8K USD + full CNC workshop. What do I want to buy?

Hi guys,

I'm keen to contribute a bit to the software side of the project once I get a machine up and running. I'm keen to put some money into making my own machine. It sounds like you guys know what you need but I cant see any complete cad model, pics, sketches?

If you froze everything as you knew it now. What would you make?

I plan on getting most of the parts second hand on ebay or china replica's.

I've got access to a fully equipped CNC workshop and can outsource some welding if need be.
I''m a professional engineer by trade with experience in cnc position control, robotic motion control, computer physics environments, multi processor systems and some other random trades I manage to get myself into.

I also can get access to some senior experience to bounce ideas of in this field, high vacuum, electron beam welding etc

Any thoughts? Suggestions for the build?

Cheers,

pyro

With what you've got you shouldn't have any problems innovating, wish I had something to provide. Keep us posted on your venture.

I've just found some surplus gold in the US. Has anybody used a freight company to get heavy stuff out of the states? I'm talking a full pallet here, 200kg to 300kg?

Just to make sure I'm on the right track with this project. The mechanical side of this is prior knowledge from industry? The innovation will be the software and the 20 micron surface finish using the SEM feedback mechanisms?

pyro

hi
Getting the power supply under the 1000 euro level is applying 5 year old smps technology to home kit building, so adaption and testing
The beam current control is 30 yr old technology which we are replicating.
The electron gun triode is very old tech we are replicating
The powder dispensing side in argon at low vacuum is prior knowledge, but powder dispensing in high vacuum (10-4 Torr) will require innovation due to possible powder clumping so initially vacuum will be lowered for powder dispensing, then re-established for beam melting, later the window will solve this issue and allow large part building.
Vacuum equipment is also prior knowledge.
Their will be plenty of testing for everyone so do ask for tasks via the forum as the each area come up for testing.
The high tech option electron beam window is innovation as is the software and SEM feed back system.
I hope that's a help
kind regards
Rapatan and the MetalicaRap team.

hi
The major price block untill ours is ready is the high voltage power supply, so getting hold of an old xray power supply is probably the best bet using it for short 10S runs.
Right now I would focus on vacuum test chambers with roughing pump and pirani guage. See what sort of electrical feed throughs and mechanical feedthrough you can achieve. what sort of welding or glueing techniques work at 1x10-4 torr. What sort of plumbing work arounds you can do.
kind regards
Rapatan


p.s sorry the drawings were hard to find, they were mistakenly put under downloads now under "drawings and photos" section. We hope to have some cad ones up soon.