iRapid - the new 3D printer!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2012 12:38AM by OKKA.

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iRapid

Interesting design, looking forward to see how that works.
Are your rack and pinions metal ?


[joke] I'm taking bets on how much time it will take 3D systems to acquire you [/joke]


By the way, on the PR side, unless you got an agreement with the reprap foundation, it sounds a bad idea to use reprap.com if you want a nice image in the reprap community. Just saying.

It seems pretty likely this is just a concept and nothing more.

Rack and pinion drive would have HUGE backlash, unless there is something I am missing?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2012 04:46PM by Andrew Diehl.

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www.Fablicator.com

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2012 05:28PM by OKKA.

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iRapid

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2012 05:28PM by OKKA.

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iRapid

It looks from here that OKKA redacted himself (herself?) a couple times.

Anyhow, a rack and pinion doesn't have to have backlash. Under these relatively low loads, they could conceivably be run with no clearance. Maybe spring-load the pinion (and stepper) against the rack. A better complaint might have to do with doubling the number of stepper motors, but this would also increase the capacity for acceleration.

What concerns me is the rack for the Z axis. Hopefully there is somthing like a worm gear reducer to prevent the extruder from falling when power is removed. There may be, it just wasn't visible in the video.

There is a door on the front. WIll this have a temperature controlled chamber? If so, how will the plastic parts and filament be kepts from softening?