Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: 3D Printing

  1. 13th August 2014, 10:25 PM #1
    Old Man Emu
    Old Man Emu is offline Fossicker
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    36
    Total Downloaded
    0

    3D Printing

    One of my new toys (apart from my Series llA) is a 3D printer.

    Basically, a 3D printer works in the same way as a CNC router, except instead of removing unwanted material from a block, a 3D printer builds up an object by putting down layer upon layer of material.

    I print with ABS plastic (think LEGO blocks) which comes as a filament 3mm in diameter. It looks like whipper-snipper cord. The filament is fed into a heated nozzle which melts it as it is forced through a 0.4mm extrusion hole.

    Stepper motors, which move in response to coded instructions, move the extruder over the print bed as the heated filament is laid down. As each layer is completed, the stepper motors raise the extruder by a pre-determined amount and then the next layer is put down.

    What use is a 3D printer? Well, apart from making novelty items such as statues of cartoon characters, or replacements for hard to obtain parts, 3D printing has great value in rapid prototyping. A designer can draw up an object using a CAD program and have solid example printed out within a few hours.

    The design of the type of 3D printer I have is open source, as is the software I use for producing the code to print and object, and other software for operating the printer.

    I purchased my printer as a kit from the USA. It cost me about $800 delivered to my door. A 1kg roll of filament costs about $50.

    Old Man Emu
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  2. 14th August 2014, 12:26 PM #2
    Judo's Avatar
    Judo
    Judo is offline ChatterBox Silver Subscriber
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Parkdale, Melbourne
    Posts
    2,919
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Pics with details or it didn't happen!
    - Justin

    '95 Disco 300TDI - sold
    '86 County 110 Isuzu
    2006 Range Rover Vogue td6
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  3. 14th August 2014, 01:25 PM #3
    lewy
    lewy is offline Wizard Silver Subscriber
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    darwin
    Posts
    1,502
    Total Downloaded
    0
    pics,,I here they are working on a 3d scanner\printer atm,
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  4. 14th August 2014, 04:23 PM #4
    Ausfree's Avatar
    Ausfree
    Ausfree is offline OldBushie
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Lake Macquarie. NSW.
    Posts
    7,996
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Thankyou for the explanation on the 3D printer, I wondered how they work and yes, photo's would be nice!!!
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  5. 14th August 2014, 05:33 PM #5
    Basil135's Avatar
    Basil135
    Basil135 is offline ChatterBox
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Adelaide SA
    Posts
    2,517
    Total Downloaded
    0
    I have a CNC router, so understand how it all works.

    And like a CNC router, you can use one to make the components for another one...
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  6. 15th August 2014, 07:45 AM #6
    isuzutoo-eh's Avatar
    isuzutoo-eh
    isuzutoo-eh is offline TopicToaster
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Near Seven Hills, Sydney
    Posts
    4,342
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Which machine did you buy?
    A friend bought one, around $1200, and six months later still hadn't produced a single part, so sent it back. It had serious problems, with losing register within a shortened range of travel, so all it could produce accurately was spaghetti. New mechanical limit switches, better software with soft limits, nothing helped.


    At a 3D printing conference a few weeks ago I had my head 3D scanned so now have a model of myself. Not sure my ego is large enough to print myself out though

    Which design package are you using?


    I have two CNC mills and sunk a few too many thousands into 3D printing over the years
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  7. 15th August 2014, 07:08 PM #7
    Slunnie's Avatar
    Slunnie
    Slunnie is offline Swaggie Gold Subscriber
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Central West NSW
    Posts
    14,138
    Total Downloaded
    99.87 MB
    UP are the 3D printers that a lot of schools are buying.
    Cheers
    Slunnie


    ~ Discovery II Td5 ~ Discovery 3dr V8 ~ Series IIa 6cyl ute ~ Series II V8 ute ~
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  8. 15th August 2014, 10:13 PM #8
    Old Man Emu
    Old Man Emu is offline Fossicker
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    36
    Total Downloaded
    0
    I have a MakerFarm Prusa i3 printer. I has an 8" x 8" print bed and can print 8" vertically.

    If I want to create an object, I use Rhino5 for CAD. I also download *stl files from a place called Thingiverse. The CAM software is an open source program called Slic3r. The control interface bewteen the PC and the printer is a program called Pronerface, which is also open source. The printer will run Gcode from an SD card, but I prefer to be able to continuously monitor the action via Pronterface.

    The printer cost me $800 landed. It was in kit form, but the assembly was fairly easy. It is a filament printer. I could use either PLA or ABS, but stick to ABS. I use a converted ATX computer PSU to supply the sparks.

    Old Man Emu
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  9. 15th August 2014, 10:57 PM #9
    isuzurover's Avatar
    isuzurover
    isuzurover is offline Swaggie
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    WA
    Posts
    13,786
    Total Downloaded
    0
    We have a large number of 3d printers at work down to 10 micron resolution.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
« Linux Choice | Two Monitors via Lap Top »

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Forum Rules

Search AULRO.com ONLY!
 Search All the Web!