Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, © Ondřej Tůma 2025, Czech Republic.
BitBeam is an open-source construction kit, that combines modern 3D printing technology with the compatibility of LEGO® Technic parts. Its goal is to provide a cheap and flexible alternative to expensive commercial construction kits.
The basic principle is that anyone can download the 3D models of the parts for free and print them on their own 3D printer. This allows users to create their own projects and constructions, from simple models to complex robotic systems, without the need to buy expensive sets. BitBeam thus supports creativity, education, and the "maker culture".
The kit is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). This allows you to use it, meaning you can print it freely and unlimitedly for your personal or educational purposes.
If you have a 3D printer available, you can download the 3D parts from our parts catalog and then print them on your 3D printer. Otherwise, you can purchase the parts in our official e-shop.
The kit is protected by a license that does not allow commercial use without the author's consent. If you are interested in becoming a supplier of printed parts in your region, please contact us via email at info@bitbeam.cc.
The kit is not certified as a toy. It contains small parts that are dangerous for young children! Assembling models requires dexterity and sometimes a bit of force. It is impossible to say exactly from what age the kit is suitable for your child, as every child is a little different. However, it can be said that by the age of 10, a child should be able to build most of the mechanisms the kit offers.
For printing the blocks (beams), we recommend printing with PLA - it is sufficiently hard, but this means it is brittle. The blocks can also be printed very well from PVB, ASA, or ABS. The blocks then have very similar properties as when printed from PLA, although they are slightly more flexible. However, some constructions require flexibility and toughness, in which case we recommend choosing PET (PET-G) or PC (polycarbonate). Our models, however, do not require such flexibility.
For printing the pins and shafts, we recommend printing with PET (PET-G) or PC (polycarbonate). The pins and shafts require more flexibility due to their ends and are stressed differently. Nevertheless, printing pins from PLA or other materials is possible.
This is a very complex question that cannot be answered easily. It depends on the 3D printer, the chosen material, and the specific part. On average, 10g of the kit takes approximately 60 minutes on an Original Prusa 3D printer.
Various electronic modules can be incorporated into the kit, and the kit itself includes many holders and boxes for the most common ones. However, in collaboration with OctopusLAB, we have developed a robotic board that is and will be the recommended choice.
BitBeam is an open-source project with limited operating resources. Our goal is to make the information as accessible as possible, but all translations are primarily provided with the help of the community.
Do you want to help? We would be happy if you joined the translation process. Email us at info@bitbeam.cc or check out our Forum.