nano-reprap anyone?

[technology.newscientist.com]

Actually, placing a gripping hand of some sort on the reprap instead of an extruder could be quite interesting to play with. If nothing else, it could be used to move the finished product out of the way when dry so the reprap could get started on the next part. Though, there are probably easier ways to do that.

Hi John,

in the last years i developed some micro-grippers and nanopositioning-systems and actually i'm again in the process to enhance my CNC-mill at home down to single microns accuracy and precision.

On my last daywork in one of the projects we had to handle platinum nano-wires to assemble some gas-sensors, so nano-hands were very welcome - but the needed accuracies and technologies are extremely expensive, so i developed some microtechnical 'workarounds', where it's possible to handle, position and assemble the sensors with cheaper tools, which i milled on a 'enhanced' CNC and with some 'coarase' and cheap techniques, where i could achieve nanopositioning ...

Viktor

That sounds fascinating. Were you able to use readily available steppers to get such accuracy or were you using something like linear piezoelectric motors?

A project I have been meaning to try is to salvage some PZT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_zirconate_titanate) from some cheap disposable lighters and see if I can make a linear piezo motor. If it works, it would be an extremely cheap alternative to a stepper. I was thinking two pieces of PZT in a L formation, driven by two waves in quadrature phase of each other so they grip and push...

Hi John,

first i tested different PZT-drives and motors (e.g. [www.elliptec.com] ), then selected the piezo-legs ( [www.piezomotor.se] ) for positioning and driving the microgrippers.

Some of my positioning stages were driven by magnets and ferrofluid-actuators or stick-n-slip-free ferrofluid-gliders.

Here you can see some of the products i developed then: micro-grippers ( [www.gerwahmikro.com] ) and micro- and nano-positioning stages ( [www.gerwahmikro.com] ).

Actually i'm building a stepper-mechanic with 1/256-microstepping, where i have an accuracy with a normal 1,8

For a look at what the design process on the atomic scale might look like have a look at Nanorex's NanoEngineer 1 (due out out beta and open-sourced by the end of the week). There is a small review of it here: [worldcadaccess.typepad.com]

I just found this blogpost and was looking for a way to insert it into a reprap related thread :-)

Hi Reece,

thanks for the info - i tagged the link and wait until it's released to download and test.

It seems you have to register for acces to th download-area

Viktor

[smart-machines.blogspot.com]

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]