each of three vertical axes simultaneously to move the nozzle to any position in a cylindrical
build area. Thus, when the printer is printing, all three axes move in a mesmerizing ballet of mathematical
magic.1 If all this sounds too fantastic, don’t worry; I will present the mechanics of the delta printer in detail
throughout this book.
Before we jump into how the hardware mechanisms work, let’s take a short tour on what 3D printing is
all about. A firm understanding of the concepts of 3D printing is essential to getting the most out of your 3D
printer investment. Even if you are already a 3D printing enthusiast (and especially if you have never used a
delta printer), you may want to read the following sections because I present the material with delta printers
in mind.