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A 2015 experimental 3D printer paired a KUKA six-axis industrial robot arm with a custom extrusion toolhead, using an Arduino MEGA for much of the temperature and extrusion control. Its “spiderweb” idea was biomimetic: the project description says it mimicked the micro-structure of spider silk to print simple self-supporting forms. It did not make real spider silk or reproduce a complete web.
What made this printer different?
A typical desktop 3D printer moves its print head or build platform along a constrained set of axes to lay material in successive layers. In the project described by David Scheltema for Make: on February 11, 2015, a KUKA robot arm moved a custom 3D-printer extruder through three-dimensional space. The six-axis arm offered a different way to orient and position the toolhead, while a rotating turn-plate could also be adjusted.
The source describes an experimental fabrication setup, not a documented commercial printer. It does not specify the exact KUKA model, the full motion-control architecture, or quantified performance such as accuracy, speed, or build volume.
What did Arduino control?
Make’s description identifies an Arduino MEGA as part of the printer’s control arrangement, handling much of the temperature and extruder control. That does not mean the Arduino independently ran the KUKA arm’s motion controller: the article does not explain the interface or divide of responsibilities between the robot controller and the printer electronics in detail.
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The Arduino MEGA is therefore relevant as an example of the electronics used for extrusion and temperature functions in this prototype, not as a replacement for an industrial robot controller. The article does not give an exact board revision or a compatible parts list.
How was material delivered and shaped?
The reported setup combined several components rather than a single conventional hot end:
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- Multiple heater-equipped print heads for extrusion.
- Air tubes that cooled material at the nozzle.
- Four ABS delivery systems, each powered by an individual servo.
- A rotating central turn-plate with adjustable speed.
The article does not provide enough specifications to infer nozzle dimensions, operating temperatures, material-feed rates, or how the four ABS systems were coordinated during a print.
What does “slings spiderwebs” mean?
The spider reference describes inspiration from spider silk, not the use of biological silk. The project description says its strategy mimicked the micro-structure of spider silk thread so it could produce simple self-supporting forms and demonstrate how a form could grow from the ground.
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That is a biomimetic fabrication concept: borrow a structural idea from nature to explore shapes that conventional layer-by-layer printing might otherwise need to support. The accessible project account does not establish that the printer made a complete spiderweb, reproduced the properties of actual spider silk, or was independently validated for particular performance advantages.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known—and what remains unspecified?
The available Make article supports a high-level account of the robot-arm printer and its components, but it is not a complete build guide or a performance study.
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- Reported: a KUKA six-axis arm, a custom extrusion attachment, Arduino MEGA electronics for much of the temperature and extrusion control, multiple heated heads, nozzle-cooling air tubes, four servo-powered ABS delivery systems, and an adjustable rotating turn-plate.
- Not specified: exact robot and Arduino models or revisions, complete wiring and software, precise motion-control architecture, build instructions, numerical print results, and independent testing.
- Not established: whether the prototype continued in use, became a commercial product, or achieved production readiness or superiority over conventional printers.
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