Modular 3D Printer Project
Posted by AMCE
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Re: Modular 3D Printer Project October 18, 2016 10:01PM |
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sungod3k
Q1: The cnc incl pcb drill needs a cnc frame and thats why you see so few "swappable toolsheads" on 3d printer frames. Lasers might be "fun" but are probably also better served on a cnc frame, not mentioning the whole trouble with fume extraction and safty. Multicolor toolheads are already in development, as are food extrusion, maybe pellet extrusion based on richraps groundwork could be worth a shot.
Q2: Dont "invent" another printer, there are enough things you can improve besides the toolheads instead of reinventing the wheel. PM me if you need inspiration, I work with schools and universities and regularly assign them "research topics".
Q3: There are 100 faults stemming from 100 components all interacting to make a print, so that cant be answered like that
Fair points, all of them. I am well aware of all of those things, and I'm not necessarily trying to reinvent the wheel here. I'm working off a few ideas that I had from studying my current printer and others that I have worked with at school and otherwise. I came asking about interchangeable tool heads; I feel like telling me that I shouldn't do interchangeable tool heads because 'don't reinvent the wheel' defeats the purpose of my post. Hopefully I can use this project to help alleviate at least a good portion of the problems associated with 3d printing. Hopefully. A girl can dream. The third question was a general question anyway. Think of one of those 100 issues that stem from 100 components all interacting and throw it at me with a potential solution. That wording better? <3
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Origamib
Not entirely sure what you're asking, but if it is interchangeable toolheads there are many things you can add.
Yes, that's exactly what I'm asking! I forgot to take into account the fun messes associated with cutting materials. Oops~ I'm going into electrical engineering so the majority of this idea stems from being able to do electronics projects more efficiently by being able to machine PCB, but that doesn't necessarily mean using a drill. A youtuber I found sharpened a hardened steel rod with a grinder and used it to essentially scratch a resist material from the dare I say pre-resisted PCB. Another did the opposite, applying resist with a resist pen, then etching the remainder. But having a drill to put holes in for components would be nice, so I should figure out a way to alleviate that problem. Maybe making a small box and attaching a tiny vacuum tube to the modules that would make a mess? I should limit my modules for now I suppose. The end goal is for this to be a kind of open source project for people to add their designs for different modules to and stuff. As for accurately replacing a toolhead, no worries that is figured out. I have ran through several designs for clip-in modules during the past few days and the one I printed this morning seems to do the trick. As far as software is concerned, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. For the dremel, if I'm milling things they won't be too large anyway, so a small cheapo dremel won't be too much in the way especially with 300mm of room to move up.
All in all, even if the replaceable tool head thing doesn't work I will still be making a printer with dual extrusion that is 300mm cubed.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/18/2016 10:04PM by AMCE.
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Re: Modular 3D Printer Project October 19, 2016 05:27AM |
Hi Acme,
If you are thinking about building something to handle the forces of even a dremel head you would probably need to start off building a complete box frame.
The build platform would probably be best as a stable build platform. If you used tooled aluminium with pre drilled holes for mounting work while using the CNC/Mill/Laser it could also be used as a vacuum bed letting you suck all the dust and nasty stuff out of the bottom.
While 3D printing you could add a Glass panel coated in what ever material you need for the filament you are printing with and that sorts out any issues you would have with the 3D print bed being free of dust or imperfections.
You can buy Dremel flex shaft attachments that would cut down on the actual tool head weight but you would need a way to mount the Dremel kind of like a Bowden Extruder up and out of the way.
The X Axis could be built like a gantry on a CNC that moves along the Y Axis and the whole X Axis would move in the Z direction.
This would give you a more stable 3 Axis and more options for designing the mount for your tools.
I hope this is helpful and not just rambling.
PM me if you have any more questions I've been thinking about this myself a great deal.
Ryan
Out of the box thinking is easier when you never fitted in the box to begin with.
If you are thinking about building something to handle the forces of even a dremel head you would probably need to start off building a complete box frame.
The build platform would probably be best as a stable build platform. If you used tooled aluminium with pre drilled holes for mounting work while using the CNC/Mill/Laser it could also be used as a vacuum bed letting you suck all the dust and nasty stuff out of the bottom.
While 3D printing you could add a Glass panel coated in what ever material you need for the filament you are printing with and that sorts out any issues you would have with the 3D print bed being free of dust or imperfections.
You can buy Dremel flex shaft attachments that would cut down on the actual tool head weight but you would need a way to mount the Dremel kind of like a Bowden Extruder up and out of the way.
The X Axis could be built like a gantry on a CNC that moves along the Y Axis and the whole X Axis would move in the Z direction.
This would give you a more stable 3 Axis and more options for designing the mount for your tools.
I hope this is helpful and not just rambling.
PM me if you have any more questions I've been thinking about this myself a great deal.
Ryan
Out of the box thinking is easier when you never fitted in the box to begin with.
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Re: Modular 3D Printer Project October 19, 2016 01:17PM |
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Re: Modular 3D Printer Project October 21, 2016 07:02PM |
Hi Acme,
Interesting project! I think even quite a flimsy 3d printer could handle a dremel + tiny end mill if the cut depths are small (if I'm going to do pcbs I'd rather not etch. It's so disgusting if you don't have professional gear and there's the problem of what to do with the ferric chloride afterwards
) I'm a noob to 3D printing, but I can say that the bigger the piece the more problems you see with distortion and the more difficult to get it to stay on the bed. I think 300mm square is going to be a real challenge!
If you are looking for minimal connectors maybe just power and ground and SPI or i2c to a local processor on the head, so that you pass the data and the processor controls the print head?
Dave
Interesting project! I think even quite a flimsy 3d printer could handle a dremel + tiny end mill if the cut depths are small (if I'm going to do pcbs I'd rather not etch. It's so disgusting if you don't have professional gear and there's the problem of what to do with the ferric chloride afterwards
) I'm a noob to 3D printing, but I can say that the bigger the piece the more problems you see with distortion and the more difficult to get it to stay on the bed. I think 300mm square is going to be a real challenge!If you are looking for minimal connectors maybe just power and ground and SPI or i2c to a local processor on the head, so that you pass the data and the processor controls the print head?
Dave
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