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I've been using 3D printers for nearly ten years, and designing my own creations for about nine. So, I’ve decided to wrap it all up with a summary. It’s been a journey witnessing how Hong Kong’s locally designed and produced Phineas 3DP evolved from a solo passion project into a machine loved by many. Each of the following photos comes with a description—feel free to take a look if you're interested.
This was the first 3D printer I designed and built, completed in mid-2014. Though it looked boxy on the outside, it actually used a delta-style motion system. For the sliding rails, I went with the most common choice at the time—smooth rods and linear bearings. Back then, I was eager to add some originality to the design, so it ended up a bit unconventional. Still, it worked in the end, and the print quality was much better than the Taobao kits I had before. The print area was 200 mm in diameter and 200 mm in height.
Later, to improve the machine's rigidity, I replaced the smooth rods with linear rails and upgraded the parallel arms to round carbon fiber rods with magnetic ball joints.
In 2015, I designed another machine. Having realized the importance of symmetry in the three-sided delta motion system, I abandoned unconventional designs and went back to a proper triangular structure this time. However, I still made some bold experimental choices—instead of using smooth rods or linear rails for the sliding mechanism, I opted for PTFE strips sliding directly on aluminum extrusions.
Later on, I dismantled both the box-shaped and triangular machines and combined their parts into a single, much more rigid delta printer. This new hybrid design significantly improved both stability and printing accuracy.
As demand for printing grew, I needed more machines—mostly for small prints, so compact printers would suffice. At the end of 2015, I designed the prototype of "Phinneas" (Little P). Its main structure was entirely 3D-printed. To achieve perfect triangular symmetry (making calibration easier later), the top and bottom frames were each assembled from three identical parts, all printed under the same conditions. The design prioritized space efficiency: despite being just 23cm wide, it offered a print area of 140mm diameter × 150mm height—outperforming the popular Kossel printers of the time, which were over 30cm wide yet only delivered 170mm prints.
To improve reliability, I redesigned and built another prototype of the "Phinneas" (Little P) using higher-quality components. This version featured RC car ball joints for the parallel arms—a popular choice at the time—and a single blower fan for part cooling on the print head. For motion, it used plastic wheels rolling on aluminum extrusion rails. I released this design on Thingiverse and HKEPC, allowing enthusiasts with the skills to source parts from the published BOM (Bill of Materials), print the shared model files, and assemble their own machines. The print area was slightly upgraded to 150mm diameter × 180mm height.
Later, I developed another version featuring magnetic ball-joint linkages. For the motion system, I took a bold experimental approach by using metal bearings rolling directly on aluminum extrusions as rails. After extensive testing, while the movement was exceptionally smooth, the aluminum rails wore out too quickly - ultimately forcing me to revert to plastic wheels.
On the print head, I replaced the single 3510 Blower fan with dual 3010 fans to eliminate cooling dead zones. This version was also shared on Thingiverse and HKEPC for the maker community.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1416635
After sharing the design on HKEPC, I received numerous inquiries about purchasing ready-made units. This led me to quietly sell a few fully assembled machines that were ready to use right away. Later, after completing a detailed assembly manual, I began offering DIY kit versions.
And so began the evolution of "Phineas" (Little P). This marks the official first-generation commercial release of the printer.
In 2016, I created a Facebook Page and shared information about "Phinneas" (Little P) in Taiwan's renowned Reprap.Taipei Facebook community group. The printer soon caught the attention of a Taiwanese enthusiast, who organized the first large-scale group buy in Taiwan—marking a significant milestone in its commercialization.
This version featured dual 3510 blower fans for improved part cooling and introduced auto-bed leveling functionality, representing notable upgrades over previous iterations.
In 2017, I conducted an experiment with a dual-input extruder on the print head, enabling single-nozzle multi-color/material printing. While similar systems already existed commercially, each material transition wasted excessive filament for nozzle purging—particularly problematic for small prints, where purge waste could exceed the final print volume by several times.
Aligned with Phineas 3DP's design philosophy, I deem this approach environmentally irresponsible and discontinued development.
This photo was taken at Maker Faire Hong Kong 2017. The machine on the right is a specially modified dual-independent-head Phineas—featuring two completely separate print heads, each dedicated to a different material. This innovative design eliminated the need for nozzle purging, preventing material waste and saving time. When idle, the inactive print head automatically lifts to avoid interference and prevent oozing contamination.
(Note: This experimental version was never commercially released.)
Since the dual-head mechanism occupied significantly more space, implementing it on the standard Phineas would have drastically reduced the effective print area. To maintain a reasonable build volume, I adapted the design to a larger frame – modified from the popular Kossel platform of that era. This became the first "Dual-Head Big Phineas" prototype.
A friend wanted a larger version of Phineas but had no interest in the dual-head setup, so I reconfigured it with a standard single extruder and sold it to them. However, since this design still bore too strong a resemblance to the Kossel, I only produced this single unit. Moving forward, I decided to develop a more original large-format design for future iterations.
Taken at InnoFaire 2018, the black machine on the far left is the redesigned "Dual-Head Big P." Compared to the P仔, it’s much larger, with a print volume of 240mm diameter and 250mm height. Its structure is mainly aluminum alloy, with custom-made aluminum plates for the top and bottom, connected by 2040 aluminum profiles, and equipped with a heated bed. As it was experimental, it wasn’t publicly released.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=1083593771779781
Since I hadn’t deliberately taken product photos before, the pictures were too casual. So, I set up a studio and took a nice shot for advertising. This version has many detailed improvements and is 4cm taller. It can be considered the 2nd generation "Little P".
Although the Little P's print height was already 4cm taller than the original version, some friends still wanted a taller one, so we launched an XL version with an additional 10cm in height. Since the machine is made up of printed parts, color choices are very flexible, and you can opt for cute color combinations too.
Heated bed upgrade kit.
Taken at Maker Faire HK 2018, which was the last one held. A friend who works at a school ordered two Big Ps, one of which was delivered after the exhibition.
This is the "Dual-Head Big P," with a slightly larger print volume than the previous experimental model, reaching 250mm in diameter and 350mm in height.
Also built a machine with the same body but switched to a single-head direct drive extruder. Compared to the bowden feeding system used before, it can print softer materials.
https://www.facebook.com/Phineas3DP/videos/2216378665261649
Taken at InnoFaire 2019, another school placed an order, so we made another "Dual-Head Big P." This was the most recent exhibition we participated in. Since we couldn’t use all the booth space, we shared part of it with a customer to display their work. This friend later ventured into toy prototype model design and achieved good results.
In 2020, we made a major upgrade, adding a magnetic flexible steel plate heated bed as standard, upgrading the power supply to 24V. Rewrote the assembly manual, adopted a more precise geared reduction extruder, and included our unique, never-detaching filament tube. Named the 150HB, it hit the road again and can be considered the 3rd generation "Little P".
Later versions kept up with trends by switching to silent motor drivers.
In 2020, we made a new attempt. All previous machines were Delta models, but their development seemed limited, especially for larger machines, which weren’t cost-effective. So, we explored other machine types, and CoreXY was the best option. As a result, we designed and built this prototype.
After multiple revisions, the first CoreXY “CX200” was finally shipped by the end of 2020. Nicknamed “Little Square P,” its main structure is aluminum alloy, using custom aluminum plates and 2040 aluminum profiles. It features a 32-bit silent motherboard, Marlin V2 firmware, and a direct drive print head. Of course, a magnetic flexible steel plate heated bed is standard, along with filament runout detection and RGB-lit branding. The print volume is 204x204mm with a height of 265mm, but the machine’s footprint is only 32x36cm—much more space-efficient compared to other brands with similar print sizes requiring nearly 40cm in width.
In 2021, the "Little P" was upgraded with a 32-bit silent motherboard and Marlin V2 firmware. The control panel was also updated to a color-changing backlit dot-matrix version. The model was updated to 150HS.
Launched the enlarged CoreXY CX300, nicknamed “Big Square P.” The design was extended from the CX200, with reinforcements at various points, such as adopting dual lead screws for the Z-axis. Additional aluminum profile beams were also included. The print volume is 304x304mm with a height of 415mm, while the machine’s footprint is only 42x48cm. Other brands’ machines with larger dimensions only offer a print volume of 250x250mm.
In 2022, the CX series received a major upgrade, switching to a more advanced Reprap firmware motherboard with Wi-Fi connectivity, eliminating the need to plug and unplug SD cards. Prints can now be uploaded directly from a computer, and machine control and most settings can be managed via a web browser on a phone, tablet, or computer. Hardware-wise, the belt path was improved, and the extruder was upgraded to a lighter 36mm round stepper motor. The print head’s cooling throat was also upgraded to handle materials up to 300°C. Most importantly, we introduced Piezo Autolevel for the first time, with four piezo sensors hidden under the print bed to detect the moment the print head contacts the platform for automatic leveling. This ensures the first layer adheres perfectly every time. Finally, an optional enclosure was added for those who need it.
The Little P was also upgraded with a more advanced Reprap firmware motherboard, with Wi-Fi connectivity, and incorporated Piezo Autolevel. Although the appearance hasn’t changed much, many components have been enhanced to meet demands. The updated model is the D150WIFI (XL).
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