RepRap near future

Edtharan Wrote:
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>
> I agree, RepRap is inherently complex
>
It needn't be. It's a matter of making simplicity a much stronger factor in the design process.

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well a hammer wouldn't work for a RepRap

I just hammered (edge connectors in aluminium square tubes) a small frame for a baby reprap
so.. why not?

'sid

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It needn't be. It's a matter of making simplicity a much stronger factor in the design process.

I think that it can be made simpler for the end user, but the actual operation of it is complex. Good design can hide this complexity from the end user, but that complexity still remains.

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I just hammered (edge connectors in aluminium square tubes) a small frame for a baby reprap
so.. why not?

Good point

Edtharan Wrote:
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>
> I think that it can be made simpler for the end
> user, but the actual operation of it is complex.
> Good design can hide this complexity from the end
> user, but that complexity still remains.
>
There is nothing intrinsically complex about what we are trying to do. We can make it complex, the design of our controller electronics being a case in point, but we needn't.

I don't think this is the problem we should tackle at the moment.

I suggest we focus on documenting the current design as best we can, so that the current design would be easily understood.

after that we can worry about designing Darwin (or Mendel) with simplicity in mind.

By the way I think things would naturally flow that way once a significant number of people have a Darwin.

-Leav

Leav Wrote:
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> I don't think this is the problem we should tackle
> at the moment.
>
Your choice.
>
> I suggest we focus on documenting the current
> design as best we can, so that the current design
> would be easily understood.
>
It's definitely a great idea.
>
> after that we can worry about designing Darwin (or
> Mendel) with simplicity in mind.
>
Tommelise, the Reprap machine that I'm designing is a LOT simpler in concept and execution than Darwin. That doesn't make Darwin irrelevant, mind. Far from it.
>
> By the way I think things would naturally flow
> that way once a significant number of people have
> a Darwin.
>
Zach, Ian and Vik are hard at work trying to make that a reality. I, too, might well have a little Darwin-related surprise for you all in a few weeks that should make Darwin a LOT more accessible for ordinary enthusiasts.

Don't tease us, Forest...we are just mindless RepRapers looking for a good time! If you have no intention of sharing early, PLEASE don't bait us! The suspense just kills me!

Demented

There's no suspense to it, Demented. While I am committed to the Tommelise thread of development, occasionally I spin off something that is directly applicable to Darwin. If you recall, a few months ago I demonstrated that it is possible to do high accuracy milling with Tommelise and noted that there is no practical obstacle to doing the same thing on Darwin.

If you've been reading my blog, you'll know that I'm leveraging that capability to do milling of PCBs. I've just about got the software for doing PC layout design working like I want and I'm well on my way to doing a Voronoi Isolates takeoff on standard circuit board layouts. While that saves milling tool wear it also makes it possible to more or less mill heavy amperage boards that can handle those awful multi-amp stepper motors that most of you are using with Darwin without having to make an overt effort to size the traces from the L298N to the screw terminals.

In a few weeks, I should have that whole ensemble of software going to the point where it could be transferred over to the Darwin development stream without a lot of drama.

As I see it, that's going to democratise board development in Darwin tremendously and let a lot more reprappers do board design than is currently practical.

Ah, that is good news! No suprise as I have been following your progress but I didn't think of your developments being used for Darwin/Mendel stuff.

Demented

Demented Chihuahua Wrote:
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> I didn't think of your
> developments being used for Darwin/Mendel stuff.
>
They've used some stuff that I've done. It isn't always obvious.