Git - Fast Version Control System DIY Ultimaker Tool and Extruder Changer Mechanism Ultimaker forum user by the name of FoehnSturm presented his approach to toolchanger mechanism on the original Ultimaker machine. It uses a custom modular direct drive extruders with hot end placed in holders mounted on printer's frame. This extruder is powered by NEMA 8 motor and has a hotend like Merlin, Prometheus, E3D or similar. In the future it will use other tools also. Do keep in mind that this project is still in the development but it looks very interesting. Here is the first prototype: ... more developed version with higher accuracy and repeatability: Here is the mechanism working well with dual extruders doing two color printing: Here is the high speed tool change in action: The mechanism can have magnetic connectors and supports different tools like polishing head: You can see the entire thread on the UM forum with much more information and insight in the development process:
Wiki RepRap is humanity's first general-purpose self-replicating manufacturing machine. RepRap takes the form of a free desktop 3D printer capable of printing plastic objects. Since many parts of RepRap are made from plastic and RepRap prints those parts, RepRap self-replicates by making a kit of itself - a kit that anyone can assemble given time and materials. RepRap is about making self-replicating machines, and making them freely available for the benefit of everyone. Reprap.org is a community project, which means you are welcome to edit most pages on this site, or better yet, create new pages of your own. RepRap was the first of the low-cost 3D printers, and the RepRap Project started the open-source 3D printer revolution. RepRap was voted the most significant 3D-printed object in 2017. RepRap state-of-the-art when this page was last updated (June 2017) is well represented by the RepRap Snappy, RepRap Dollo and the RepRap Generation 7 Electronics.
Blog: Machinekit Images Machinekit Images are now auto-generated by Robert Nelson as part of the standard BeagleBone OS image suite. You can find the latest Machinekit uSD card image at this link. While a large portion of the details below (writing the uSD card, login credentials, etc.) have not changed Everything below is now deprecated. If you are interested in running Machinekit on the BeagleBone, see the link above. I have created a turn-key Machinekit BeagleBone SD Card image, based on the official Debian release for the BeagleBone using Robert C Nelson's omap-image-builder scripts and the Machinekit software to allow easy experimentation and to promote the use of Machinekit and LinuxCNC in the 3D printer and maker communities. NOTE: While I said "turn-key" above, if you are unfamiliar with Linux in general you should not be playing with this setup. Supported Capes Most of the capes on the Hardware Capes page that are actually available have example configurations in the latest images. Image Details
Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects Using the Codeable Objects Processing Library Codeable Objects is a library for Processing that allows anyone to design and construct an artifact using geometric computation and digital fabrication. This tutorial will show you how to use the library to make a laser cut lamp. The library allows you to customize the size, shape and decorative patterns of the lamp. Requirements: A computer running windows, Mac OSX or Linux.Internet AccessA vector editing program (Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator)Access to a laser cutter* *If you don’t have access to a laser cutter, you can use an online fabrication service to cut your parts. Section 1: Setup Step 1: Assemble your physical materials 1-3 square feet of ¼” plywood1-3 sheets of 17” x 14” Bristol board, or some other similar weight paper.1-3 sheets of semi-transparent vellum or high-grade tissue paper. Step 2: Download and install Processing Processing is a popular java based programing environment that allows people to learn and experiment with programing in a simple and straightforward context.
3-D Printers Proliferate Photos: Hewlett-Packard PART SOLUTION: Make small plastic parts on your own with a 3-D printer, such as HP's [left]. For years, visionary engineers have been touting the idea of a cheap box about the size of a microwave oven that could build arbitrary solid objects out of plastic, ceramics, metal, ice, and even living cells. During most of the 20-plus-year history of 3-D printing, "cheap" has been a distant vision, with industrial rapid-prototyping machines going for anywhere from US $15 000 to over $1 000 000. That number started to drop precipitously in 2007, with 3-D–printer designs from RepRap and Fab@Home that could be built for $500 to $2000 in materials (depending on what materials you wanted to print and how good you were at scrounging parts). If the price of a new compact car is more than you or your boss would like to spend, New York City start-up Makerbot Industries offers a small RepRap-derived printer kit for about $900. But what are these machines actually good for?
How to build the cheapest DLP SLA 3d printer for under 500$ including projector This is probably the cheapest DLP SLA 3D printer that you can build yourself for some 500 USD including the projector! "Little Dipper" has a simple design that anyone can replicate with some basic DIY skills and it makes prints with reasonable quality. The most expenisve par is the projector which you can get dfor some 350 USd new, but you could probably get it used somewhere. Other parts include simple z axis movement (screw or belt driven) on wood frame and Ramps 1.4 or Arduino controlled electronics. Here is the project description from the makers: How it works? It uses a DLP projector rather than a laser to cure each layer.It shines the light source from the top rather than up from the bottom.Advantages over laser based bottom up and DLP bottom up designs:SimplicityLower start-up costModifiable to bottom upFast build (~1 evening)Major Components and Materials: Almost any linear axis that is belt driven or screw driven will work. UV Resin Build Platform and Plastic Tupperware vat
DO IT: Projects, Plans, and How-Tos More Harbor Freight online coupons, to save you a ton of money on their weirdly low tool prices – sometimes concerningly low (remember, “you get what you pay for”). Take advantage by printing the best ones before you drive to your nearest location, or have stuff shipped if you don’t live near one of HF’s many stores. So what’s the story? Harbor Freight sends out at least two coupon mailings each month – their general monthly specials, and a batch of coupons for members on their coupon mailing list (which seems to expire if you don’t use it often enough). Often times the coupons’ discounts are significantly deep, so this is a good list to be on for those with a penchant for dirt-cheap tools. I had missed one of the big Harbor Freight sales last weekend, but needed some project supplies (at their prices, the tools are useful for repurposing into unrelated projects – palm sanders make great vibration tools for helping settle concrete). Now, to just get them to stop requiring a print out.
Huxley Huxley Release status: working Introduction RepRap Version III "Huxley" is being developed on this and associated pages. To clarify, Huxley will be Mini-Mendel with some re-designed parts plus more documentation, defined integrated electronics (with alternatives, of course), and a selection of alternative firmware and host software configured to drive it. The machine uses M6 threaded rods and M3 nuts and bolts (as opposed to the M8/M4 used on Mendel) and NEMA 14 Stepper Motors. Mendel can print itself, and so will Huxley. The idea is to develop both Mendel and Huxley in parallel, with Huxley being as cut-down and minimal as possible, and Mendel being the machine with all the fancy capabilities. Information about building the RepRapPro Huxley kit can be found on the RepRapPro Huxley pages. Information about building the TechZone Huxley kit can be found on the TechZone Huxley Page. Information about building the eMaker Huxley kit can be found on the eMaker Huxley page. Pre-Dates Huxley Sources:
Making the World a Better Place, One Evil Mad Scientist at a Time Wevolver | RETR3D Designed by techfortrade | Released under CC BY-SA 4.0 NOTE: The Retr3D printer has recently been redesigned. Designs for V2.1 and 2.2 will be posted shortly... Retr3d is a framework dedicated to affordable 3D printing equipment for developing economies that can be locally sourced, locally maintained and locally improved. We believe that 3D printing can be as transformative in developing countries as the mobile phone. As with the mobile phone, which has already changed the way people across the Africa communicate, introducing 3D printing at the community level offers the potential to localize manufacturing. Retr3d creates 3D printer designs based on the materials that you have access to. Read the safety documentation.
MakerBot Industries Steps to Success Every now and then we’re reminded 3D printing is not science fiction, but a real technology used every day to make amazing things in homes, studios, schools, and businesses. At MakerBot we’re proud to be leading this Next Industrial Revolution with the MakerBot 3D Ecosystem, which makes desktop 3D printing and 3D scanning affordable and reliable for everyone, and includes a variety of products and services to help unleash your creativity. One of the newest members of our family is MakerBot Desktop, a complete, free 3D printing solution for discovering, managing, and sharing your 3D prints. As we learned in last week’s post on connectivity, MakerBot Desktop was built to access the powerful software capabilities of the new Fifth Generation line of MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printers. This week, we’ll take a look at how to use it to go, in just three simple steps, from a 3D design to a 3D print. 1. – Did you design your own model? – Want to browse through free designs?