<h2>Yes and no</h2>
<p><strong>Yes</strong>, there are machines, that assemble things from parts. For example, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMT_placement_equipment" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SMT placement equipment &amp; pick-and-place-machines</a>. Almost all electronics are made this way. In fact, a lot of items are made by using Pick-and-Place machines in the final assembly.</p>
<p>On the other hand: <strong>No</strong>, there is no <em>3D-printer</em>, that works by <em>just</em> being a P&amp;P machine: it simply is not inside the specifications of additive manufacturing to be <em>just</em> an assembly machine. That is an <em>assembly</em> or <em>pick and place</em> machine, no matter if they call it <em>printing</em>. It is not.</p>
<h4>combo machines?</h4>
<p>However, I have seen a recent (<strong>2018</strong>) <a href="https://youtu.be/jfopGYO0r-M?t=488" rel="nofollow noreferrer">makerfaire video</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRkF-D0fEbQ" rel="nofollow noreferrer">a talk</a> that was showing a prototype of an E3D toolhead swapper, which - in its idea - would allow to <em>combine</em> a 3D printer with a P&amp;P machine. Their idea is to fully automate the manufacturing process, including adding non-printed parts with grabbers or the like.</p>
<h2>2022 update</h2>
<p>Multi-Tool 3D printers based on the E3D-Toolchanger including a pick-and-place are in <a href="https://youtu.be/pBztvEJJGwA?list=TLPQMTIxMTIwMjKbAChud1cdqg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">small-scale</a> use in at least one fabrication shop in their prototyping stage.  They also use conductive filaments in conjunction with their setup - but need to compensate for the considerable resistance of conductive filaments.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-08T19:56:41.933Z
2022-11-12T22:04:08.830Z
2022-11-12T22:04:08.830Z
Trish
<p>I've prototyped a design that used beads similar to these <a href="http://www.infostir.com/images/plastic-beads-350.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.infostir.com/images/plastic-beads-350.jpg</a> on a rod with a heated tip and then you just press them off into the design. But it wasn't too strong and had some pretty specific requirements of the model. Labelled it a failure. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-12T12:57:05.663Z
This doesn't really answer the question. The question asks whether "pick and place" 3D printers exist, and the answer should be a factual one: either "yes, such printers exist, see these and these examples", or "no, such printer don't exist". Sharing your personal experience of a (failed) attempt to build such a printer is not an answer to the question. This is not a forum/discussion board, but a question and answer site. While your experiences may be related to the question, they don't *answer* it.
Tom van der Zanden
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-09T13:55:21.553Z
If you could expand your answer, maybe with some examples of "pick and place" printers, that you may have come across during your research into your prototype, then that would be great. However, as Tom says, as it stands, your answer doesn't really _answer_ the OP's question, unfortunately.
Greenonline
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-12T12:47:11.890Z
2017-03-12T12:47:11.890Z
Andre Hamman
<p>I am wondering if anyone here knows of any 3D printers that work by assembling models from parts instead of extruding or setting material.</p>
<p>The closest I have found is the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtoqCrwr91bNH_hbPtBrprw" rel="nofollow noreferrer">pixelstone</a> but it appears to only be a prototype and I haven't seen or heard of any progress on it in over a year.</p>
<p>There is a similar house printer <a href="http://fbr.com.au/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">fastbrick</a> but it is also just a prototype.</p>
<p>There is research papers on rapid prototyping with lego blocks and software for this (<a href="https://all3dp.com/brickify-rapid-prototyping-lego/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">brickify</a>), but these don't have machine assembly.</p>
<p>And there are 3D printers that can do conductive filament in the model but none of these seem to do pick and place as well and they still need a human to add the electronics or to change the tool head. (<a href="http://delta.firepick.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">firepick</a>)</p>
<p>So are there any 3D printers that work like pick and place machines and just stick blocks together?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-11T12:55:15.793Z
Your question already contains what could be (part of) an answer.
Tom van der Zanden
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-11T13:01:31.313Z
The examples I have mentioned are all only prototype or beta releases. Just want to know if this is all there is.
user802599
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-13T12:25:18.890Z
Sadly, pixelstone wasn't archived, they *have* a single YT video left.
Trish
<3d-models>
Are there many assembly type 3D printers?
user802599
# Are there many assembly type 3D printers?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-03-11)

I am wondering if anyone here knows of any 3D printers that work by assembling models from parts instead of extruding or setting material.

The closest I have found is the [pixelstone](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtoqCrwr91bNH_hbPtBrprw) but it appears to only be a prototype and I haven't seen or heard of any progress on it in over a year.

There is a similar house printer [fastbrick](http://fbr.com.au/) but it is also just a prototype.

There is research papers on rapid prototyping with lego blocks and software for this ([brickify](https://all3dp.com/brickify-rapid-prototyping-lego/)), but these don't have machine assembly.

And there are 3D printers that can do conductive filament in the model but none of these seem to do pick and place as well and they still need a human to add the electronics or to change the tool head. ([firepick](http://delta.firepick.org/))

So are there any 3D printers that work like pick and place machines and just stick blocks together?

**Tags:** 3d-models

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Your question already contains what could be (part of) an answer.  
> **username_0**: The examples I have mentioned are all only prototype or beta releases. Just want to know if this is all there is.  
> **username_2**: Sadly, pixelstone wasn't archived, they *have* a single YT video left.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-07-08. Score: 1

## Yes and no

**Yes**, there are machines, that assemble things from parts. For example, [SMT placement equipment & pick-and-place-machines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMT_placement_equipment). Almost all electronics are made this way. In fact, a lot of items are made by using Pick-and-Place machines in the final assembly.

On the other hand: **No**, there is no *3D-printer*, that works by *just* being a P&P machine: it simply is not inside the specifications of additive manufacturing to be *just* an assembly machine. That is an *assembly* or *pick and place* machine, no matter if they call it *printing*. It is not.

#### combo machines?

However, I have seen a recent (**2018**) [makerfaire video](https://youtu.be/jfopGYO0r-M?t=488) and [a talk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRkF-D0fEbQ) that was showing a prototype of an E3D toolhead swapper, which - in its idea - would allow to *combine* a 3D printer with a P&P machine. Their idea is to fully automate the manufacturing process, including adding non-printed parts with grabbers or the like.

## 2022 update

Multi-Tool 3D printers based on the E3D-Toolchanger including a pick-and-place are in [small-scale](https://youtu.be/pBztvEJJGwA?list=TLPQMTIxMTIwMjKbAChud1cdqg) use in at least one fabrication shop in their prototyping stage. They also use conductive filaments in conjunction with their setup - but need to compensate for the considerable resistance of conductive filaments.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2017-03-12. Score: -3

I've prototyped a design that used beads similar to these <http://www.infostir.com/images/plastic-beads-350.jpg> on a rod with a heated tip and then you just press them off into the design. But it wasn't too strong and had some pretty specific requirements of the model. Labelled it a failure.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This doesn't really answer the question. The question asks whether "pick and place" 3D printers exist, and the answer should be a factual one: either "yes, such printers exist, see these and these examples", or "no, such printer don't exist". Sharing your personal experience of a (failed) attempt to build such a printer is not an answer to the question. This is not a forum/discussion board, but a question and answer site. While your experiences may be related to the question, they don't *answer* it.  
> **username_4**: If you could expand your answer, maybe with some examples of "pick and place" printers, that you may have come across during your research into your prototype, then that would be great. However, as Tom says, as it stands, your answer doesn't really _answer_ the OP's question, unfortunately.  

---

