Sextupteron I didn't know where to put this. I am going to assume this is the "Parallel Robots" sub-forum. [img]http://forums.reprap.org/file.php?178,file=17064,filename=Image022.png[/img] [url=http://youtu.be/umru_mt57iY]YOUTUBE CANDY![/url] [url=https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BybaAONFmI_1ZHBJaWgtWTJpMDg/edit?usp=sharing]INVENTOR FILES![/url] This is a variant of [url=http://robot.gmc.ulaval.ca/en/research/theme104.html]the Tripteron and the Quadrupteron[/url]. Following that naming scheme I had to call it the Sextupteron for a 6 degree of freedom version. The video has been shown to lead to confusion and drooling. Watch responsibly. You could use this for 3D printing on surfaces that aren't flat, for an assembly robot, print with layers that aren't parallel to the xy-plane, printing extreme overhang, etc. This is a full design. Every nut, bolt, board, bearing, and stepper has been accounted for. The only thing I fudged was the central hub and the ball connections. I think I will redesign it so that chrome steel balls snap into the end of the arms. I will also embed strong magnets directly in the plastic of the hub as it is printing. (Complete encapsulation.) This style mechanism is protected under patent law and I don't control the patent. I hope to work a deal with the owners to open it up for open source development. If I understand the law, you can make one of these but you can't profit off of it. Yet. Specification: Outside Dimensions: 500mm cube Print Dimensions: 325mm cube with the right arms and bigger if you tilt the hot end out to get past the tradition edge. Allowable Tilt: With a redesign I should be able to get 45 degrees without sacrificing too much stability. 12 500mmx75mm identical pieces made from the flat stock of your choice. 8 unique plastic pieces. 45 plastic pieces 6 12mm x 510mm rods 12 LM12LUU bearings 8 608 bearings 6 185 tooth xl belts .1 pitch 120 M3x16 120 M3 nuts 6 M8x100 6 M8x60 12 M8 nuts 6 Nema17 steppers etc. The frame can be used for a 3DOF bot all the way up to a 6DOF bot. You could even do 2 independent 3DOF heads in the same space. You can see that you can mount a stepper in any orientation at any corner. The plastic pieces have rod seats built in so you can mount rods above any of the blue boards. There are also spots to mount an idler pulley everywhere you can mount a stepper. I don't have time to build this monster and the electronics aren't really there yet but I would love for anyone else to take the idea and run. This was an idea in my head that I just had to get out or I would go crazy. Now that it is out, I now have 20 more ideas of what I could do with it. Arg!!! BTW, the 3DOF version should be quicker to assemble than anything else out there and should be super cheap. (Not as cheap as Simpson or Wally but as cheap as a bot with rails can be.) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,229935#msg-229935 Thu, 21 May 2026 04:52:33 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,763777#msg-763777 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,763777#msg-763777 nicholas.seward Delta Machines Sat, 22 Apr 2017 14:51:16 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,763775#msg-763775 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,763775#msg-763775 dougal1957 Delta Machines Sat, 22 Apr 2017 14:47:28 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,762765#msg-762765 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,762765#msg-762765 labotecno Delta Machines Sun, 16 Apr 2017 16:56:59 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,386189#msg-386189 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,386189#msg-386189 esponda Delta Machines Mon, 21 Jul 2014 19:15:32 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,382352#msg-382352 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,382352#msg-382352
It is really exciting to see all the solutions start to pop up with real processing power backing them up.]]> nicholas.seward Delta Machines Sun, 13 Jul 2014 10:35:24 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,382350#msg-382350 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,382350#msg-382350 DECAMUX that allows to control 10 stepper motors via two PEPPER penta stepper boards with the Beaglebone Black / BeBoPr. LinuxCNC seems to be limited to 9 stepper motors atm though.]]> Dejay Delta Machines Sun, 13 Jul 2014 10:30:21 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,357116#msg-357116 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,357116#msg-357116 It's open SW and HW, the developers seem very capable, and they are currently working on support for 6DOF, shipping boards now with 5-stepper support. Actually, they say their system is powerful enough to handle many more DOFs, using off-board stepper drivers, which could be useful for multi-color extruders.
[shop.uberclock.com]
They've finished shipping their Kickstarter promises now, so the boards are for sale to the public.
I mentioned the sextupteron to them, and they're interested...
Dave]]> DaveGadgeteer Delta Machines Sun, 18 May 2014 23:38:28 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,355817#msg-355817 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,355817#msg-355817 nicholas.seward Delta Machines Thu, 15 May 2014 21:35:37 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,355815#msg-355815 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,355815#msg-355815 Dejay Delta Machines Thu, 15 May 2014 21:26:22 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296180#msg-296180 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296180#msg-296180 stepstick]]> nicholas.seward Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 22:45:31 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296176#msg-296176 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296176#msg-296176
Quote
nicholas.seward
$31.5 for 7@$4.50 pololus
Where can you source polulu stepper drivers at $4.50 a piece? I paid around $11 a piece for mine.]]> TheTechnicalNoob Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 22:41:29 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296117#msg-296117 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296117#msg-296117
The cost per CPU pin goes down as the package size increases, but the soldering becomes increasing difficult. Splitting the task between multiple CPUs needs a high-speed low latency comms bus. More steppers means more CPU power as well.

I think I can daisy-chain expansion boards, I will have to think about the best way to do that.]]> bobc Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 19:11:03 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296093#msg-296093 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296093#msg-296093 nicholas.seward Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 18:20:36 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296064#msg-296064 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296064#msg-296064

]]> bobc Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 17:48:35 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296009#msg-296009 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,296009#msg-296009 nicholas.seward Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:08:06 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295960#msg-295960 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295960#msg-295960
Sources for which exactly?

ATM, the world lacks a plug'n'play expander board. Certainly something could be lashed together with a Sanguinololo or stripboard, but Reprap deserves something better.

I am working on EXT4, I have just sent off gerbers to get some PCBs made. It will be a cheap and simple solution, and compatible with any base board.

RepRapPro also have an expansion board, not sure when it goes on sale. It's designed for their Duet board, but is probably usable with other boards. (The Duet solution is a bit pricey I think, although it has some nice features).

I am thinking that the 6 axis motion would form an interesting challenge on it's own, and tool heads could be considered later. One thing I am keen to evaluate in a prototype is whether a Cortex M3 or M4, is able to handle the real time math, or if something bigger is required.

NXP have an interesting dual core chip, a Cortex M4 plus M0. The M0 could handle stepper driving and acceleration profiles, with the M4 doing the user interface and number crunching. The great thing is all these chips are around the same price as an ATMega256, with much greater capability, and that trend is likely to continue.

Right now, I wouldn't push anyone into buying RAMPS-FD, there is a new revision coming up soon which fixes several issues, but v1 is usable for prototype work.]]> bobc Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 14:55:42 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295932#msg-295932 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295932#msg-295932
Here is my math. I found the prices quickly so there may be cheaper things out there.

$32 for Ramps-FD
$31.5 for 7@$4.50 pololus
$40 Off Brand Due

Well, that is $103.5 using the cheapest possible prices. The only problem is how do we expand it for the 7th driver?]]> nicholas.seward Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 14:10:29 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295914#msg-295914 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295914#msg-295914
Otherwise Due + RAMPS-FD plus pololus is around $150 already.

I'm looking at replacing the Due with a Cortex M4 at ~200MHz with hardware FPU (single precision).]]> bobc Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 13:40:52 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295677#msg-295677 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295677#msg-295677 nicholas.seward Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 05:30:56 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295568#msg-295568 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295568#msg-295568
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hephaestus
Quote
bobc
I am currently testing a 3 extruder board for Arduino (RAMPS-FD [reprap.org]), and soon a 6 extruder extension board (EXT6 [reprap.org]). So that is 11 axes and 1 extruder, or 3 axes and 9 extruders depending on configuration, or any combination in between.

So if anyone wants to build a sextupteron, I would be happy to provide a beta board and firmware help, in order to help development. You would need to provide a Due and stepper drivers. Alternatively if there was a design and some build instructions I could maybe build one, my mechanical skills are limited.

I do believe bobc offered an electronics solution already :)
+1 Hence my question of why not the Arduino Due if processing power is the limit.]]> TheTechnicalNoob Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 01:36:59 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295544#msg-295544 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295544#msg-295544
Quote
bobc
I am currently testing a 3 extruder board for Arduino (RAMPS-FD [reprap.org]), and soon a 6 extruder extension board (EXT6 [reprap.org]). So that is 11 axes and 1 extruder, or 3 axes and 9 extruders depending on configuration, or any combination in between.

So if anyone wants to build a sextupteron, I would be happy to provide a beta board and firmware help, in order to help development. You would need to provide a Due and stepper drivers. Alternatively if there was a design and some build instructions I could maybe build one, my mechanical skills are limited.

I do believe bobc offered an electronics solution already :)]]> hephaestus Delta Machines Thu, 16 Jan 2014 00:41:43 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295499#msg-295499 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295499#msg-295499
Quote
nicholas.seward
once there is a cheap enough controller that can handle this.
Is the arduino mega 2560 not powerful enough? Arduino Due with RAMPS?]]> TheTechnicalNoob Delta Machines Wed, 15 Jan 2014 20:49:45 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295441#msg-295441 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,295441#msg-295441
I personally plan to make a laser cut version or an aluminum extrusion version once there is a cheap enough controller that can handle this.

The Sextupteron will exist.]]> nicholas.seward Delta Machines Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:33:46 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,294989#msg-294989 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,294989#msg-294989 TheTechnicalNoob Delta Machines Wed, 15 Jan 2014 05:41:02 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,285062#msg-285062 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,285062#msg-285062 A regular mendel 90 with a rotating bed (edit: like ddseeker suggested in the link above) is probably most straight forward.]]> TheTechnicalNoob Delta Machines Thu, 26 Dec 2013 18:07:05 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,281535#msg-281535 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,281535#msg-281535 like this]]> ddseeker Delta Machines Wed, 18 Dec 2013 06:55:42 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,281166#msg-281166 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,281166#msg-281166 nicholas.seward Delta Machines Tue, 17 Dec 2013 12:21:27 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,280606#msg-280606 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,280606#msg-280606

(note: I have not read this whole thread and not sure if you already have a controllable platform, so excuse my random jump in)]]> ddseeker Delta Machines Mon, 16 Dec 2013 12:57:19 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,280601#msg-280601 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,280601#msg-280601 nicholas.seward Delta Machines Mon, 16 Dec 2013 12:42:05 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,280599#msg-280599 Re: Sextupteron https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?178,229935,280599#msg-280599
... right in front of me ..

How about a normal LCD video monitor sitting on a conventional stand? Stand sits on the table. Arm from stand joins the monitor half way up the back of the monitor. You can indeed print it. It may drive the software a bit nuts. I'll see if I can find someting else that would be a bit crazy on autopilot.]]> uncle_bob Delta Machines Mon, 16 Dec 2013 12:34:02 -0500