3D Printers now Printing Wood

[gerryv]

Well, okay, it's MDF but this shows just how rapidly this technology is evolving.

http://technabob.com/blog/2012/09/26/laywoo-d3-wood-3d-printing-filament/

[Bob Eustace]

Amazing how it changes colour.

Bob

[gerryv]

Guess I should have said "with" wood nor on wood.

[dana_swift]

When the ShopBot 3D print head gets released, I would like to see how well this product works. The idea of being able to build up material and remove material with the same machine will give ShopBot an advantage in the industry. It makes me even more happy to own one.

Then maybe when a "woops" happens, and we might be able to have the machine go back and patch the hole it just made. Even if the patch color does not match the original color, its a huge improvement over always having to always discard the ruined stock.

A question I have: using the 3D printhead on an existing bot, will it require a new control board? How does the interface to the print head work with the SB3 program?

The problem with the RepRaps, MakerBots, etc is they have no automatic ZZero. Here is another place where ShopBot blows them away. Being able to locate the extruder head at the correct Z location to start automatically will be a very significant advantage.

Not to mention we have a HUGE work space. It may take a long time to do a large 3D print, but the machine can run long periods not much different than a large 3D carving.

This is way cool- I see the start of a whole new product category, and a whole new market for ShopBot. The possibility of printing plasticized wood onto real wood introduces a whole new world for creativity.

Folder 15 is going to get full fast..

D

[donald_smull]

I have so many Ideas for this. Just the fact that when we are producing a 3D part we could have under cuts with out using a 5 axis machine. Or the things we can do with it on a lathe. If we chuck up a clear acrylic tube and print on that and some how be able to remove the tube, just to leave a crazy design or part. WOW.

[srwtlc]

I'm more interested in the 'BurritoBot'!! :D

http://technabob.com/blog/2012/07/07/burritob0t-3d-burrito-printer/

[geneb]

Dana, you could mount your own 3D print head to your 'bot (you could make a mount that you could fit into the collet on your spindle). The issue is driving the extruder motor - that's where the magic is. I've seen dual head extruders (all metal) for about $65.

Any idea what a fourth driver would cost? I've got a PRT Alpha 96....

g.

[dana_swift]

Gene- I think it uses one of the axes on the existing controller. Don't know that for certain, which is why my question.

Presumably it uses the step pulse output only as direction makes no sense, although I suppose you could use "reverse" to eject the extrusion filament.

I know the upcoming SB3 has features, partly based on the 3D printer option, and other such new fancy stuff.

I have a alpha also, the controller board should have TTL signals for step and direction, and the extruder driver should have TTL in, so I am presuming it should be a direct hook-up.

D

[geneb]

I don't see how the extruder could piggyback on an existing channel. The X, Y and Z axes are all in play while the print head is doing its job.

When trying to find the vendor that sells the all-metal print heads (http://www.qu-bd.com/) I was reminded that not only is there the extruder stepper to worry about, but the heating element as well. They need to be pegged at a specific temp depending on the material being extruded. That might not be an issue if someone were to cobble together an Arduino shield that did nothing but manage the extruder temperature.

The other fly in the ointment is finding a ShopBot with 100 micron repeatable Z accuracy. :)

g.

[gerryv]

Dana,
I'm in full agreement with you. The one thing that would need to get modified somewhat on the Shopbot's, especially the desktop, is the Z height because these things build vertically. Most geezers like me as well as the folks who are very sheet goods oriented (where the money is) will need to get our heads around this real paradigm shift to full 3D being the new reality I'm thinking.

My first reaction was that the filaments are insanely expensive but then I started thinking about no dust extraction costs, no air cleaning costs, less heavy handling equipment, no waste removal costs, no noise suppression costs, and on and on... For sure it's going to only be practical for small items in the beginning but at some point some smart character is going to start producing low cost filaments and make a ton of money.

I've actually not seen any other technology with a hardware element ramp up and evolve so quickly since Apple, laser printer manufacturers and Adobe (postscript) worked together to change the face of printing with desktop publishing. Even though 95% of what people produced on their desktops was butt ugly awful looking with 15 fonts per page, there sure were a large number of mainstream printers that suffered or went out of business.

Autodesk knows it too and want to control that market to the degree that they are now offering free 3D software just to get all the young folks into the new paradigm. Maybe I'd better try it out too :rolleyes:

[wiese]

For some more interesting possibilities, do a search on 3D printed concrete. Cool stuff!

[gc3]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/deltamaker/deltamaker-an-elegant-3d-printer-0

[dana_swift]

Gene- At FabLab Tulsa, one of the member built a 3D printer with that geometry. I have seen it running and printing. Its about twice the speed of a maker bot and has a much larger printing envelope. Really a cool design.

The down side of the design is the material feed motor is mounted away from the extruder head so its weight does not need to be accelerated with each print motion. When the feed motor stops pushing the ABS plastic, the material between the motor and extruder is in compression. So it continues to emit a thread of material for "a while". That can be dealt with, but its the weak link in the design. That is not obvious if you have not seen one in person.

Note that down side is not very significant. The machine works acceptably, its just a fine detail issue.

D

[BTP]

I just read this article before coming to this thread
http://www.webpronews.com/3d-printers-are-revolutionizing-dentistry-2013-02

3d printers & dentistry

[myxpykalix]

I wonder if i can cut myself a new set of teeth on the shopbot? Well if wooden teeth were good enough for George Washington......:D

[billp]

It apparently wasn't Jack;
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/6875436/

[danhamm]

Smithsonian Institution, to supervise laser scans on one of the four known sets of Washington's dentures. The dentures are made from gold, ivory, lead, human and animal teeth (horse and donkey teeth were common components).

[billp]

And for years I had also heard the "story" that his dentures were made of Tagua nuts as well, since they were a pretty common substitute in those days...

[WoodMarvels.com]

I agree 3D printing will be huge once it hits the mass market (still very niche hobby at the moment @ consumer level) and I think the ShopBot Desktop would make for an awesome 3D printer for all the reasons that make it great at table routing... the only issue would be z-axis height of the model though that would be quickly resolved by removing the "surface" and adding a bit longer z-stepper motor length.

I do plan on getting a 3D printer this year though - I am starting to sell some 3D printing files on my site and there is a lot of potential as most shops have more than one CNC machine type... hooking-up the ShopBot Desktop to a plasma cutter would be cool too!

Jon

[Brady Watson]

hooking-up the ShopBot Desktop to a plasma cutter would be cool too!

Not really. Save yourself the trouble & just start a pile of thermite plasma right on the t-track so that the aluminum ooze drips down on your X drive screw...if it isn't already severed.

Plasma is NASTY even on a full sized tool with water table and smoke extraction. The DT is delicate with it's screw drive and block & rail. Plasma would KILL IT.

This is a case where the fantasy is better than in real life...Stick with the marvelous wood. Plasma 'ain't all that'.

-B