RepStrippa, my plans on a multifunction 3D printer Comments are welcome, let me know your thoughts

Hello everyone, I'm here to discuss with you and to present my multifunction 3D printer.
First of all thanks in advance for reading this and commenting; I'm an italian guy with the DIY "mindview" and with the artisan lifestyle, I like to recycle but, most important, to change people mind on recycling everything they can.
In this way I started some years ago an artist/music project with handmade musical instruments ripped off from wasted electronics stuff. I also love hardware and toys hacking (aka circuit bending).
While building up mine own instruments I find some difficulties on having some parts with the shape I wanted. Also, I'm a student and I cannot afford the costs of third parts productions. So one day I decided to build a CNC router, then I discoverred the 3D printing world and now I'm here with my ideas.

RepStrippa features:

1. 3D printing
2. 3D scanning
3. Dremel engraving/milling
4. Laser engraving
5. Paper/vinyl cutting

a) This is a classic Cartesian printer, print mainly PLA (go organic!). Printing area of 300x300mm, it will have an hot chamber enclosure with exaust air exit for ABS, the carrier will be in a shape that it can mount every kind of extruder; also multi extruding is in my thoughts, like an X (crossed) mount with 4 hotends at the four ends (printing area 140x140).
b) With a servo motor there will be a rolling plate, for objects to be scanned. With simple internal walls as background and a photocamera, some leds to light up and a classic laser pointer.
c) First of all I'll print a Dremel mount My goal is to engrave wood, plexiglass and maybe, again maybe, Alu; I'm not pretending to mill as a CNC router, just engrave untill 5mm deepness by taking slowly more passagges, once by one. The Repstrippa will have vacuum cleaner mount to the Dremel and to the bottom/base for debris.
d) A simple 1W diode not for cutting but simply to engrave leather. With fans and exaust way for smokes. So no CO2 system here.
e) A rotary cut bit to cut paper, vinyl and leather. Paper and vinyl will stay in position thanks to strong magnets (inside printed handles). I thought about a vacuum system for holding the paper but isn't so simple...

Materials:
As you can see the structure is made of aluminum extrusions 40x40. There will be fasteners inside the extrusions at the corners and L plates, also 90° mounters. The overall dimensions are 750x650mm but can vary. On top the extrusions are longer because they will support the enclosure chamber. The linear guides used are IGUS Drylin T more specs here: [www.igus.com] and here: [www.igus.com]
Y AXIS: 16mm dia. 10mm step 520mm lenght ballscrew with a NEMA23 15kg.cm holding torque 3A. Alu plate 4mm. When printing: Silicone hotbed 300x300mm with cork and a 0,5 alu plate at the bottom, on top I'll experiment
Z AXIS: Two 20x20 alu extrusions are lifted by 16mm dia. 10mm step leadscrew, delrin nut. Two NEMA23 15kg.cm holding torque 3A.
X AXIS: My idea is to use two NEMA 17 6.5Kg.cm holding torque with pulleys and belts.

Electronics: I'm waiting the RAMPS-FD of bobc and I'm also in contact with an user that can give me some step drivers for the 3A demanding motors. I will use Udoo or Arduino Due. ImmaginaECrea extruder or the E3D. Bowden system.

From the images attached: the blue parts are the one made by a factory, they will be rectified, as the extrusions holding the linear guides. The yellow are the 3D printed by a friend of mine.

So, the main stuff has explained, I hope you understood everything, sorry for my bad English
Another word just to say that after the printer will be ready I would like to start modelling and printing plastic parts to help building the same printer as corners and 90° angles, bushing holders and so on... Also I'm plannig (just an idea) to build this printer in a modular way so that it can be expanded along the X and Y axises only for printing, lasering and cutting NOT milling.

Here are my doubts and my questions to you mates:

1. Look here, at the IGUS page, they talk about floating bearings in Y and Z axises, what do you think? Shuold I use those bearings for compensate misalignment? If so where? Should I lost precision when engraving by using those floating bearing? (I know one fixed and one floating, I'm not saying "every bearing must be floating")
2. What do you think about the X axis concept?
3. What are your suggestions?
4. More to come...

Again thanks and best printings to everyone! Please ask if you have questions.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/2014 02:20PM by Gordie.

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