Hey Enrique, Looks good, I'm going to try and get away with running your script unmodified (or maybe just inserting g-codes to wipe the tool between layers) in Brendan's EMC2 extension. How goes the plugin plan? It's probably just as easy to write a simple script that parses the file after it has been outputted, but that's another step. Have you given any thought to making a slightly easier tby Kyle Corbitt - RepRap Host
I'm getting ready to put my whole extruder together, and one thing I don't like about the current design is the suboptimal use of JB-weld. I'd prefer not to do something that can't easily be reversed if I make a mistake, and by some accounts it breaks down over time at the high temps used in the extruder. People have tried several alternatives (BBQ paint, other epoxies, I think nophead's got soby Kyle Corbitt - Mechanics
My concern would be how to easily get all those little pieces to fit together nicely without interfering with flow or getting out of sync and letting some thermoplastic slip through. The extruder is a very cramped, hot, and high pressure. But if you can figure it out, more power to you!by Kyle Corbitt - Plastic Extruder Working Group
That sounds like it should work fine for the software, but the software problems are rather simple compared to getting the machine and chemical reaction to work correctly and consistently. That's where the real challenge lies for this design.by Kyle Corbitt - General
Ru Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Would be some sort of that much easier and cheaper > to build ? > > Well, of course. The importat question is, "will > it work?" I doubt you'll get anything like the > same intensity from a digital picture frame as you > would from a projector. A nice big CRT is better, > but still nothing like the amounby Kyle Corbitt - General
I don't know whether those chips are more expensive than a 22" monitor or not right now, but I suspect that with all the projectors you see everywhere these days, they're falling fast.by Kyle Corbitt - General
How do you keep molten plastic from flowing out the window the laser shines in through? It seems like a lot of tiny fiddly bits to me... not to say that it couldn't be done.by Kyle Corbitt - Plastic Extruder Working Group
I think that generally speaking filament extruders are easier to design because you can have a reasonable expectation of what sort of stuff is being fed in, and processing it can be a continuous (and nicely linear) operation. However, there is community demand for a granule/scrap material/powder-based extruder that can be used in conjunction with some kind of reducer (grinder, melter, etc.) to rby Kyle Corbitt - Mechanics
mimarob Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It just struck me that it might be silly to spend > to much effort discussing which cpu or memory card > solution is the best, lets leave that to darwinism > ;-) There's no harm in discussing the possibilities - a little intelligent design goes a long way in this business, which is why we got RepRap in 4 years iby Kyle Corbitt - Controllers
Hey Brendan, Did you ever post the HAL driver or .gts import code? My mill isn't quite ready to have an extruder hooked up to it yet, but once it is, I think your work will be most useful. Have you got your mill extruding yet? see . Thanks for the effort.by Kyle Corbitt - EMC2
makeit Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > thought all of that information was pretty > important. They have a calibration routine to > insure the projector and chip is working right. > "mW" stands for "Molecular Weight" You sure? Looks a lot like milliwatt to me, and the capitalization makes more sense that way too. > I don't know > what "dm2" sby Kyle Corbitt - General
Interesting concept, but it does seem rather more complex than the current system, and I don't see the big payout...by Kyle Corbitt - Plastic Extruder Working Group
What happens if you ignore the bubbles? You get a segmented extrusion stream, but depending on the application that may or may not matter. I can also think of a couple of complex geometries for the pressure chamber that may mitigate the risk of bubbles, but it's better to keep things simple if possible.by Kyle Corbitt - Mechanics
Forrest Higgs Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Kyle Corbitt Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > > That isn't really a valid analogy, because not > > only are Stratasys machines higher-resolution > than > > RepRap, they also have higher volume output. > They > > can do this becauseby Kyle Corbitt - General
Forrest Higgs Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Kyle Corbitt Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > > What about a heated, > > pressurized chamber with a small hole in it > that > > plastic is forced out of? Dangerous for sure, > but > > if you shield it right you should be able to >by Kyle Corbitt - Mechanics
Lampbus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Yes, you could. > > But do you want to ? Lots of people in engineering > still use CNC plasma cutting over CNC laser > cutting. Plasma cutting is rough, wide cuts with > inferiour edge finish and taper, but it is FAST > and CHEAP and for larger structures in particular > it is the best option. >by Kyle Corbitt - General
makeit Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Kyle Corbitt Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > > That's why I like FFF - as BDolge said, the patent > > will be up by the time RepRap begins making an > > impact. > > > I understand. I hope I'm not coming across wrong > or uppity. I know I've said quite a few iby Kyle Corbitt - General
sid Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Please don't get me wrong.. > making a granule extruder is a superp idea, but > isn't it much easier to > just make our own filament by ,elting it and let > it flow through a matching hole by gravity ? > I'm not sure if that will work or only be a big > mess afterwards.. In another thread nophead (I think)by Kyle Corbitt - Mechanics
I'm working with a local high school group to turn a (currently non-functional) CNC milling machine into a milling/RepRapping hybrid. I've created a build blog expressly for this purpose, and I hope that someone will be able to get some use out of it. My mechanics are not standard, but once I start adding the extruder and electronics it should begin to look more like a normal RepStrap project.by Kyle Corbitt - Reprappers
I agree with Forrest that RepRap should be completely novice friendly - the current status quo is unacceptable in the long run, if this project is to have a future. Along those lines, I DON'T think that BRL-CAD in its current incarnation is an acceptable solution - as I understand it, although it is much more powerful than AoI it is almost certainly more arcane. While that may be an acceptableby Kyle Corbitt - RepRap Host
makeit Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Patents are not top secret documents. Your allowed > to look at them. Plus we are not building these > machines and selling them as complete systems to > others. The objective here is to learn/teach > others how to build one for our/their own personal > use. > > A car company can't sue you for builby Kyle Corbitt - General
Forrest Higgs Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Kyle Corbitt Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > > One thing that strikes me as unique and > promising > > about this software is that rather than a > > monolithic application it is "a collection of > more > > than 400 tools, utilities,by Kyle Corbitt - RepRap Host
Forrest Higgs Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Lord! Linux and "building from source"! I'd > rather get tangled in poison oak. Forrest, if you look at the website under "downloads" they have nice friendly .exe files for Windows as well. A mature project like this almost never requires Windows users to build it for themselves - they know they'll get thaby Kyle Corbitt - RepRap Host
What are the characteristics of the resultant polymer? Is it engineering-grade plastic, or is this only good for visual prototypes? I'm not very familiar with UV polymerization, or organic chemistry in general!by Kyle Corbitt - General
davidgoodenough Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The only possible problem with this is that the > latest version is 7.12.4 but the lastest Linux > download is 7.8.4. If we are going to use new > features, we need to be sure that they are going > to be available to Linux users as well. Considering all development for this package took place exclusby Kyle Corbitt - RepRap Host
Print To 3D Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Where can I find a 3d parts diagram for the > extruder 1.1 or just simply a picture of it? Pictures are at , and that page links to a BOM that lists the printed parts. Unfortunately, it looks like you need to install Art of Illusion and manually open then export each design file as an STL. The SVN repository wiby Kyle Corbitt - Reprappers
nophead Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > >how you maintain a very precise depth of > polymerization > I presume its just the height the object is > lifted. Above that the object is already solid. > The liquid layer is between the base of the object > and the glass. Sure, but what happens if you want to make a layer larger than the last one? Wby Kyle Corbitt - General
DaveR Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I've thought about using a standard crosscut paper > shredder to cut consistent chips of HDPE. Some of > them will take CDs and several sheets of paper. > OK, it will only work on relatively flat sections, > and you'll need to cut it up a bit first. > > I've not tried it, only thought about it. I reckon &by Kyle Corbitt - Plastic Extruder Working Group
keith Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I could imagine cranking the table down by hand > during a print session but that would make the job > of printing pretty laborious. Right. I've thought down that line a bit as a possible simplification route, but really, once you have a crank that connects to a movable Z axis and raises/lowers it, 90% of the compby Kyle Corbitt - Reprappers