The Shop > CNC

32bit controllers for 3D printing. The next BIG thing.

<< < (2/3) > >>

PK:
I considered this rabbit hole some time back.
My thoughts (for what they are worth) were along the lines of:
A 3D printer is a CNC machine.
Lots is known about what makes a good CNC machine.
So make a 3D printer that way.....

I got as far as ordering some 20mm CRS plate with a view to making a 20mm wall box with Z rails up the inside, linear bearings in machined recesses X and Y in the lid... You get the idea. 
Real bearings, lots of mass and larger motors to compensate (although my head design was only slightly heavy duty)

PK

Joules:
I can understand your logic Paul, but so many ways to skin this cat.  The printing process is a very complex waltz, whilst writing your name in the snow.  I’m sure a 5 axis cnc machine would be great for 3D printing...  8-(  however, I don’t have the room, never mind the budget.  I have considered granite slab for the printer base, holding tight tolerance as the machine gets bigger becomes more difficult.  Do you calibrate the machine for room temperature or working temperature that might be 40℃+  Insulate the internal cabinet so it doesn’t upset the external chassis.  Look into low expansion materials, or match the materials you are forced to use such as the bearing rails.  Is 20 micron feasible for this volume machine, assuming <10 micron stepping.  I will be wrestling this and more for sometime to come.  Way outside my comfort zone.

Be very happy if someone else comes up with a solution first   :bow:

Please chip in Fella’s open to discussion on this one.

Joules:
This is the printer waiting a brain transplant.  It was bought due to having the linear rails and steel chassis, on paper it looked a good one.  Ahh well, maybe it still can be, the E3D hotend was machined and a spacer added so it could be a direct replacement for the old hotend.  A lot of people actually print the adapter for these, but they just aren’t rigid enough for quality printing.  The old hotend had no heat break, one of the reasons it constantly dribbled as heat worked its way up with no cooling fan for the Peek section.

PK:

--- Quote from: Joules on August 31, 2018, 09:26:14 AM ---"I’m sure a 5 axis cnc machine would be great for 3D printing..."
 
--- End quote ---
I was more thinking of something on the scale of what we have, just replacing wobbly sheet metal frames with sturdy bolt up steel structures, machined surfaces and decent bearings.

Oh and getting rid of steel+aluminium+heat wherever possible.

PK

Joules:
Paul, you actually would like quite a bit of the above printer.  The steel chassis is well thought out and very rigid once bolted together.  They did skimp on the table bearings using 3 rather than 4 and the Z leadscrews are a bit weedy and prone to getting bent easily, as you can crash the hotend off the edge of the table...  that only needs a block of alloy to fix.  Aluminium table is very flat, I don’t use a heater with it for printing PLA and not sure what 60℃ would do dimensionally.  I think it will do better work than the current printers once the mods are completed.  Then start serious work on the core XY design.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page