Force Commander
Sr Member
Your Multibot sounds great!
Makerbot 3D printer/prototype machine: Anyone have one?
- Thread starter Rylo
- Start date
I have a reprap mendel. Isaac variant (same as standard mendel but some redesigns to be able to be cut on a cnc router)
been using it for the past few months. Here's some examples of what i'm working on right now with the printer, the sniper rifle that garrus uses in mass effect 2
been using it for the past few months. Here's some examples of what i'm working on right now with the printer, the sniper rifle that garrus uses in mass effect 2
well razai, you can 3d print right now by paying someone else with a 3d printer to print for you. Shapeways is a company that takes orders for printing, and will mail you the printed part. check it out... Shapeways | Passionate about creating
TallDarkandDisfigured
Sr Member
These machines just amaze me.. you need a 3D scan of the item to be made though right? I wouldn't even know where to start :lol
Is the final part plastic or what?
Is the final part plastic or what?
with the reprap/makerbot machines, yes the final part is plastic.. I print in ABS, but can also do HDPE, PLA and a myriad of other plastics if need be.
You don't need a 3d scan of an object so to speak.. you could use a scan.. but you do need a 3d model of some kind. I've been using 3ds Max for the better part of 10 years now so that is what i primarily use to make my models. But you could just as easily make models on google sketchup, or solidworks, or maya, or any other 3d modeling or cad package.
You don't need a 3d scan of an object so to speak.. you could use a scan.. but you do need a 3d model of some kind. I've been using 3ds Max for the better part of 10 years now so that is what i primarily use to make my models. But you could just as easily make models on google sketchup, or solidworks, or maya, or any other 3d modeling or cad package.
The makerbot can print in ABS plastic by default and also PLA. PLA is that corn-based plastic you may have seen as biodegradable plastic forks and knives. ABS is the same material as legos. You can mod a makerbot to print in chocolate, silicone, frosting, etc.
You can make 3D models a number of ways. There are dozens of CAD 3D modeling packages you can use, many of which are available for free. You can also pay someone else to model for you, or even code a shape like a programmer does. In addition to making your own models, you can check out Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects and google 3D warehouse. Both of those are sites where users model things and upload the CAD file for anyone to download and use with a 3D printer.
There are a bunch of other printers besides a makerbot that print in much better resolution and different materials. Makerbots are just like home kits and are far off from the more advanced machines.
You can make 3D models a number of ways. There are dozens of CAD 3D modeling packages you can use, many of which are available for free. You can also pay someone else to model for you, or even code a shape like a programmer does. In addition to making your own models, you can check out Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects and google 3D warehouse. Both of those are sites where users model things and upload the CAD file for anyone to download and use with a 3D printer.
There are a bunch of other printers besides a makerbot that print in much better resolution and different materials. Makerbots are just like home kits and are far off from the more advanced machines.
OB10
Sr Member
We've got a Makerbot in our community shop (TCMaker). I was really excited when we got it. But it seems to be kind of tetchy. We've upgraded a few parts on it, but it still seems to need a fair amount of fiddling with to get it to work well. A couple guys have spent a lot of time with it and can get it to do some things, but it's not as reliable as one of the big buck printers you can get. It's way cheaper, of course.
One of the problems that spring to mind is that here in Minnesota, the air can get pretty humid, and that causes the wood to expand, and it doesn't take much before the build platform isn't quite as flat as it used to be when the air was drier. And when that doesn't align well with the extruder.... sadness happens.
One of the problems that spring to mind is that here in Minnesota, the air can get pretty humid, and that causes the wood to expand, and it doesn't take much before the build platform isn't quite as flat as it used to be when the air was drier. And when that doesn't align well with the extruder.... sadness happens.
Very valuable tip for me, thank you! I live down south; nothin' but humid!
Thanks to everyone for the feedback, I appreciate it.
-Rylo
Thanks to everyone for the feedback, I appreciate it.
-Rylo
Force Commander
Sr Member
I'd say the greater issue with humidity is the ABS. Apparently the spools of ABS have a habit of absorbing the moisture and that is not good at all. So, even if you had a machine that was aluminium or plexi, you would still need a dry environment.
Architect
Active Member
interesting to know. I have been considering getting a laser based head and attempting to develop a way to turn plastic that can be melted to itself into a fine powder that is still relatively free from contaminates. best I can see so far is to use a speaker system to generate vibrations and use steel grinding bits that anything they loose can be removed using a magnet. nothing tested though yet. but the idea would be to lay down layers of plastic powder and sinter it together. might or might not be a better solution than the spool and hot extruded design.
You should join the reprap forums. There's lots of interesting information there about different types of 3D printing.
The Z Corp machines use a plaster based powder and an inkjet print head. There's also some machines that use a UV curable resin and a modified DLP projector.
It's an interesting time for rapid prototyping, that's for sure. Lots of patents have recently expired, which has led to the development of things like the makerbot.
--buddy
The Z Corp machines use a plaster based powder and an inkjet print head. There's also some machines that use a UV curable resin and a modified DLP projector.
It's an interesting time for rapid prototyping, that's for sure. Lots of patents have recently expired, which has led to the development of things like the makerbot.
--buddy
Architect
Active Member
looks like I am going to finally be going into business selling affordable kits for building milling machines for home users. humidity will only matter if they buy the cheap kit made with say MDF as I am planning to also offer a metal reinforced UHMW kit, that uses Drill rod of a specific size, but the drill rod could be changed out for some stainless steel rod like some companies sell, for a more marine environment.
major advantage on this is that some one could easily use the kit to build a scalable (more parts you use the bigger the unit can be and reversely the less parts you use the smaller the unit could be built) motion system with very little effort to get it calibrated. then what ever process you choose be it a router for the head or an extrude-er as well as the type of motors and motion control would be up to the person building their unit. so one could use the kit even to experiment with different manufacturing processes.
major advantage on this is that some one could easily use the kit to build a scalable (more parts you use the bigger the unit can be and reversely the less parts you use the smaller the unit could be built) motion system with very little effort to get it calibrated. then what ever process you choose be it a router for the head or an extrude-er as well as the type of motors and motion control would be up to the person building their unit. so one could use the kit even to experiment with different manufacturing processes.
Architect
Active Member
just a note. I have started the prototype of that unit I mention above. pics and build log is over in the off topic forum though since it is not a prop. when it makes it to the stage of sales/trading. then I will start a thread in the junk yard. *JY has been moved to the prop section of forums, so does that mean that it is meant only for prop related trading?*
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