You need to hear this

[vimeo.com]

I am really impressed now. First the Mega/Pololu combo puts the electronics right around $100, and they deliver double the resolution... now they are so silent.

---

-Steve

Wow that is amazing!
Is there a shield built out there yet for this setup? Also would it be compatible with Makerbots Gen 4 electronics?
Mark F

2robotguy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow that is amazing!
> Is there a shield built out there
> yet for this setup? Also would it be compatible
> with Makerbots Gen 4 electronics?
> Mark F

[reprap.org]

I think the Gen 4 Makerbot electronics are using a similar approach with the Arduino Mega. I imagine the reprap project is going to go its own way though when it comes to the electronics because the development is not open with Makerbot. But as Sebastien says, RepRap doesn't "do" official. The Mega/Pololu combo is pretty popular and there are alot of people on IRC with that setup.

Here is my setup... [www.youtube.com]
Kinda hack but it works. I am still figuring out how to do PCB etching and PCB design, so I made wiring harnesses around header pins and wood blocks.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2010 02:34PM by tesla893.

---

-Steve

tesla893,
Thanks for the info! Ya the makerbot 4 electronics are running on a Mega but I think they are using the same stepper boards, that dont have the same resolution as the Pololu. It would be very cool to be able to parallel makerbots work so both makerbot & reprap electronics can prosper. Also the Gen 4 electronics can run up to 5 steppers for a dual extruder setup and Going to be on there new makerwave. I was able to remodel the frame in solidworks. It will have a Liquid Crystal display to boot!

Mark F

2robotguy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tesla893,
> Thanks for the info! Ya the makerbot 4
> electronics are running on a Mega but I think they
> are using the same stepper boards, that dont have
> the same resolution as the Pololu. It would be
> very cool to be able to parallel makerbots work
> so both makerbot & reprap electronics can prosper.
> Also the Gen 4 electronics can run up to 5
> steppers for a dual extruder setup and Going to be
> on there new makerwave. I was able to remodel the
> frame in solidworks. It will have a Liquid Crystal
> display to boot!
>
> Mark F


That is really cool looking. Looks like a microwave. Or a cross between a dimension printer and a makerbot.

---

-Steve

But as Sebastien says, RepRap doesn't "do" official.

Yup. "Official" would lead to control and ownership issues. It would also immediately get gamed by an "official" widget seller who would try to flag other sellers' widgets as "non-official", probably via branding or controlling the documentation system. Ick. There's a reason I pushed our fellow devs to moving to a mediawiki.

By the way, as one of RepRap's officials, I'm officially proud to officially announce we've officially moved to an open dev list, after a five year campaign of gentle nudging on my part:
http://lists.reprap.org/mailman/listinfo/reprap-dev


Please join it and lurk let your fellow devs know what you're working on.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2010 01:35AM by SebastienBailard.

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-Sebastien, RepRap.org library gnome.

---

Remember, you're all RepRap developers (once you've joined the super-secret developer mailing list), and the wiki, RepRap.org, [reprap.org] is for everyone and everything!

SebastienBailard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But as Sebastien says, RepRap doesn't "do"
> official.
>
> Yup. "Official" would lead to control and
> ownership issues. It would also immediately get
> gamed by an "official" widget seller who would try
> to flag other sellers' widgets as "non-official",
> probably via branding or controlling the
> documentation system. Ick. There's a reason I
> pushed our fellow devs to moving to a mediawiki.
>
> By the way, as one of RepRap's officials, I'm
> officially proud to officially announce we've
> officially moved to an open dev list, after a five
> year campaign of gentle nudging on my part:
> [lists.reprap.org]
> ev
>
>
> Please join it and lurk let your fellow devs know
> what you're working on.


OMG you are my hero.

---

-Steve

Definitely worth subscribing to reprap-dev, IMO. Been lurking there ever since buzz told me it was open to all a few weeks back when I saw him in person.

That video with the new Pololu electronics looks awesome! One thing I don't particularly like though is the big bulky box mounted on the top there. I'm working on a printable horizontal filament box that will sit under my Mendel: [reprap.org] The extra frame around it might make for a good place to put the electronics.

---

--
Tony Buser http://tonybuser.com * http://reprap.org/wiki/User:Tbuser#Projects

gr0k wrote:

>That video with the new Pololu electronics looks awesome! One thing I don't particularly like though is the big bulky box >mounted on the top there. I'm working on a printable horizontal filament box that will sit under my Mendel: [reprap.org] The >extra frame around it might make for a good place to put the electronics.

I can't find the picture right now, but I saw somebody that built a case for there Arduino Mega and shield. They placed it to the front bottom right of there Mendel and it looked sweet! Once somebody designs a shield and everybody agrees with the design, I would not mind to design a case for the Mega/Pololu combo. Additionally I will add a standard fan and do flow simulations to validate the case design (In Cosmos and real world) .

If the electronics can be taken down to a small case that is printable, the thick sheets that were used to support to electronics can be removed. The build bed can be replaced by a large PCB with a heated trace setup. Thus that will only leaves 1 part laser cut that could be printed instead? It would be amazing to remove the thick sheets, taking Us one step closer to a self replicating machine!

Mark F