CNC and 3D printer

[myxpykalix]

This may be of interest to some of you especially those "tinkerer types" like Khalid!
http://www.instructables.com/id/Comb...nter/?ALLSTEPS

[dana_swift]

FYI, I suspect you didn't read my post, so here it is again.

Here is my post from the Tulsa Fablab Symposium where ShopBot was showing a 3D printhead on the ShopBot Desktop. The new beta control software has support for both the 3D printhead on any shopbot (my understanding), as well as a laser cutting head.

I have no idea what upgrades to the control board may be needed to use these new options on one of our existing shopbots to use these options as a retrofit.

But.. we already OWN that capability- minus the 3D printhead and 3D printer toolpathing software (the desktop was running open-source 3D printing software when it was demoed).

Makes me glad I own a ShopBot.. its a living product, not a dead end!

D

Here is the Desktop that was being shown, it has three heads on the Z car, and an indexer in the background!



Here is a close up, the 3D printhead is on the right, note the blue thread of ABS material being fed to the printhead on the right. On the left of the spindle is the steerable knife motor driven by one of the Shopbot control axes. I didn't get any photos of knife cutting attachments.



One of the printed parts:



This is a removable vacuum fixture for the desktop being held on the left.



Looking it all over:

Open the thumbnail below..

(The Forum will allow 5 pictures to be uploaded per post, but only 4 to be shown. Odd?)


More photos in the next post-

D

[Ajcoholic]

Can it make me a nice ham and swiss on rye?? That would impress me..

Just kidding..! That technology is pretty amazing, for sure.

AJC

[myxpykalix]

Dana I guess i missed that one! that does look cool. I guess we're going to have to start saving up our pennies (or dollars)!

[garyc]

Jack...
The beta also has an added command (MI) that allows an indexer to be spun at a fixed speed!! Know anyone that ever wanted that?

[myxpykalix]

Hmmm... i wonder if that is available for us with a different machine? Last time i talked to Ted it was either going to be a simple software fix or at most some type of small board addition to the control box.

Do you know if this is something i can get from shopbot for my machine? I was seriously considering going the additional lathe route because i saw one cheap on Craigslist, so this would be exciting news! thanks for bringing that to my attention