3D Rotary Printer: A Step-by-Step Guide - Space Engineers 

Thanks! This drone is using the SCAM script. I work on scriptless miner, and hopefully I will be able to provide some updates on this project soon 🙂

Scriptless miner drone would be amazing

More like awesome, I play on Xbox and have no way to add cool scripted encounters. This would be a game changer for me.

Only thing missing for that is the possibility to let them search for ores and mine them tbh

@@termiusprime you do, but you have to buy your own private server and add the mods in server side. its an inconvenient workaround but it still exists :D

They also could not initiate FTL jumps. I think they could mine on their own but they'd have to be set up that way from the start, and could not expand. But with scripts... well, that opens up other possibilities. Even without scripts, you could have event controllers that detect the absence of a grid upon a proscribed circumstance. Which makes them build a replacement. So AI ships that have recorders to dock and undock and patrol on a schedule, but if they don't come back on schedule, new ones are built. Or interceptors are dispatched.

AI factions have only one problem and that is the sync distance. Servers usually don't synchronize and run code when no players are around, making the space without players frozen. What we did on our servers is for example carrier type NPC's or hangar stations, which when spawned produce their own support craft. So players can't just deal with one and then wait for cleanup. They have to actively deal with the threat.

Hey Caleb, maybe you have set action for the bottom piston to the top sensor?

@@Pro100tv9 The problem was along those lines thx so much

Did you enable "share inertia tensor"?

Essentialy yes, but you can add more pistons to the groups

@@Pro100tv9 thank you!! I may try to add one to my frigate in my survival world!

@@Pro100tv9 But how does it manage to do the inner parts of big ships? It can sometimes weld a part in the middle partlially and then continue with the rest and then not be able to finish the inner part because the parts around it were also partially made?

Hi Daniel, I wouldn't recommend to use this printer for large grids. For this porpose pad printer or just a separate printing craft does better

It's over there to hold the projected grid and easily detach it after printing

Hey, maybe reducing speed of rotors and arm piston will help. This way welders will have more time to reach projected blocks

@@Pro100tv9 Slowing down both rotors and arms seemed to have it print less this time? I'm not sure I've got all the exact settings as you have on yours?

@@Pro100tv9 I think I got it working good now, had to add on 2 extra arms with 2 extra welders seems to be working good now

Hey, you can try to enable "share inertia tensor" option in pistons and rotors, it should stabilize the whole grid

I explained it wrong

​@@Pro100tv9 It works as intended I just don't know what to change for different blueprints so it keeps ending up running through its function before the ship is complete

Thanks for the video, it helped me a lot to understand what is the problem. The projection is sticking to the projecting grid via the top of a drill - this will not allow to print it, because it is not possible to attach any block to the top part of a drill. Instead, try to rotate the projection 180 degrees, so it sticks to the printer via a light armor block (for example), this should allow you to print the craft.

Hi Anthony, thank you for the video it helps a lot to recognise the problem! It seems like you are trying to attach the projection with the forward part of the drill, unfortunately it's not possible as there's no mount point there (you cannot attach any other block to this part of the drill). To solve this issue try rotating a projection 180 degrees so it is attached via (for example) a light armor block, or any other block that has available mount point

Thank you for your quick response. I will try it and get back to you.

That did it. However, it did not build all the blocks. It was just a few parts (a Parachute, 1 gyro and the reactor). also, when I filled my H2O generators and the hydrogen thrusters came on my whole base started to shutter. I thought it was all going to break apart. I jumped out and ground down the part attached to the merge block and it stopped. It is really neat but very unstable on a multiplayer server (which is what I am playing on). How do you release the ship from the merge block? I think I would need to do that before starting the thrusters. Also, when I checked that option you mentioned in your video to make it slower, it started shaking my whole base and this was even before I tried a projection. It was shaking just like it did when I added the ice to my O2 generators, so I unchecked it real quick and it stopped. So I can't check that option you mentioned at the end of your video to make it go slower for stability. Again thank you for taking the time to help me figure this out.

I'm not sure if I understand it correctly - you did check the "share inertia tensor" option? Also I would recommend adjusting 2 things about the blueprint you are trying to print before printing it - toggle off its thrusters and add another merge block to the ship. Merge block can be attached to another blocks but can detach only from another merge block. The printer's event controller will detach the printer's merge block when the printing is done automatically if set to do so. About some blocks missing after printing - I think the only solution I can recommend here is to further slow down the rotors, it sgould allow for more precise printing

Yes, I did check. “share an inertia Tenser”, but even with no projection up, the whole thing just starts shaking so I immediately unchecked that. So the answer is no I do not have that checked because I can’t do it without the whole thing shaking. I will try your other options. So you are saying that any blueprint that I use must have a merge block to use this printer correct? Most of the prints that I download do not have a merge plate on them so if you use a merge plate on your printer then you must have one on your blueprints, is that correct? Is it possible that I can get rid of the merge plate and just weld a block on like I normally do? Again, thank you for all of your input and I hope to get it working because I think it looks awesome.

Are sensors turn on when you start it?

You can replace a big rotor head with a small one and place the small projector on top of it

It should work for most small grids. Sometimes, when a ship that you try to print is bigger, you will need to adjust the event controller slider or turn off the event controller completely

Hey @joshuabaker6971, there's an event controller that checks piston position. By default it is set to 55%. At this threshold it will end printing cycle. If the ship you are trying to print is bigger, lower the threshold - for instance to 30 or even 10%, depending on the grid size, it should help

Yes that helped a lot

Hmm, can you switch the merge block off while the printer is not running? I think this should help

@@Pro100tv9 Nothing. The welders still not create anything. I even tried to hand-weld the projection (in admin-creative. Survival savegame) but the projection didn't react at all. Im still wondering how works te projector. First time i use it x)

It seems like the issue is related to the projection that is not attached to the projecting grid. Perhaps the blueprint you are trying to print has its merge block switched off? If that's not the case, could you make a blueprint of your printer, upload it to workshop and post a link to it over here? I could troubleshoot it this way

It doesn't need a merge block, but you will need to grind down the connecting block between blueprint and printer once the printing is complete. I think the event controller setting may need to be adjusted to the size of your blueprint

I use a connector so i can refuel and rearm while connected

Hey, are sensors "ON" when you start the printing cycle? If not, try switching them OFF while the printer is idle, and then start printing and let the printer go for a full cycle

@Pro100tv9 Sensors were in fact off when I triggered the start/stop timer block

It might be that you have both extend and retract on the activate side of the sensor

Technically yes, but it could get unstable with too many pistons. it's definitely worth to test

@@Pro100tv9 yeh was gonna test it but then was told that they are banned in Xbox servers for lag

I believe that it depends on server. I don't play on Xbox, but I've seen a giant walking mech made entirely on this console some time ago

Absolutely! It's very handy. Try using ctrl+left click

@@Pro100tv9 oh god, i didnt even know that was a thing, i couldnt find it in any of the settings, i always went to a singleplayer creative world, adjusted the speed with a script, and then took a blueprint of that just to print it in a vanilla server im playing on.....

Hi Mateusz, I wouldn't recommend printing large grids with this printer, however if you really want to you can replace the small projector with a large projector and you should be able to do it then.

@@Pro100tv9 Hi I was able to add 2 instead of 1 piston on sides and add 6 pistons for projections and 7 pistons on arms and all work perfectly fine I also grouped the pistons and named them like your piston and applied same logic to it and it work fine I'm printing huge ship atm and all works fine I also applied to share tensor on pistons to make it more reliable

That's great to hear! I honestly didn't expect this printer to be capable of printing anything bigger than a fighter. Good job!

@@mattmadcathey, how did you large ship print go? Looking at making one of these for mine

Printed pretty well but it was huge ship it took me few days to print.

Add MES mod and all of its NPCs or play Ares at War mod

@@ChristopherPisz war... that sounds fun!